The Pros & Cons Of Wooden, Composite Versus Upvc Decking

Our handy T Clips are easy to install and sit between the boards meaning they are hidden to below the board line making sure you don’t see them at the surface. We offer a handy installation guide for full instructions on how to install the decking boards here.

What Is Capped Composite Decking?

For assurance that your decking is as secure as you want it to be, we would advise on purchasing composite boards. The majority of homeowners that we speak to, too, prefer their decking to look as natural as possible. Small scratches on the surface of composite decking can be easily fixed with small solutions. Most composite decking companies offering capped products will sell additional products for filling in small scratches and scuffs. Larger damages such as cracks or pieces of the material being scored out, unfortunately, cannot be replaced. We always recommend replacing any damaged composite decking boards to ensure your deck remains as structurally sound as possible.

Why Choose Composite Over Traditional Timber?

Do Composite Fencing Panels Need Space?

With this in mind, the use of composite decking as an alternative to natural timber is increasing in great extent due to its many advantages. All of these advantages are brought about by the continuous technological improvements done in manufacturing composite materials. Most materials including wood and composite woods will heat up in direct sunlight, although different wood solutions are cooler than others.

Aside from the amount of exposure under direct sunlight and the material of the decking boards, the colour of your composite decking also matters. The general rule is the darker the surface colour of your composite decking, the more heat it absorbs and the hotter it becomes. Composite decking boards with a lighter colour finish tend to retain less heat compared to darker coloured materials. Therefore, if you want composite decking that does not get too hot, choose light-coloured composite decking boards with a hollow core. Cladco Composite Decking Boards are a mix of 40% recycled polyethylene and 60% recycled hardwood fibres.

To address these issues, Trex introduced a new kind of high-performance decking in 2010. As of 2014, Trex no longer manufactures any early-generation composite decking. composite decking materialswarm up fast, some people consider changing their materials. However, if you enjoy composites more than wood and plastic, you don’t have to choose them. There are many composite decking materials that are specially made to resist the heat of the sun. Composite decking boards, specifically the capped composite decking boards used in the test, retained heat at 135 to 149 degrees, showing a minimal difference in heat retention between wood and composite decking.

• Small scratches on the surface of composite decking can be easily fixed with small solutions.
• The majority of homeowners that we speak to, too, prefer their decking to look as natural as possible.
• For assurance that your decking is as secure as you want it to be, we would advise on purchasing composite boards.
• We always recommend replacing any damaged composite decking boards to ensure your deck remains as structurally sound as possible.
• Most composite decking companies offering capped products will sell additional products for filling in small scratches and scuffs.

Even natural wood decking becomes too hot to walk on barefoot when it is exposed to the summer sun over a prolonged period. However, once exposed to high temperatures, timber does not just get too hot to walk on, it may also splinter, crack or shrink. Composite decking boards, on the other hand, can withstand the heat without such drawbacks. Building a deck for your home does not only increase the value of your property, but it also provides a wonderful area outdoors where you may entertain your guests, family and friends.

Try Our Colour Selector

The test reports in some of the hottest countries in the world support and confirms the difference isn’t huge between wood and composite wood. Our expert advice would be to use a light colour decking board with a hollow core profile. This will help dissipate the heat and provide as close to the same heat as wood.

Specialist UV stabilisers, colors, technologies and finishes allow for boards to last decades. The specialist built in cap that is co-extruded in manufacture at the same time as the boards adds to the durability. The boards are generally extruded with a groove in the side of the board to allow for the use of hidden fasteners, ensuring that you have the minimal amount of top fixers on show in your decking. Eva-last® has developed a range of complete and durable specialised fixings that work together with Eva-last® composite products to ensure the stability and longevity of a complete deck. Cost is often the driving force behind our choices – not just in cash but also in time.