Composite Decking Frequently Asked Questions

What is composite decking?

Composite decking is a low maintenance, anti-slip alternative to softwood and hardwood decking.

Deck25™ composite decking solves the two main problems associated with timber decking, it eliminates costly maintenance and minimises slipping risk, both of which are major problems for hardwood and softwood timber decking.

Deck25™ is a hybrid of recycled plastic (from recycled plastic bottles, milk cartons and yogurt pots) and recycled wood fibre (the recycled wood fibre is from the furniture industry and is mostly beech timber).

Deck25™ is solid throughout its 25mm depth. It is not a hollow core and doesn't have a honeycomb structure inside the board. Deck25™is a solid composite decking board. The rich colour pigments are consistent throughout the board.

Deck25™ Woodgrain composite decking has a very deep embossed wood grain pattern. This means that the woodgrain pattern itself will last up to 25 years. This gives it a substantial advantage over other composite decking products where their woodgrain pattern is very thin. Deck25 woodgrain pattern will outlast virtually every other woodgrain patterned composite because Deck25™ is made differently to other composites. Its woodgrain pattern is made by compression moulding, this involves 100's of tonnes of pressure being to each decking board to create the woodgrain pattern during the manufacturing process

How long will Deck25™ last?

Deck25™ is a high quality, solid composite that will last in excess of 30 years. How much longer is unknown. It could be another 10 years or another 100 years. The large plastic content, 50% plus ensures significant structural life expectancy.

What are the main benefits of using Deck25™ Composite Decking?

Unlike timber decks (both softwood and hardwood) Deck25™ Professional Composite Decking will not crack, and will not splinter which means that you can enjoy the deck in your bare feet without any risk of splinters.  As Deck25™ contains approximately 50% recycled plastic, it does not require any chemical protection. It is truly low maintenance. (Timber decking must be treated and/or painted every year to protect it.)  Deck25™ Composite Decking has excellent anti-slip in the dry and wet. Algae tends not to build up on Deck25™ Composite Decking.

Is Deck25™ designed for domestic or commercial decking projects?

Deck25™ is a low maintenance, anti-slip, commercial decking system that is now used increasingly in high quality residential and domestic building projects.

Who buys Deck25™ Decking?

Anyone who has had experience of timber decking knows how much work is involved in maintaining it every year. Maintenance eats into valuable leisure time. Chemical treatments cost a lot and failure to treat a timber deck will result in slipping risk, potential eyesore and devaluation of property.

Will Deck25™ Composite Decking increase the value of your property?

Yes.

In most cases a Deck25™ Professional Composite Deck, when designed properly and installed professionally, will substantially increase the value of your property.

The best way to maximise additional equity value from a Deck25™ deck is to attach it to the property, making it an extension of the living space of the house and a bridge between the house and the garden.  The surface of the composite deck should be no more than 30mm lower than the base of your patio doors. This ensures a continuous flow between the house and the deck. The deck becomes an extra room to your house.

Does Deck25™ Professional Composite Decking cost more than timber decking?

No, in the long term.

The initial purchase price is similar to hardwood decking but more expensive than standard timber decking that you would purchase from a DIY store or Builder's Merchant. Quality always costs a little more initially.  Timber decking must be looked after each year with the correct treatment chemicals. These treatment chemicals are expensive. Sanding and treating a timber deck is time consuming. The larger the timber deck the more time it will take to look after – either you pay a professional to take care of your timber deck annually or you use valuable leisure time to do so.

Why is Deck25™ defined as low maintenance instead of maintenance free?

Deck25™ does not need to be painted, sealed or treated eliminating the costly yearly maintenance in terms of time and paints or chemicals.

Leaves and debris will have to be brushed off from time to time.  Providing a slight slope (fall 1:70) is built into the deck, a Deck25™ deck is virtually self-cleaning in heavy rain. Any stubborn dirt is best removed using a medium grade yard brush.

Why does timber decking require so much maintenance?

Timber (both Softwoods and Hardwoods) is a natural product, water content (moisture) changes within timber decking will vary. The constant changes in moisture result in alternating expansion and contraction, which in turn creates cracks and splits in the surface of the timber.

