​If you have a deck from Inteplast, then your fall deck maintenance routine isn’t going to be as time consuming as it would be if you have a traditional wood deck. With a PVC deck from Inteplast there’s no annual sanding splinters, staining, sealing, or painting the deck boards—which leaves you with plenty of time to enjoy your outdoor space this fall. Here are 4 basic cleaning tips to get your deck tidy and fall-ready after enjoying it all summer long.

​1. Inspect and replace loose or worn hardware.
If your deck has seen a lot of action this summer with kids at play, neighborhood parties, or furniture rearranging, it’s important to make sure you tighten any loose or worn hardware that may have occurred. Check that the deck-to-house connections and spacers and flashing are tightened. If any hardware is worn, now is a good time to replace them. Inteplast offers color matching screws and hidden fastening plugs for maximum aesthetics and maximum strength.

2. Clearing debris
Before cleaning your Inteplast deck, you’ll want to clear away any loose debris, dirt, leaves, etc., with a broom or a leaf blower. Getting the deck surface clear and dry before cleaning allows the cleaning products to work more efficiently.

​3. Cleaning
As tempting as it is to pressure wash your Inteplast deck, we do not recommend it. Using a power washer can damage the surface. The best way to clean and protect your investment is to use a regular water hose, soapy water, and a soft bristle brush.
 
Inteplast recommends eco-friendly cleaning solutions that are free from harsh chemicals and abrasives, as they can dull the surface of the deck boards. Before using any cleaning detergent, we suggest testing the product on an inconspicuous or left over piece of the deck to make sure it doesn’t harm the deck surface.

If you are in doubt of the right cleaning products, or have questions about deck maintenance, contact Inteplast’s customer service center for answers to your questions. For a complete list of Inteplast Building Products’ maintenance tips, visit the website here.

​It’s almost fall deck season. Time for grilling dinner, enjoying end-of-day cocktails, or helping the kiddos with their homework al fresco. So ask yourself this: Are you spending more time working on your deck or more time enjoying it? When your goal is a low-maintenance lifestyle, you need a low-maintenance solution. Not only is Inteplast Building Products Decking moisture resistance, beautiful, and splinter-free, but the state-of-the-art process also gives you maximum performance. Here are four innovative technologies in every Inteplast Deck board:
 
1. Color Technology
Inteplast Building Products' color technology protects the natural wood grains in our deck and porch products, and helps retain their color against UV rays and other outside elements so your outdoor living spaces look timeless. From incredibly realistic natural wood grains, to warm and vibrant color choices, you’ll get the natural beauty of authentic wood with unmatched long-term value to make the most of your investment. And for added peace of mind, our deck products come with a 25 year stain and fade warranty.

2. Edge Seal Technology
Our Edge Seal Technology provides all sides sealed to protect the smooth or wood grain surfaces of the trim products from dirt and stains.

4. Surface Technology
Surface Technology provides a scratch-resistant shell that protects your deck or porch against heavy traffic and activity with a coating on all four sides. So not only will your outdoor space maintain its beauty season after season, it’s also splinter-free!

We put our Inteplast Building Products Deck to the test against composite decking and pre-treated wood options. This series of real-world trials, conducted in a normal environment, shows the advantages of Inteplast Building Products over other alternatives. Check out the results here. Find out where to buy Inteplast Decking in your area here. 

No different than flooring options or cabinety packages, a home’s design style will also play a huge factor in which moulding and trim profiles and colors to use in each room. Whether your aesthetic is minimalist, sophisticated, farm house, or historic, the wide variety of decorative, polystyrene prefinished moulding options from Inteplast offers quality craftsmanship with the workability of real wood. Here are three different recommendations compiled from current trends to help you make some moulding design decisions.

​MODERN
A design aesthetic synonymous with a modern style is tone-on-tone coloring that uses a single color, or pairs different hues of the same color. When it comes to layering moulding colors with the rest of the colors in a room, designers suggest pairing warm wall colors with warm moulding colors if you don’t want to outright paint your moulding the same color. For example, use our Amber, Independence Cherry, or Russet profiles with rich autumnal colors like reds, yellows, and oranges. Or pastel versions of those. If your wall colors are cool shades of blues or other calming pastels, use Crystal White trim. Using the same color scheme creates the illusion of a larger room, while uniting it.

​CLASSIC
With a classic design scheme, you can break all of the rules and still create a stunning room. When we think of Farmhouse or Cottage interior styles, most of us see white moulding with a sunny yellow wall color. While white is the most often used moulding and trim color for a classic or traditional style, the wall color can vary greatly. Whether neutrals, warm tones, jewel tones, or dark earthy colors, Inteplast’s Crystal White moulding goes with them all to create a classic connection from room to room. 

