Virtual Deck Stainer

Builders and consumers can try out colors on a virtual deck at the Flood Co.’s web site, www.floodco.com.

Since Virtual Deck Stainer was added, the site has been getting over 10,000 hits a day, says Matthew Rechin, national marketing manager for the Flood Co., a manufacturer of paint additives and exterior wood care products based in Hudson, Ohio.

The interactive section allows visitors to point and click on over 51 semi-transparent and solid color stains and apply them to a virtual deck or virtual home siding. With a mouse click, they can mix and match colors and try some creative two-toning ideas before investing any time or money, says Rechin.

Virtual Deck Stainer is accessible to anyone with an Internet connection, but is also a good marketing tool for home builders, who can demonstrate the feature as they’re sitting with customers in the sales office. Color "swatches" can be printed out for the customer to take home.

"We will be adding more house and deck styles and enhancing the site’s capability to combine different deck stains and siding colors," Rechin says. Depending on the level of response from users, in March 2000 the company will start posting home designs by individual builders on the site. Consumers will be able to access the designs via special passwords.

--Susan Bady