Gone are the days when decking was made with wood. Now, composite decking has taken over, with minimal to no wood traces in it. Meaning we can skip paying for expensive woody composite decking boards and their maintenance. Why wouldn’t we when we have a better, cost-effective alternative to it?
Composite decking has been used in innovative ways over the past few years. If you are curious to know more about these ideal substitutes for traditional PVC or timber decking, we have got you covered! Just hop inside the article below and unveil what’s all this hype about composite decking.
What to Know about Composite Decking?
From patios to garden landscapes and those extensions to the houses’ living areas, decking has been a part of everything. Wood has always remained a widely used composite decking material, but that doesn’t mean this world of innovations won’t advance in developing better replacements. Wood decking has loads of advantages, but its cons, like frequent and costly maintenance and water damage, can make us overlook the options.
Who would want to invest over and over in decking? This is exactly when composite decking comes into play! It saves loads of our money by cutting short on maintenance costs, just install it once and forget about replacing the decking. It features a blend of plastic, wood, fibers, bonding agents, and additives. The composition also depends on the brand you are relying on.
The manufacturers can choose any wood particles, ranging from wood fiber and dust to sawdust. On the other hand, plastic portions can be recycled or virgin. However, you should research the best composite decking material and top-notch manufacturers like HASTECO when choosing composite decking.
If you want to learn about the different types of composite decking, this article is for you!
Why More People Are Shifting Towards Composite Decking?
Before hopping right onto the uses of composite decking, why not first have a look at the tempting perks that intrigue people to shift to it?
As mentioned above, maintenance can account for the most important factor. Those typical wood decks demand costly maintenance every one to three years and replacement every ten to fifteen years. But that’s not the case with composite decking.
There’s no need to indulge in sealing or sanding to maintain that luster and protect against weather changes. The only thing it demands is proper cleaning using special cleaning products or a simple soap and water solution.
Composite decking looks exactly the same as wood decking in appearance. Meaning you won’t have to compromise an inch on the charm of your decking setting. From natural woody hues to seamless color blending and realistic grain patterns, everything seems the same as wood’s. Also, the former is made using sustainable, innovative technologies and is thus an ultra-durable option to rely on.
9 Innovative Ways to Use Composite Decking
Besides using composite decking as a flooring material, you can use them in various ways. Below, we have gathered a few of the most innovative ones with their details; let’s give them a quick read!
1. Deck and Flooring
It’s the most common use of this decking type. A front garden or backyard deck has become an in-trend home accessory. It can elevate the aesthetics of your space to another level. Therefore, you can rely on composite decking for a hassle-free approach when making these.
Additionally, you can also use these decking boards as home and office floorings. These are durable and heavy, making the best flooring material. You can use them for any type of flooring, but these aren’t a good option for being used as beams for support when constructing houses.
Want to learn how to install composite decking flooring? Give this article a quick read!
2. Pathways
Do you live in Turkey? You must know how much people are concerned about not walking on the grass. Whether you live in Turkey or don’t like walking on the grass, especially when it’s damp, you can make pathways with composite decking. This anti-slip surface can also prove helpful for elderly people to avoid tripping. Besides that, composite decking pathways won’t even rote over time, just like wood which seems just gross at one stage.
The best part remains the availability of decking in a plethora of different colors. You can select the color of your choice, maybe one that fits best with your backyard or garden’s décor theme. In short, with careful planning, you can transform your verdure boasting space into a worth-drooling-over sanctuary.
3. Planter Boxes
Whether you want to secure your planters or add to the aesthetics of your verdure heaven, composite decking planter boxes will be your best bet. Either get pre-made composite planters or purchase deck boards and customize one yourself. Unlike wooden planters, these are way more durable, reliable, and resistant to severe conditions like sudden weather changes and physical damage.
Moreover, these boards can limit the external environmental influence to a great extent, solving issues like pest and pet damage and more. There’s only one cone; as boards can bend from the corners, you will need to reinforce them with shorter broads, creating a border.
4. Swimming Pool Decks
Do you have a pool in your backyard? You can amp the ambiance out there by customizing a swimming pool deck with composite decking. This material is slip-resistant and doesn’t wear out with time. Normally, the pool deck materials fade after a few years, losing their charming appearance, especially the luster. But this is actually not the case with swimming pool decks made with composite decking. These ensure to handle weather severity with ultimate durability when maintaining their luster.
Tip: Get your hands on composite decking boards with a capped finish to ensure low water absorption.
5. Shelves and Storage Chest
Have you come across that trend of floating shelves? These are gaining immense popularity as a must constituent of every space décor. You can use composite decking to make these shelves and display anything from decoration pieces to books, collections, photos, and more.
Besides this, you can also craft a storage chest with it. You can make one for your backyard sitting space and keep all your accessories, from blankets to cushions and anything you might use when enjoying your pool place. Not only will these match your pool decking, but they will also serve as that much-needed storage space.
6. Benches for Backyards
Don’t you have any sitting space in your backyard, or do you just want a decent addition? You can rely on composite decking’s amazing durability to make benches. This material offers the same appearance as wood when masking wood’s cons with its notable pros. With that bench installed, you can relax in your tranquil heaven, getting rid of all life worries for a while.
7. Trash Bin
Getting a bin for the backyard has always remained a headache. You get to consider a plethora of different things, including sustainability, which puts a big NO over plastic bins. In such a case, just intrigue your inner craftsmanship and jump in with all your creativity to craft a bin according to your size and style requirements. Believe it’s much easier than one could think. Moreover, these offer extra protection against your furry friends. Unlike plastic bins, these wouldn’t trip.
8. Pet House
This section is especially for pet owners! Whether you own a furry friend or a pet bird, you can use composing decking to make a house for them. With optimal resistance against pests and environmental changes, these houses will be the ideal calming place. Making pet feeders can be another approach if you are into bird watching and love doing something for these flying creatures.
9. Other Noteworthy Uses
No doubt, composite decking is not a good fit for structural use. Still, you can use the cladding and siding to enhance the overall appearance of the house. Besides that, you can also use them to make sidings of your kids’ pet house. Other important uses include hot tub decks, backyard DIY projects, and more.
You can use them in various ways as a replacement for wood decking, as these are way more durable and resistant to other environmental damages that wood doesn’t resist and wears out over time. The only con of these boards has been their heavy weight. You will find it difficult to handle them when crafting your desired product, but the effort is worth it! Take help from friends or family to ease the process and save time.
Wrapping It Up!
In short, your creativity and imagination are the only limits to using composite decking. In this article, we have mentioned multiple uses of composite decking. From flooring and pathways to planters and pet houses, we can acquire composite decking benefits. Hope you found this info helpful; stay tuned with EVODEK for more such informative guides.
