Decking around the garden area always adds a little extra touch to any family home. Before deciding on the type of design and style you want, it is important to differentiate between the two types of decking material, namely, wood and composite. The cost will also vary according to the material and its durability. The most important thing you have to think about when you decide to have a decking area is the maintenance that it will need.
The all-time favourite material used for decking is wood. Wood decking creates a natural feel, smell and warmth to it. It comes in the form of softwood and hardwood. Softwood decking is less expensive and much easier to work with. It is pre heated and chemically treated for preserving the wood for longer durability. Hardwood decking on the other hand is harder to work with but it is more popular because of its rich and wide range of natural colours. This type of decking is more popular compared to its counterpart due to its firm structural strength and resilient properties. However, wood decking is high maintenance and gets expensive because overtime without proper maintenance it begins to crack and split. The natural colour of the wood begins to fade and change colour due to the different weather conditions.
Composite decking fibre or otherwise known as wood-plastic composites is made with recycled plastic and wood. This type of decking is becoming more and more popular as it is eco-friendly in nature and serves as the ideal alternative to wood. There are two versions, namely, solid and hollow composite decking. The solid composite decking looks more like natural wood whereas hollow composite decking looks more engineered.
A composite deck is going to last longer compared to any other kind of decking due to its properties. Composite decking is resilient to weather conditions. Firstly, it is not affected by the moisture in the environment and is resilient to insects and rots. Secondly, it doesn't swell or shrink in size like natural wood due to weather conditions. Thirdly, it cuts and can be installed easily like real wood. Fourthly, it contains slip and water resistant properties.
Everyone loves a newly built deck but you have to constantly maintain it to keep up with the new look. As discussed earlier, the most important thing to consider before investing in a decking area is maintenance. For example, you might like a particular shade of colour amongst the natural wood range however, that particular shade is going to fade and maintaining it is going to cost you a lot more later on.
Wood decking overtime requires repainting as the wood loses it natural colour and starts turning into a dull shade. It starts to warp and crack due to the weather conditions and you will likely have to repair the deck as time passes. Wood decking matures and soon becomes prone to termites and you have to use wood preservatives to keep them away.
Composite decking is easy to maintain, as you only have to wash and scrub it down two or three times per year to avoid moulds or other surface problems building up. It doesn't require painting or heating as it withstands all kind of weather conditions. It is cheaper and its resilient properties make it the lowest maintenance and most popular option in modern day decking solutions.
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