Garden Decking – Choose The Best Materials
In general, installing garden decking is a good idea if you want to extend the floor space of your home or if you want the cool addition of a beautiful patio in your garden. However, before you decide whether timber or composite decking boards are the best materials to use, here are some factors that you need to consider first to help you decide which decking material is really fit for your purpose.
Garden Decking Location
Before you start building your decks, determine first the exact location where they will be built. Will they be an extension of your house or as a cool addition to your garden? Factor in the amount of light your decking boards will receive as it may affect their colour over time. Also, you should consider the general environment that your decking will be subjected to. If you are intending to build your decks outside, you might have to be a bit picky with the decking materials you use.
Types of Garden Decking Boards
In general, there are three types of decking material for you to choose from: treated wood, untreated wood and composites.
Treated boards are chemically treated to ensure durability and resistance to rotting, decaying or infestations. Untreated or natural woods on the other hand are natural hardwoods needing no extra treatment at all. Most untreated deck boards like redwood and cedar have tannins, a naturally occurring chemical that makes the deck boards virtually resistant to rot, decay and insects.
Heat resistance
If it becomes too hot and you’re using metal or plastic composites for your outdoor decks, you might not be able to work comfortably. Metals and plastic composites have lower heat resistance in comparison to timber decks. Also, you will know how good a decking material is at resisting heat through this principle: the lighter the colour, the lower its heat resistance.
Maintenance
Whatever the type of decking material you choose, expect that one way or another, you’ll need to perform periodic maintenance to keep your deck boards clean and in top condition. Maintaining your deck boards properly ensures their long life and prevents premature rotting, warping, mould spotting and staining. Wood is more susceptible to these problems and may require more maintenance compared to composites, where a mere annual cleaning will suffice.
Cost
Depending on the type of decking board you chose, the cost of decking materials will always vary. Treated deck boards are abundant, making them one of the cheapest deck boards to use, although customised deck board lengths might be a more pricey option. In comparison, natural woods are more expensive due to their usually limited supply. Composites are the most expensive decking material to use because instead of being cut, they need to be manufactured.
When you’re done weighing up your options and you have decided what type of decking materials to use, contact Chambers Timber and we will be happy to supply you with quality products.
The original version of this article was published in www.uk-timber.co.uk.