​ECLECTIC
An eclectic taste could apply to all types of home design styles, from contemporary to historic. It all comes down to dark trim colors. To really show-off up-to-the-minute wall colors of soft blues and greens, pair with our Espresso, Auburn, or Whiskey Maple moulding. Darker trim colors add more depth and dimension than classic whites or other light colors in maple and oak. 

Inteplast's prefinished, decorative moulding products are available at Lowe’s and other select dealers. We have door, window, ceiling, wall, and floor profiles to choose from. All of products are easy to install and are slightly flexible, making them the perfect solution for not-so-true walls. 

​When we’re designing or re-designing a space, most of us have tried to imagine what color schemes and finishes go with each other as well as what matches our furniture. With the Moulding Visualizer Tool from Inteplast, you can tryout different product colors with wall and furniture color combinations to see what style best suits your room—and your taste. Here are four different color schemes for the same dining room. Hope these get your inspiration juices flowing.
 
Room 1
A neutral color scheme doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, it’s one of the most flexible pallets because it has a calming effect, works with any style, and it allows you to showcase some bold design elements that might otherwise get hidden in a bolder or vibrant color scheme. Using the visualizer tool, we chose the same moulding color, White Oak, throughout, and paired it with a Stone White wall and a light dining set. This color scheme makes rooms appear larger, more open, and inviting.  

​Room 2
For this room, we chose the same paint color, and although it still has the neutral flavor of the first room, we switched up the moulding colors to Ultra Oak and changed the dining set to Tan. These subtle changes now make the room feel warmer. The moulding transitions are little more noticeable and add a pop of color, without the color.   

​Room 3
Things start to get a little more bold with this color combination. Again, we chose the same color for all of the moulding products—Whiskey Maple—but switched up the furniture to dark brown. The walls get a deeper shade of color with Mossy Green. This, and similar shades of green, produce an elegant, earthy, yet warm feeling. 

​Room 4
We did some mix and matching with our moulding colors in this room. We used Ultra Maple for the crown, chair, and baseboard. The Ultra Maple provides a seamless transition from the planked ceiling. We opted for White Oak window casings to provide an easy transition between the windows and the wall planks. The wall color is still fairly neutral in Light Gray, and pairs nicely with the light dining set.

​Inteplast’s prefinished, decorative moulding products, available at Lowe’s and other select dealers, are easy to install and are slightly flexible, making them the perfect solution for not-so-true walls. Try out Inteplast’s Moulding Visualizer for yourself. We also have a Visualizer for our Decks and Porch products too. 

​If you ask homeowners, most will probably tell you they don’t have enough storage space. As much thought as designers and builders put into storage options, there will always be a need for more—especially if you live in an apartment or condominium. So when your space is feeling cramped or cluttered, and your closets and drawers are maxed out, here are 4 DIY storage hacks to try.
 
1. Picture Rail Shelves
Not only does decorative picture rail moulding add character to any room, it also gives you more storage options. You can use the floating shelves to store photos, candles, or books, just about anything. Install them in a laundry room where you can store your detergents or other cleaning products. It’s an easy project to tackle on your own. Here’s how.

​2. Hidden Storage Cabinet
House and car keys typically get tossed on an end table or the kitchen counter because we don’t have a designated place to keep them. Here is a unique DIY hidden storage cabinet that doubles as a picture frame. You can make this as stylish as you want from Inteplast’s varied color and profile selection of moulding. It’s perfect for keys or any other small items that don’t have a designated storage space. Follow these simple instructions.

​​3. Wine Rack
While it would be nice to have a separate wine cellar or even a state-of-the-art wine cooler, not all of us have that extra space to spare in our houses, so our wine bottles typically sit in a pantry or on the counter. Here’s a DIY wine rack project that hangs on the wall. It’s super stylish and it’s also a great gift idea too.

​4. Coat rack shelf
Not every entry way has a coat closet, which can often mean jackets, coats, scarfs and the like get tossed over chairs or hung on door knobs. Here’s a an easy, DIY coat rack and shelf made from Inteplast’s decorative moulding that not only adds a place to hang garments, but also has a shelf to add knick-knacks, photos, or anything else that needs a place of its own. Get directions here.

​Decorative moulding is that one design accessory that has unlimited uses. Obviously we install it to fill in the gaps between ceilings, walls, and floors, add interest to windows and doors, and overall enhance the beauty and style of our homes. But there are many other ways to use or repurpose old moulding to make a dramatic impact around your house. Here are some unique DIY moulding projects to try.
 
