The difference between co-extruded WPC and non-co-extruded WPC: Choose a more suitable outdoor decoration material
WPC products have become common materials in modern decoration, landscape and architectural decoration due to their superior performance and environmental protection characteristics. According to different production processes, WPC products can be divided into co-extruded WPC and non-co-extruded WPC. Whether in home decoration or commercial space design, choosing the right wallboard material is crucial. This article will explore the difference between co-extruded WPC and non-co-extruded WPC in depth to help consumers better understand these two materials so that they can make a wise choice.
1. What is WPC?
WPC is a composite material mainly made of a mixture of wood powder and plastic (such as PVC or PE). It combines the natural beauty of wood and the durability of plastic and is widely used in many fields such as indoor and outdoor wall panels, floors, furniture, etc. Due to its superior performance, WPC materials are becoming more and more popular in modern home decoration.
2. What is co-extruded WPC and non-co-extruded WPC
Co-extruded WPC:
Co-extrusion technology (Co-extrusion) is a technology that extrudes and fuses multiple raw materials simultaneously during the production process. Specifically, in the co-extrusion process, different layers of wood-plastic materials are molded together through a multi-layer co-extrusion mold. It is common that the outer layer uses materials with strong wear resistance and UV resistance, while the inner layer maintains traditional wood-plastic materials.
Non-co-extruded wood-plastic:
Non-co-extruded wood-plastic is produced through a traditional single extrusion process. The material has only one outer layer during the molding process, and all the raw materials are mixed and extruded in the same layer, lacking multi-layer protection. This production process is usually simpler, lower cost, and higher process flexibility, but the overall performance of the material is relatively weak.
3. The main difference between co-extruded WPC and non-co-extruded WPC
The main difference between co-extruded WPC and non-co-extruded WPC is that the surface of co-extruded WPC is evenly wrapped with a 0.5 mm co-extruded thickened coating layer, using double-layer co-extrusion technology, 360-degree hot pressing laminating process, and high-polymer environmentally friendly core board, which not only retains the advantages of WPC itself, but also is more wear-resistant and stain-resistant, and the surface texture is closer to natural wood. Therefore, co-extruded WPC is also called the upgrade and technological breakthrough of non-co-extruded WPC.
Co-extruded WPC has another important outstanding advantage over non-co-extruded WPC: strength loss. The strength loss of WPC composite materials under adverse environments such as humidity and freeze-thaw cycles is one of the standards for testing the material properties of WPC composite materials. Experiments show that the strength loss of the new generation of WPC composite materials produced by co-extrusion technology after saturated water immersion is less than the strength loss of WPC composite materials produced by non-co-extrusion technology. This is because the degree of strength loss is determined by the thickness of the co-extruded layer and the strength of the core material. The core material strength is low, but the strength loss is low when the co-extruded layer thickness is large. This makes co-extruded wood-plastic materials not only more colorful than non-co-extruded materials, but also more waterproof and sun-proof, with less strength loss after immersion in water, and low maintenance cost in humid environments, which makes co-extruded wood-plastic materials more economically beneficial in the long run.
Materials and formulas
The materials of non-co-extruded wood-plastic mainly rely on wood powder, and the durability is relatively poor; co-extruded wood-plastic is more complex in formula, which enhances strength and stability.
Process and production
The production process of non-co-extruded wood-plastic is relatively simple, and the process precision is low; co-extruded wood-plastic adopts co-extrusion technology, which has better surface effect and significantly improved wear resistance.
Performance comparison
In terms of wear resistance, moisture resistance and environmental protection standards, co-extruded wood-plastic is superior to non-co-extruded products. In the peripheral decoration project of shopping malls, the use of co-extruded wood-plastic wall panels has greatly reduced maintenance costs and significantly improved customer satisfaction.
Aesthetics
Co-extruded wood-plastic wall panels offer a variety of colors and textures to choose from, suitable for a variety of decoration styles, and can meet the personalized needs of consumers.
4. Considerations when choosing WPC products
When choosing WPC products, consumers should consider the following points:
Budget
Non-co-extruded WPC materials are relatively cheap, but may increase maintenance costs in long-term use; although co-extruded WPC has high initial investment, its durability and environmental protection can reduce subsequent expenses. The choice of materials should try to choose products with high cost performance, and control budget expenditure on the basis of ensuring quality and beauty.
Usage requirements
Choose suitable WPC wall panels according to the actual application environment. If it is used in a humid environment, it is recommended to choose co-extruded WPC.
Environmental protection requirements
For consumers who value environmental protection, WPC products with E0 grade or higher standards should be selected to ensure indoor air quality.
Installation and maintenance
The installation process of some decoration materials may be complicated and require special tools or techniques. Choosing materials that are easy to install can save construction time and labor costs. For example, the installation of PVC wall panels and WPC wall panels is relatively simple, while tiles and natural stones may require professional construction teams. Some materials require higher maintenance costs during use, such as wood needs to be waxed or oiled regularly, while stone and tile surfaces may need to be cleaned and polished regularly. Therefore, choosing materials that are easy to clean and maintain can reduce the management costs in the later stage.
5. Conclusion
Co-extruded WPC and non-co-extruded WPC have significant differences in materials, processes and performance. Consumers should make appropriate decisions based on their own needs and environmental characteristics when choosing. If you need to use it outdoors or in harsh environments and want to maintain the stability and aesthetics of the material for a long time, co-extruded WPC is undoubtedly a better choice. If your budget is limited and the use environment is relatively mild, non-co-extruded WPC is a cost-effective choice.