Plastic lumber can provide a durable, low-maintenance alternative to traditional wood in agribusiness and agricultural environments where moisture, manure, washdown, ground contact, insects, and continuous exposure can shorten the life of conventional materials.
Today's agribusiness operations are sophisticated businesses where material performance, sanitation, labor, maintenance, downtime, and service life can directly affect operating costs. From poultry and livestock facilities to greenhouses, agricultural buildings, equipment areas, and farm infrastructure, choosing materials that require less attention over their service life can have value well beyond their initial cost.
Start with the operation — then the application. Tell us what you're building or replacing, how the material will be used, the dimensions involved, loads or spans if applicable, and the conditions it must withstand. We'll help identify structural or non-structural plastic lumber options worth considering.
Plastic lumber can provide an alternative to wood in poultry and livestock facilities where moisture, manure, repeated washdown, insects, and continuous use can create demanding conditions for traditional materials. Because plastic lumber does not rot or require preservative treatment, it can be considered for components where durability, cleaning, and long service life are priorities.
Applications to consider: Poultry house components • livestock facility components • posts and supports • wall and equipment supports • partitions • barriers • gates and gate components • feed-area components • lumber structural failure • equipment mounting components • replacement of deteriorated wood components.
Questions to consider: Structural loads • impact from animals or equipment • fastening and anchoring method • washdown requirements • manure and moisture exposure • chemical exposure • dimensions and tolerances • structural or non-structural requirements.
Plastic lumber can be considered for barns, agricultural buildings, storage structures, and other facilities where traditional wood is exposed to moisture, ground contact, insects, equipment impact, or repeated maintenance. Structural and non-structural options allow plastic lumber to be evaluated for both building components and areas where deterioration commonly begins.
Plastic lumber can be considered for barns, agricultural buildings, storage structures, and other facilities where traditional wood is exposed to moisture, ground contact, insects, equipment impact, or repeated maintenance. Structural and non-structural options allow plastic lumber to be evaluated for both building components and areas where deterioration commonly begins.
Applications to consider: Sill plates • foundation and base components • wall supports • door framing • equipment supports • blocking and spacers • skids • floor and platform components • stall and partition components • building repairs • replacement of deteriorated wood.
Questions to consider: Structural loads • unsupported span • attachment and anchoring method • ground contact • moisture exposure • equipment or animal impact • thermal expansion • dimensional requirements • structural or non-structural requirements.
Plastic lumber can be considered for commercial greenhouses, nurseries, propagation facilities, and other growing operations where constant moisture, irrigation, fertilizers, soil, and repeated cleaning create difficult conditions for traditional wood. Its resistance to rot and moisture makes it particularly useful for components that are continuously wet or difficult to replace once growing operations are underway.
Applications to consider: Propagation racks • growing benches • bench framing • equipment supports • irrigation supports • walkways
• work surfaces • potting-area components • blocking and spacers • equipment mounting • ground-contact components • replacement of deteriorated wood components.
Questions to consider: Load requirements • constant moisture exposure • irrigation and drainage • fertilizer or chemical exposure
• operating temperature • fastening method • dimensional requirements • cleaning requirements • structural or non-structural requirements.
Plastic lumber can be considered for agricultural equipment areas, storage facilities, loading areas, and material-handling applications where moisture, impact, abrasion, chemicals, and repeated equipment use can shorten the life of traditional wood. Structural and non-structural options allow the material to be evaluated for components ranging from simple blocking and spacers to heavy-duty supports and wear surfaces.
Applications to consider: Equipment supports • machinery bases • dunnage • cribbing • blocking and spacers • storage racks • wear strips • loading-area components • work surfaces • equipment mounting • protective barriers • material-handling components • replacement of deteriorated wood.
Questions to consider: Load requirements • concentrated or point loads • equipment impact • abrasion • operating temperature moisture or chemical exposure • fastening and anchoring method • dimensional requirements • structural or non-structural requirements.
Plastic lumber can provide options for farm and agribusiness infrastructure where components are exposed to soil, moisture, weather, equipment, animals, and continuous outdoor service. Its resistance to rot, insects, and moisture can make it particularly useful for components that are difficult to replace or expected to remain in service for many years.
Applications to consider: Equipment and utility supports • drainage-area components • crossings and walkways • pump and irrigation supports • tank and equipment pads • blocking and spacers • protective barriers • ground-contact components • posts • gates and fencing components • specialty farm structures • replacement of deteriorated wood.
Questions to consider: Intended use • load requirements • ground contact • soil and drainage conditions • equipment or animal impact • moisture and chemical exposure • fastening and anchoring method • dimensions • structural or non-structural requirements.
Plastic lumber can be considered for aquaculture, hatchery, irrigation, and other agricultural operations where components are continuously exposed to water, humidity, soil, chemicals, and repeated wash-down. Its resistance to rot and moisture can make it useful where traditional wood deteriorates quickly or where replacement can interrupt ongoing operations.
Applications to consider: Aquaculture facility components • hatchery components • tank supports • raceway components • walkways and platforms • irrigation supports • pump equipment supports • wet-area work surfaces • blocking and spacers • equipment mounting water-control structures • ground-contact components.
Questions to consider: Freshwater or saltwater exposure • continuous wet or submerged conditions • load requirements • chemical exposure • operating temperature • fastening hardware • slip considerations • dimensional requirements • structural or non-structural requirements.
Agribusiness operations often have applications that don't fit neatly into a category. If wood is being repeatedly replaced because of moisture, manure, insects, ground contact, chemicals, equipment damage, or continuous exposure, plastic lumber may provide another option worth evaluating.
Start with what's failing. Tell us what the component does, what material you're currently using, how and why it is failing, the dimensions involved, and the conditions it must withstand.
Photographs, drawings, dimensions, load or span requirements, and information about the operating environment can help us determine which material options are worth considering.
Our goal is to help you determine whether plastic lumber makes sense for the application — and whether it requires structural or non-structural material.
