Eco Decking Tile from Eco Woods
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 09.21.05
Available for several years in Australia, Japan and Germany, Eco Decking Tiles are just coming to the United States and is truly a product for all you DIYers. Your deck can be installed in a matter of minutes with these decking tiles because of the way they “snap” together. Screws, nails, adhesives or any other type of material is not needed for its installation. The tiles are crafted from Bolivian Ipe wood which naturally resists rot, decay, insects and mold without chemical treatments making these tiles last longer than your standard deck. Additionally, the hardness and natural durability of this wood allows the tiles to be installed and remain outdoors even in the harshest climates while sustaining little to no damage. According to Eco Woods' PR firm "the Ipe wood harvested for the tiles are regulated by the strictest environmental standards, providing homeowners the assurance, that their new deck is not only beautiful but also ecologically sound." Moving and can’t bear to leave your work behind? Disassemble in a matter of minutes and take it with you to your next home. Via ::PR Newswire ::Eco Woods
I would be VERY suspicious of any claim for "responsibly managed" or "ecological" wood that was not verified by the Forestry Stewarship Council (FSC). They are an independant, international certifying organization.
Some of these deck tile manufacterers do not have this approval from the FSC and some do. I am not sure if the one above has it or not.
This deck tile manufacterer has SFC certified Ipe Hardwood. www.thedeckingoutlet.com or www.swiftdeck.com
the urls are
SFC Certified Ipe wood deck tiles are in the links below. I saw these people at the earth friendly show last year.
www.thedeckingoutlet.com
or
www.swiftdeck.com
Actually, the comment made by Kirsten Flynn, is completely out of focus. FSC is not the only certification company in Planet Earth. It is one of them. FSC is a business (although they say otherwise) oriented organization. And there is much politics involved. It's all about money, and not the actual real sustainability of the lumber itself. Our company produces lumber from SUSTAINABLE FORESTS that are approved by the Bolivian Government Organization, the Super Intendence of Forests. Not ONE SINGLE LOG, TREE, OR ANY KIND OF WOOD can be actually harvested without this approval, or as you might call it, certification. FSC Certified Lumber has to as well, be approved by the Bolivian Government.
What is the difference? The enormous amounts of money, that each owner of forest, or as they call it in Bolivia, Forestal Consessions, has to put to the FSC, Smartwood or other organizations. Huge amounts of money, politics, power plays and everything else is involved when getting an FSC Certification.
We decided against it, because of all the monetary issues involved, but mainly because the actual, real SUSTAINABILITY is already provided, protected, and certified by the Bolivian Government.
Thus Kirsten Flynn, I am here to answer your questions, or anybody's, as we stand our ground, right along with the hundreds of wood companies in Bolivia, that do not wish to enter into this particular power play executed by the FSC and it's few owners in the Bolivian "Chapter".
Believe me Kirsten Flynn, that I want to leave a business for the grandchildren of my son, and that I can't do, unless I make sure that there are forests for future generations.
With Kind Regards
Genaro L. Siles
CFO
International Eco Woods S.R.L.
Eco Decking Tiles