When the surface cracks and splits it exposes the inside of the deck boards which are generally not treated (this varies according to timber species / mix of sapwood to heartwood, the treatment cycle used and chemical treatment system). Micro organisms will then attack the timber, reducing its life span. (Treatment should be applied each year to slow down this decay process.)

Other problems associated with timber decking are that the cracking can create dangerous splinters and sharp edges that can cut bare feet eventually, the visual appearance of the deck will generally become unsightly and can devalue the attached property.

How could you tell a good quality composite from a poor quality composite?

Generally you can't. Only time will tell. The difference lies at a chemical level. The poorer quality composite decking have low grade colour pigments, low quality or no UV inhibitors, low grade binders, low grade plastics and poor quality saw dust. 

How long will the colour last?

The colour pigments used in Deck25™ composite decking are the best on the market. They are used in conjunction with the best UV inhibitors and binding agents. Deck25™ will lighten slightly in the first 3 months of installation and then harmonise for the next 25 years. 

Is Deck25™ grooved and Deck25™ woodgrain made differently?

Yes.

Deck25™ grooved composite decking is manufactured using an extrusion process where the molten material is forced very slowly through a dye under massive pressure to give it the familiar decking profile. Deck25™grooved is reversible with deep grooves on one side and very fine grooves on the other.

Deck25™woodgrain composite decking is compression moulded in its semi-molten state with hundreds of tonnes of pressure being applied to super heated boards creating a realistic deep woodgrain appearance. It looks like a high quality hardwood but doesn't need the yearly treating and sealing.

Are there any special tools required to install Deck25™ Composite Decking?

No.

Standard carpentry / woodworking tools are used.

Cutting – standard chop saw, skill saw or hard point saw

Drilling sub-frame – normal electric drills

Inserting the discrete screws T10/RT – a powerful cordless screwdriver eg Dewalt, Panasonic, Metabo, Hitachi 

What are the main installation differences between installing a timber deck and Deck25™ Composite Deck (on a standard raised deck)?

Treated timber sub-frames are used for both in most applications.

Sub-Frame 

A Deck25™ deck sub-frame must be designed and built to last. This includes treating and sealing the part of the post that is in contact with the ground and up to 100mm above ground level. The ground air interface is where treated posts are most susceptible to rot. Galvanised steel post anchor systems are excellent.

Joists

Joists will rest on a primary bearer or purlin system. Joists must be spaced at 300 centres (250mm apart). This generally only means an extra 4 or 5 joists over a deck which means very little cost, but makes a massive difference in terms of strength, eliminates bounce and increases the loading capacity of the deck dramatically.

Balconies, roof gardens and marine decks are constructed differently but joists should be no more than 250mm apart, self draining rubber shoes are recommended to elevate the sub-frame, ensuring that water flows freely below the joist or counter-batten frame system.

Is Deck25™ the same as other composites?

No.

Deck25™ is solid professional composite decking designed for serious professional construction and marine projects. Deck25™ is specified by architects and engineers for good reason.  There are an increasing number of composites on the market. They range in terms of quality from very poor to very good. Many of the poorest qualities are hollow core (they have holes running through the centre). Many will break easily with sudden shocks, have unsightly ends and can be noisy as they resonate rather than dampen sound.

How is slip resistance measured?

In the UK and Ireland slip resistance is laboratory tested and defined by the SRV – slip resistance value.

Deck25™ grooved has an SRV value of 68 in wet conditions, which is considered very good.

In the US slip resistance is laboratory tested and defined by the co-efficiency of friction.

Deck25™ woodgrain has a co-efficiency of friction of 0.95 which is considered excellent.

How far should Composite Decking boards be spaced apart?

A space of 4mm should be left between Deck25™ deck boards laid side by side and 4mm again when butt joining end to end.  Deck25™ has a large recycled plastic content therefore temperature will affect expansion and contraction, unlike timber whose moisture content is the main determinant of expansion and contraction. Timber shrinks in the summer while Deck25™ expands very slightly.

Does the sub-frame require an airflow?