1. Upgrade a door without having to replace it
Replacing all of your outdated hollow core interior doors can be expensive. Especially if you’re looking at craftsman style raised panel door options. But with a little imagination and some decorative moulding, you can give those old doors a modern boost without emptying your bank account. Here’s an example we found on Pinterest from Thrifty Artsy Girl. She added simple moulding strips to create a raised panel effect on the face of the door. Update the door handle and add a fresh coat of paint, and you’ve got a brand new contemporary door. Inteplast’s prefinished decorative moulding can make your project easy. No painting, sanding, or scraping needed.

​2. Give an old mirror new life
If you have a large frameless mirror hanging in your bathroom, you’ve probably noticed the dark edges that appear over time. This happens when prolonged moisture reacts with the protective coatings on the mirror. But you don’t have the replace the entire mirror to get rid of the imperfection. Frame it with moulding. Inteplast’s decorative moulding resists moisture, rot, and mildew, so it’s the perfect solution. Here’s a DIY video tutorial with step-by-step instructions.   

​3. Build a shelving unit with repurposed materials
We found this repurposed DIY gem on Pinterest. Using salvaged doors, moulding, and wood from an old farm house and barn, this crafty individual made a beautiful shelving unit. The repurposed materials can add vintage craftsman style to any room.

​4. Add flair to a boring side table
Similar to updating an out-of-style door, by adding strips of moulding to a plain, flat side table, you can create a craftsman style piece of furniture by adding raised panels to the sides. Inteplast’s decorative moulding comes in a variety of classic and modern profiles so you can create a look as ornate or as simple as you’d like. 

​5. Create a piece art using moulding corners
Just for fun, here’s some dragon fly art from Lucy Designs Online. This artist used an old table leg for the body, and repurposed decorative moulding corners for the wings. This is a great example of what to do with left over moulding instead of throwing it out.

Finally it looks as if spring is here to stay, and summer isn’t far behind. And we are so ready for all the things that come along with these seasons: warmer temps, longer daylight hours, and of course, days and nights in the open air or surrounded by sun—which has us dreaming of how and where we’ll spend the time. Here are some inspiring places for amazing warm-weather views.
​
Front Porch Sitting
Front porches were once the hub of social activity between friends and neighbors. They still serve that purpose, but they do so much more. They actually extend your living space, add architectural drama to your house, and give you a front row seat to the after-dinner star show. With such a significant role the porch plays for warm-weather sitting, dress up the ceiling and soffits with Inteplast’s low-maintenance tongue-and-grove beadboard for a clean, finished look.

​​Pool House Frolicking
Lounge by the pool with a book in hand. Listen to the laughter of kids splashing around. Watch the sun dance on the water through large glass windows. Do all of this without the worry of moisture rotting and mildewing your trim products. Unlike wood trim, our products won’t rot, split, crack, or absorb water, and are resistant to termites and other pests. So you can spend more time relaxing and less time maintaining.

​Sunroom Lounging
You don’t have to literally be outdoors to enjoy the outdoors. Sunrooms bridge the gap between nature and your interior spaces. From the openness to the natural light, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the warm months in a sunroom. The aesthetic value of Inteplast Building Products window and ceiling moulding adds depth and drama by framing picturesque views, transforming your sunroom into an inviting nook you’ll never want to leave.

​Ocean-front Hanging
Without a doubt, there may be no better way to unwind and unplug than to sit in front of a white sandy beach and gently rolling surf and let the hustle and bustle of life disappear with each wave. Being near the water can actually trigger a meditative state. And no one wants to interrupt that calm feeling by maintaining exterior trim on a pier house. If you’re looking for a trim product that can withstand the harsh elements of salt air and sun, Inteplast’s decorative exterior trim adds one-of-a-kind style to any exterior with all the workability and beauty of real wood without the maintenance headaches of real wood. 

Sometimes it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference in our homes, like replacing or updating door and window frames. They’re probably not what first comes to mind when you think about adding value to your home and getting greater enjoyability from each room, but they can have a dramatic effect as a fairly inexpensive remodel project. Here are some reasons you might want to update your door and window frames.
​ 
Low Maintenance
Let’s face it; with warmer weather on the way there are many more enjoyable ways to spend your time than repairing and maintaining rotting wood trim. Inteplast’s PVC window and door trim products won’t rot, split, crack, splinter, or absorb moisture. They’re also resistant to termites and other pests. Because they’re moisture-resistant, Inteplast’s products are perfect for kitchen and bathroom applications. 

