Work out what’s the best composite decking for your project.
If you’ve decided it’s time for a change in the garden, maybe you’re looking at timber and are dissatisfied with its look and durability as a long-term option. Why not take a look at composite decking as an alternative? Choosing the best composite deck solutions for your needs, however, can be tricky.
The trouble is, with so many companies and so many different products available, just where do you begin? Which is the best composite decking option on the market? Thankfully – we have taken the stress and strain from your decision process with our NeoTimber® composite decking buying guide. We’ve broken down our product range into simple product types to help you with find the most suitable and best composite decking for your next project. Below, we provide a total guide to composite decking so you’ll know what works best for you and your project.
Choosing The Right Type Of Composite Decking
Hollow Composite Decking
What is it?
As the name suggests – NeoTimber’s hollow composite decking ranges have material removed from their core, making them a lightweight and more affordable alternative to our solid options. In removing only 40% of the material within the board, we have ensured that they retain their performance, as well as their good looks.
What is it best suited for?
These best-selling and top rated composite decking ranges tend to be the pick of the bunch for most home and garden projects, where the stresses and strains of high footfall don’t tend to be a huge concern. In most cases – we find they deal with home life just fine. While this product is versatile and considerably stronger than most, we find that our solid composite decking may be the choice for those home projects where large, heavy furniture or items such as hot tubs are concerned.
Solid Composite Decking
What is it?
A solid composition deck board which excels in reliability, year-after-year. We pack the boards with a dense composite material that provides the board with strength and durability in abundance.
What is it best suited for?
The board’s superior strength and durability makes this solid option the composite deck board of choice for both busy commercial projects (with a high footfall) and those residential builds that require additional strength. Solid options are also chosen by those who require a little more “peace of mind” on the strength and durability of their decking area.
Traditional Composite Decking
What is it?
The original upgrade to wood, our traditional composite decking is made from the perfect blend of recycled plastic and wood fibres. The result is a deep, textured finish with enhanced performance that guarantees low maintenance.
What is it best suited for?
Easy to cut, versatile and our most affordable composite decking type, this decking also comes equipped with excellent slip-resistance. An excellent choice for all budgets.
Capped Composite Decking
What is it?
Our latest generation of composite decking – this is our most weather-resistant product of all. Wrapped in a tough outer shell that offers 360-degree protection from the elements, as well as a distinguished two-tone appearance, our capped composite decking ranges ooze style and excel in performance.
What is it best suited for?
The ultimate in hassle-free outdoor flooring for those who are seeking long-lasting looks, superior stain resistance and a finish that is dual-toned and distinctive.
Which Composite Decking Features Are Relevant For My Project?
Features of our composite deck boards remain an important consideration and we want to ensure that what we provide you is truly the best fit for your proposed decking area. We believe that taking the time to think about the decking features you require in your outdoor flooring solution is a wise decision and we are happy to assist you with that.
Anti Slip Decking
The slip resistance of your outdoor flooring is important. The composite nature of our boards ensures their resistance to the likes of algae or fungal growth, which can often leave timber decking feeling like an ice rink. It is worth noting, however, that some of our product ranges perform better than others on the slip-resistance front. The texture and finish of our traditional boards makes them the best-performing range when it comes to slip-resistance.
Low Maintenance Decking
Composite decking has been engineered to reduce the hours of maintenance commonly associated with timber decking. Our entire range of decking offers protection from weathering, but like most things, there are levels to our composite range. Our capped composite decking comes with additional resistance to staining and fading, as well as additional resistance from organic growth such as algae. Opt for this solution if you are seeking the ultimate weather-proof deck.
Stain Resistant Decking
Stain resistance is a feature that varies between our composite decking ranges. Our Essential and Classic boards, while still having a 25-year warranty, are not fully stain resistant. However, with appropriate cleaning and care, marks can be easily removed. The outer shell of our capped decking boards (Advanced and Deluxe ranges) provide the boards with an easy-clean surface, meaning stains simply sit on the deck boards as opposed to permeating through the material.
Fade Resistant Decking
A major bug-bear of owners of timber decking is its inability to maintain the colour that makes it initially so desirable. Our composite deck boards on the other hand, are designed to offer improved fade-resistance. Our capped decking board’s protective shell technology stands up to the effects of ultra-violet brilliantly and will not fade throughout their long lifespan. Our traditional boards are designed to go through a weathering process in the opening 6-months of installation, whereby they will lighten-up and then stabilise, ensuring the rate of colour change plateaus.
Reversible Decking
The material finish of your composite decking is an important consideration for any project and we aim to give you a little more choice by ensuring all our boards come with a reversible, two-sided functionality. After more slip resistance? It may be worth choosing the grooved-channel finish. After a more authentic finish that mimics timber? Opt for the woodgrain finish of our boards. Whether its looks or performance you require, NeoTimber’s reversible decking ranges have you covered.
Wood Effect Decking
All our deck boards come equipped with an authentic woodgrain finish. We continue to perfect and improve the authenticity of our boards in order to create high quality woodgrain finishes across our entire range, however the aesthetics of this finish does vary between our decking ranges. Our traditional boards having a deeper more three dimensional textured finish to that of the capped options, which come equipped with a distinctive dual-tone colour appearance. We find that the best way to decide between the ranges is to see for yourself, and you can order samples here.
Choosing The Best Composite Decking Colour For Your Project
The colour of decking you choose is important and comes down to personal preference. Create a truly authentic look with our stunning, dual-tone antique decking. Go for a traditional finish with our teak or chocolate range, make a stark statement with our rich dark charcoal options or opt for the more contemporary finish of our grey deck boards. For help making that choice, why not explore our colour inspiration section. It’s bursting with images and designs, testimonials and ideas to whet your creative appetite.
What Decking Accessories Might I Need?
Decking accessories may seem like an afterthought, planning out what you need, ordering enough can enable you to either fly through a project or come to a sudden, abrupt halt. We supply all the clips, fixings and edging options you need to add the finishing touches to your completed deck.
Composite Edging
The right edging solution has the power to transform your platform from functional to fabulous, providing your decking area with a neat border or fascia. It is important to pick the right solution for your project. We provide three types of options: a skirting trim, corner trim and an edge board – all of which are purpose-built to provide the ideal finished edge to your deck.
Hidden Fixings
Purpose-built to work together with our NeoTimber® composite decking boards, we have a selection of proprietary hidden clips to offer a discreet, simple fixing solution for our boards. Choose our Starter Clips to kick things off with your first run of boards and use either our 3mm stainless steel FastClips or our 6mm Plastic Clips to fix every board from there on in.
Have You Considered Your Decking Subframe?
Your decking framework is, as the name suggests, the building blocks on which you create your decking area. It is an important consideration of all decking projects and one that should be thoroughly considered in the planning phases of projects big or small. NeoTimber® offers a comprehensive set of long-life subframe solutions. Our composite joists are like the decking, they also are resistant to rot and mould growth and provide greater protection than timber. Our plastic lumber joists are 100% waterproof. Our recycled plastic lumber is designed to complement our composite deck boards perfectly.
While NeoTimber® recommends opting for one of the above subframe options, users of our decking are free to also use alternative subframe materials such as metal or timber. Timber joists are a good option when the budget is limited, except in areas with a high water table. Timber can be further protected by coating it in joist tape which effectively seals out moisture and prevents absorption from standing water on the top edge of the joists.
Need Further Support or Advice?
If you’ve still got questions that have not been answered here, or you would like additional advice,
support or assistance then please give one of our friendly experts a call and we’ll be happy to help.
Just give us a call on 01509 323 170.