We all love spending time in our gardens or outdoor space, even more so when summer arrives. To make the most of that space, it can be worth making some changes before the warm weather comes so you can enjoy relaxing when it does. One change which you can make to your outside space which can really enhance it is adding composite decking. By either replacing old traditional wooden decking or installing composite decking for the first time can improve any outdoor space. It may be tempting however to go for a traditional wood decking; however, as shown below, there are several significant advantages to composite decking compared to the traditional wood alternative.

It is more durable and easy to maintain

While summers are great and the weather is usually at its best, it’s important to remember that this decking will be in your garden our outside space all year round. During winter months, even if you decide to try and cover the decking, the weather will take its toll. Composite decking, compared to traditional wood, does not warp or splinter from weathering. Furthermore, there is no need for staining or painting, as there is with traditional wood to maintain composite decking. The only real maintenance required is a quick clean before any guest arrive and you’re ready to go.

The cost

With traditional wood decking, as highlighted above, due to maintenance or repairing any issues the cost associated with the decking can continue to rise even after you have had it installed. With composite decking, because the product is not prone to such maintenance or durability issues, the cost can be much lower. As such, viewing this decking as a longer-term investment, while traditional wood may be cheaper to install initially, the compose version will be more worthwhile in the end.

Sustainability and design 

Despite having the look and feel of freshly cut wood composite decking is actually more environmentally friendly. One reason the design looks so similar to traditional wood is that the colours used for composite decking are carefully matched to that of traditional hardwood. This allows your decking to look natural in a large outdoor garden, with the composite wood blending in with any wood already in your garden. Another key advantage to composite decking is that it has a sleek finish which is not broken up by nails or screws, the absence of which also improve safety as they can be very dangerous should they protrude from the decking. With composite decking, fresh wood does not need to be cut and is actually produced using recycled and reclaimed wood along with recycled plastics. All of these materials are combined under pressure to produce the composite boards.

The advantages of composite decking are clear and with the desire of people to make more use of their outside space, having a decking area which can be used for socialising or just relaxing on your own, its popularity is growing.