Yes.

The sub-frame in most deck construction projects will be pressure treated softwood timber. In order to maximise life span it is important to create ventilation gaps or portholes. Airflow prevents fungus and mould build up. The principal is similar to the roofs of most houses. (Ventilation and airflow will ensure that structural members: purlins, rafters and joists could last up to 100 years. Stagnant air, heat and humidity are the enemies of structural timber).

Where does the recycled plastic in Deck25™ come from?

Deck25™ is an eco product as it is made from recycled plastic and wood fibre.

Plastic bottles, milk cartons and plastic drums made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) are sorted, cleaned and granulised to create the plastic raw material.

Where does the recycled wood fibre in Deck25™ come from?

Deck25™uses hardwood fibre from timber doors, stairs and window manufacturers and joinery workshops to provide the raw material for the wood element of the composite decking material. Hardwood is used because it has much greater durability than softwood fibre or dust. 

What is good decking design?

Good Decking design requires a good understanding of what you want to achieve from your decking.

Good decking design requires you to think about: where does your house catch the most sun, what geometric shape of deck would mirror or enhance your property. Good decking design will use a colour of decking that will contrast with eg the walls of your house and possibly match the colour of your windows or doors. A decking design consideration will be safety: If there are children present you will probably want to surround the deck with a handrail.

Step 1    Define what you want

Example: A simple rectangular shaped deck 5m wide x 4m deep to the rear of your house:

You want a skirt around the perimeter to visually finish the deck (aesthetics)

You want a handrail around the perimeter of the deck

You want the deck to be a continuation of the floor in your house to create natural flow.

You want two access points - one to the left close to to the wall of the house and the other dead centre opening out into your garden.

Assess the Present situation

Step 2    What's there already

Example: Half the area to be decked over is presently a concrete path/area

                The other half of the area to be decked is presently grass

                What is the height difference? bottom of patio doors and concrete path?

You can also create curves with Deck25™decking.

Deck25™ composite decking can be curved on its flat and on its edge.  Unlike timber decking, Deck25™can be curved to a much tighter radius than timber without affecting its strength properties. Curving it on its flat eg for the skirt of a curved deck is very simple and does not require heat. Curving Deck25™ on its edge to form curved patterns within the main deck can be done. This requires professional expertise, basically it involves heating the boards in a special chamber. When they are hot, the malleable Deck25™ is pinned on a pre-designed rack forcing the board into the required curved shape. When the board cools down, it is removed from the rack, the Deck25™ board will hold its new shape.  This process is time consuming and therefore costly in terms of the labour element. The results however can be exceptional.

How to clean composite decking

Firstly do not use a power hose on your composite decking, as the fine nozzle creates a lot of pressure at the end of the water jet.  Where the jet of water engages the decking board lines will be created and tracked across your expensive composite deck.

We have used various methods for cleaning eight and nine year old composite decking boards. One product that worked very well for us is called Cortaclean. Cortaclean crystals are dissolved into a basin of hot water then applied to the deck, the solution is left for approximately 10mins then scrub the deck with a deck scrubber for  4 or 5 more minutes. It is very important that you wash the deck immediately afterwards with plenty of water; a hose is best for this.

We found that we got exactly the same effect when we used soda crystals dissolved in hot water. You need to be careful that you don't leave the solution on the deck very long, scrub the deck well and wash off with plenty of water.

If you don't rinse the deck off immediately the solution will lighten the colour of your deck.

We suggest that you experiment first on a part of the deck that is well out of sight until you master your technique and solution concentration.

Composite Decking Prices

Decking prices will vary considerably. Softwood timber decking prices are the lowest. Softwood timber decking is the common decking that you would find at your local builders providers. Softwood decking has the shortest life span and requires treating and or painting every year. Softwood decking is cheap to produce and gets very slippery which can be extremely dangerous to walk on.

Hardwood and composite decking are at the top end of decking prices. Deck25™ decking prices are among the most expensive types of decking for very good reasons: Deck25™ is very slow to produce, it has excellent anti slip properties, it never needs to be painted and has a life expectancy well in excess of 25 years.