Designation:D7032−14StandardSpecificationforEstablishingPerformanceRatingsforWood-PlasticCompositeDeckBoardsandGuardrailSystems(GuardsorHandrails)1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD7032;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope1.1Thisspecificationcoverstheprocedurestoestablishaperformanceratingforwood-plasticcomposite(WPC)deckboards.ThisspecificationalsodefinestheprocedurestoestablishaperformanceratingforWPCguardsandhandrails.Thepurposeofthisspecificationistoestablishthebasisforcoderecognitionoftheseproductsorsystemsinexteriorapplicationswherecombustibleconstructionisallowed(seeX1.1).NOTE1—WhileWPCsmaycontainwoodfiber,thepresenceofwoodfiberinthecompositeisnotrequiredbythisstandard.Otherlignocellu-losicmaterialsmaybeused.ForWPCdeckboardsandguardrailsystemsevaluatedaccordingtothisstandard,thestructural,physical,andfireattributesmayormaynotexhibitsimilaritytothoseofwoodduetothepresence,type,andquantityofplastic(s)inthecomposite.WPCsshouldnotbeassumedtobehavesimilarlytowood.Forexample,toaddresstheinfluenceofplasticinthecomposite,specialconsiderationsinthestandardaddresssensitivitytotemperature,ultraviolet(UV)exposure,andfreeze-thawresistance.1.2Deckboards,guards,andhandrailscoveredbythisspecificationarepermittedtobeofanycodecompliantshapeandthickness(solidornon-solid).NOTE2—WhileWPCsareproducedinabroadrangeofratiosoffibertoresinitisrecognizedthattheperformancerequirementsinthisspecificationarevalidforanymaterialorcombinationofmaterialsusedasdeckboards,guards,orhandrails.Forproductsmadeprimarilyfromresin,orforproductsthatexhibithighlyplasticproperties(forexample,morethan3%strainwithoutruptureinastandardflexuraltestunderambientconditions),usersaredirectedtoSpecificationD6662foradditionalguidance.1.3Adeckboard,andadeckboardusedasastairtr...
