DECKER’s wood plastic composite products like our DECKER PROTECT range of co-extruded composite decking have significant environmental and maintenance advantages over hardwood timber decking.
Some of these advantages lower the cost of installation. The cost of on-going maintenance is minimal, unlike hardwood timber decking which needs regular oiling or painting to preserve its looks and effective life. Costing such maintenance makes paying slightly more for composite decking easily justifiable on an economic basis.
All in all, wood plastic composite decking makes economic and environmental sense!
Features as benefits of composite wood compared to hardwood timber are set out below:
| DECKER WOOD PLASTIC COMPOSITE DECKING | HARDWOOD TIMBER DECKING |
| Comprises wood waste and recycled plastic. | |
| No deforestation involved (FSC certified) | Possibly deforestation involved |
| Comes in designer colours | Limited colour choice without painting or staining |
| Does not “bleed” tannins | May “bleed” tannins and cause staining |
| No oiling or painting required | Requires oiling or painting |
| Designed not to rot, split or warp | Requires regular maintenance to protect from rotting, splitting and warping |
| No splinters | Potential for splinters |
| Termite resistant | Subject to termite attack |
| Enhanced UV protection | Requires UV protective coating if greying not desired |
The most important feature is low maintenance compared to timber. If timber is not re-oiled or recoated every year, the timber finish begins to look poor, greying in colour. Latest composite decking is effectively pre-finished. The coating or capping on co-extruded composite decking has no fade no stain properties, so with regular cleaning the decking can look as good as new for years.
Homeowners who have had a timber deck before are generally more likely to look at composite decking because of the lower maintenance. Composite decking makes sense as an outdoor flooring material.
