Composite decking is quickly becoming the largest timber deck alternative on the market. So what is it? And why is it becoming so popular?
Composite decking is a man-made building product made up of mix of wood fibers, plastics and a small amount of bonding agents. This mix is heated, formed into board shaped lengths and then cooled. The resulting boards need far less maintenance than traditional wood decking whilst looking more authentic than plastic alternatives.
What are the benefits of composite wood decking?
Composite has one large benefit over traditional wood decking: it needs far less maintenance.
The plastic content of the material means that the boards become more durable and resistant to rot, damp and insects. The boards never have to be sealed, stained or painted and even in direct sunlight they won’t warp or crack. They are splinter free with an additional plastic capping, composite decking boards become stain and fade resistant.
The boards have minimal water absorption which means they are highly slip resistant and can be used around pools and wet areas. Due to the increased durability of the boards composite decking has a much longer lifespan than its wooden ancestors, our own ranges come with a 15-25 year guarantee, but we would expect them to last much longer.
Although they might be slightly more costly when you initially purchase them, composite decking continues to look great year after year and has virtually no upkeep costs. In short, composite decking needs far less maintenance than traditional wood decking which means you can spend less time up keeping your space and more time enjoying your garden.
Types of Composite Decking
There are currently two types of composite decking on the market, capped and uncapped.
Uncapped boards tend to be cheaper. Although the material is resistant and hard wearing, they do not come with the same protection against staining and colour fading. This means that in the first couple of months the boards may fade a small amount as residual tannins (wood oils) leach out from the board after being exposed to the environment.