​Style Overhaul
Inteplast’s interior window and door moulding comes in a variety of colors and profiles to match any interior style. You can make dramatic entrances to any room by matching ceiling, wall, and window moulding to your door and door frame. There are 14 colors to choose from including Crystal White, Ultra Maple, Espresso, and autumn. All exude sophistication and quality craftsmanship.

​Frame a Picturesque view
Got a grand view of the outside world from every room in your house? You wouldn’t hang an old beat-up frame on a masterpiece would you? The aesthetic value of Inteplast Building Products Window Moulding goes beyond softening transitions and hiding door jamb seams. It adds depth and drama to every room by framing picturesque views and playing off natural light.

​It’s Easy
Because Inteplast’s window moulding products are lightweight, prefinished, and use the same tools as traditional lumber products, you can DIY without calling in the pros. The products arrive ready to install: no priming, painting, staining or sanding needed. Just measure, cut, and install. The light weight makes it easier to install–essentially a one-person project. They are also slightly flexible, so they’re the perfect solution for walls that aren’t completely true. Inteplast’s window and door trim products are available at Lowe’s and other select dealers.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram are loaded with eye-catching imagery and dynamic videos, but they’re also idea-driven, as is Twitter. That makes all four platforms the perfect tools for finding and sharing interior and exterior home design inspirations, tips, and advice. In fact, social media is an important part of a design or product manufacturer’s marketing strategy because they know that’s where today’s consumers get much of their information. Here are some ways you can use the different social media platforms to help you find your own design inspiration.

Facebook
There are currently over 2.13 billion monthly active Facebook users. That is a lot of people— individuals and brands—sharing information. And that includes interior designers, stylists, and product manufacturers and retailers who showcase their work on Facebook for all to see. Because of their visually-driven content, company pages like Apartment Therapy, Houzz, Remodelaholic, Coastal Living, and House Beautiful, have huge Facebook followings. 

Pinterest
There are over 50 billion Pinterest Pins right now. And two-thirds of those pins represent brands and products. Pinterest is perfect for sharing visual content. You can search for categories like interior design and design trends. You can even be more specific like Feng Sui design ideas, or dining room update ideas. Just like on Facebook, you can follow fellow pinners whom you have a design kinship with. Inteplast Building Products has several boards to find inspiration from like, reclaimed wood wall ideas, deck-orating your deck, and home office ideas. 

Instagram
Instagram is an app made specifically for sharing photos and videos from a smartphone. Similar to Facebook or Twitter, users create an account with a profile and news feed. And with 300 million active Instagrammers each day, there’s a lot of sharing going on. Whether it’s a designer sharing photos of completed projects, or your best friend snapping a pic of a vintage sofa from a flea market, the image-driven platform is an unlimited source of design inspiration. Like all other social media sites, you can follow other Instagrammers too. Houseology lists some of these designers as their Instagram faves: Candy Pop, These Four Walls, and Mad About the House.  

Twitter
Twitter may seem like the odd-man-out here because it’s not really image-driven. But it’s the perfect platform to connect with interior designers, bloggers, and product manufacturers and retailers, as well as follow design trends. 

​​There are design inspirations abound online. But don’t forget that social media is a tool to drive traffic to websites too. And most media-savvy designers and product manufacturers and retailers have mobile-friendly sites that offer even more content with inspiration galleries and visualization tools.

​When we think of curb appeal, we most likely think of beautiful flower gardens, neatly trimmed, emerald lawns, freshly painted siding, and a couple of white rockers swaying on the swept front porch. Of course, it’s all that and more. Adding architectural details to the curb-side of your house not only adds value if you were to list your home, but adds visual interest that makes your home stand out among all others. Here are some unique architectural elements using Inteplast Building Products Exterior Trim products that we bet you never considered. 
 
Arches and Curves
Not just for interior doorways, arched and curved trim can make a huge aesthetic impact on the outside of your house too. Inteplast’s trim has all the visual appeal of wood, without the natural flaws, but it also has more design flexibility because of its heatability. You can create custom shapes and curves through an advanced heat-bending process for unlimited craftsman applications. In addition, IP’s embossing technology keeps the wood grain patterns intact during the heat bending process to maintain the authentic looking wood texture. Inteplast’s trim board can be shaped and bent to finish off curved decks and porches, archways, and circular or oval window surrounds.

Cornices and Columns
Once historical staples of home construction, cornices and columns are popular in modern designs as well. These architectural millwork products are not only for load bearing applications, but they’re often used for pure decoration. Jazzing up the eaves of a porch or overhang with Inteplast’s decorative, moisture-resistant millwork products you can create some low-maintenance drama with cornices, columns, and brackets in an economical way.