What decking boards are best to use?

What decking boards are best to use?

A decking undoubtedly adds a great deal of charm, style and functionality to a garden, harmonising with natural surroundings. Whether you’re looking to create a lavish look to surround your swimming pool, dream of an area that’s elegantly designed for alfresco dining or need a tidy space where you can relax beneath the sun, a decking can give you the freedom to create an area that adds purpose to your garden and your lifestyle.

That said, there are many different types available in the UK, including:

• Pressure treated softwood
• Hardwood
• Concrete
• Composite
• PVC
• Aluminium

How to decide on the right decking material?

With such a wide range of materials, structures and designs, it’s important to consider the following three factors:

Character

For the majority of people, a decking is more than a surface to cover a particular area in a garden; it’s a standout feature adding a touch of class to the surroundings. With a quality softwood like Green Treated Nordic Redwood you have a modern style that can work perfectly in a range of gardens, whilst European Oak is bright and welcoming , offering natural warmth with rustic qualities like knots, irregular grain and possibly a little sapwood. You may, however, decide that you want a material that’s insect-proof and splinter-free, and composite is a good option, though it won’t necessarily offer the same finish and the character of this material will not develop over time, which is certainly the case with high quality timber.

Price

As the saying goes: “you get what you pay for”. That doesn’t necessarily mean the most expensive option is going to be the best. You may, for example, find that PVC or composite are just as expensive as high quality timber, whilst you also need to consider the installation costs, if you’re not going to complete the work on your own.

Durability

A quality deck should stand up to the elements. Softwood can be prone to warping if it has not been treated or is not well-maintained, while hardwood, composite and aluminium decks are known for being sturdy and hardwearing all year round, with less maintenance needed. If you’re keen to make use of a high quality, natural material, oak is one of the strongest timbers, allowing you to withstand a lot of wear, making it ideal for high-traffic decking.

With so many high-quality decking materials available, it’s much easier to create a stylish, functional and imaginative space than it was just a few decades ago. That said, we would always recommend you draw up a detailed plan of how you want your deck to look, whilst taking the time to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each material. You can explore our many decking boards on our website, but if you have any questions or need some help choosing the right deck for your home, we’re here to help.