When it comes to what decking to choose for your outdoor project, we know you have a lot of options at your disposal. Perhaps you’re even still trying to decide between decking and another material such as a patio, tiles or even gravel.
After 10 years in business, we may be a little biased, but we feel our composite decking stands up to every requirement you could possibly have for your outdoor surface. But for those who are new to composite decking, we’re here to fill you in with the following post telling you everything you need to know about composite decking boards.
As always, if you have any further questions about composite decking that you don’t see answered below, feel free to reach out to us using the contact information at the top of this page.
What Is Composite Decking?
It’s possible to find decking in a variety of materials these days. However, one of the most contemporary materials that decking can be produced in is composite, which is a unique blend consisting of 55% recycled wood, 40% HDPR plastic and 5% additives.
Compared with opting for a pure wooden or a plastic deck, there are a plethora of benefits of fusing these two key materials together.
Considering that decking will be placed outside – it needs to be able to withstand the elements, which is where wooden decking can often struggle, especially when it comes to problems such as rot, mould, cracking or splintering.
But with the addition of plastic, the boards benefit from additional strength, not to mention durability. For example, our composite decking also has anti-splinter technology as well as being mould resistant.
Available in a stunning range of shades, the colour is also added at the time of manufacturing, meaning you’ll receive a beautiful even colour with no work involved, which isn’t always the case with a traditional wooden deck. We’ve even integrated UV resistant technology to keep the colour looking as good as new for longer.
Best of all, by using recycled materials to make our composite decking, your project will be much kinder to the environment too.
What Is A Composite Decking Board?
A composite decking board is the name given to each individual plank of your decking.
If you take a look at the cut through section, you’ll notice how composite decking is formed is different to that of other decking types. The design features a hollow board along with ingressed sides to accommodate the fasteners which attach to the joists. Everything has been engineered to precision so that your deck will fit together nicely and offer years of enjoyment. Plus, such attention to detail makes the installation much easier too.
Composite decking boards also feature a reversible design, allowing you to choose from a sleek groove finish or a beautiful authentic looking wood texture. This is yet another benefit of opting for composite versus wood, as such flexibility simply isn’t possible when using all natural materials. There are also no defects with composite boards to contend with either, as is often common with wood.
Why Choose Composite Decking?
If we take things back to basics when it comes to improving your outdoor space, what springs to mind as being important for you?
We’d imagine the need to have a safe, practical surface to walk and relax on, not to mention the ability to use the surface to safely place your garden furniture on. You want the material to be easy to install and boost the aesthetic appeal of your property. Plus offer longevity, including a 10-year guarantee on your purchase. This is exactly what composite decking provides and more – all without the hassle or mess of laying a patio!
As composite is a man-made material, it has been customised with you, the customer in mind. So by adding elements that make it fade resistant, slip resistant and even removing the need to paint your deck – composite deck allows you to quickly transform your outdoor space to gain that wow factor in an instant.
When you take a look at some of the other surface option types, especially when it comes to the difference in installation time or even ongoing maintenance required, we think you’ll agree composite decking ticks all of the boxes.
Composite Decking Colour Options
With a composite deck, there’s no need to pick up a paintbrush as your decking will arrive in the colour you have chosen. As the colour is added during the production, this ensures an even, long lasting colour that will look fantastic for years to come.
Here is an overview of the decking colours we supply here at Dino Decking, depending on whether you opt for our Regular or Premium range.
Amber
Amber makes an excellent colour choice for those who don’t fancy a grey deck or a super dark shade, instead craving a natural light wood colour. A benefit of this shade is that if you opt for the wood grain side, it will give you the aesthetic of real wood but with all the enhanced benefits of composite.
Ash
Ash is our medium toned grey deck. Colour wise, it sits in between Stone which is just a touch lighter in colour and Graphite, which is more of a coal shade. Grey instantly looks on-trend, not to mention sophisticated, especially when paired with white pebbles elsewhere in the garden.
Graphite
Graphite takes things to the extreme with an ultra cool, coal toned black shade. Dark decking shades are incredibly practical, as although they’ll still need a clean if they receive any spillages, they do hide dirt and general debris a little easier versus a lighter shade. Graphite also happens to be ultra contemporary, and makes for the ideal choice for anyone wanting to step away from traditional decking colours.
Shop Graphite Composite Decking
Mocha
Mocha is akin to a deep shade of dark chocolate. We think you’ll find the reversible option just as delicious for your decking, as similar to our other wood toned shades, Mocha gives you the appearance of real wood but with the benefits of composite.
Savanna
Savanna is a light tone of decking that has a natural colouring similar to unstained or untreated raw timber. Lighter coloured decking can really enhance the light in your garden, creating an inviting space all year round. Savanna was also the shade of decking chosen by Alan Titchmarsh and the team for an episode of ITV’s Love Your Garden.
Shop Savanna Composite Decking
Stone
Stone is our lightest grey option and instantly creates a contemporary look for any garden. As with our other grey tones, Stone looks fantastic when paired with white or even metallic features elsewhere in your garden, such as our composite trellis screens.
Which Composite Decking Is Best?
Not all composite decking is created equal, which is why here at Dino Decking, we’re proud to be a leading supplier of composite decking in the UK.
All of our decking comes with a 10-year guarantee. However, if you’re in search of the very best decking that we stock, then look no further than our Premium range, which is priced at £34.99 per 4m length.
Our Premium decking has been finished with an incredibly durable, water-resistant Dino Shield™ polymer sleeve. Offering the thickest capped decking shell for composite decking available in the UK, our Premium composite decking is ultra low maintenance and will not warp or split.
Other benefits include non-slip technology and minimal colour fade over time due to its enhanced UV protection.
Anthracite
Anthracite is a deep grey tone that creates a practical yet stylish outdoor surface in an instant. Pair with metallics or glass materials for a contemporary feel.
Shop Anthracite Premium Composite Decking
Pearl
Pearl is the lightest shade of our Premium decking range and is a light grey tone. Pearl can be used exclusively or as an accent colour when mixed with anthracite.
Shop Pearl Premium Composite Decking
Walnut
Walnut has had quite the comeback within interior design, and it makes for a beautiful shade of decking too. The deep chocolate staining is all done for you, giving you an incredible finish that looks like it took hours of backbreaking staining to achieve, but with none of the work involved!
Shop Walnut Premium Composite Decking
Why Is Composite Decking Better Than Wood?
Although the question of which is a ‘better’ material is in part down to personal preference, there are a lot of advantages composite provides over using a material that is purely made from wood.
With a wooden deck, there is a lot of preparation that needs to happen to each individual plank to ensure it doesn’t rot or mould. Every two to three years, a wooden deck will then need to be restained and sealed all over again. In addition, wooden decks can give splinters, and the wood itself can chip or crack. Sourcing the wood also involves cutting down trees, which isn’t the most environmentally friendly of things to do.
But with a composite deck, all of the issues associated with using wood on its own have been solved. The material also used recycled wood and plastic, and the colour is pre-mixed meaning no preparation, staining or painting is required. As well as having an easier installation process, a composite deck is straightforward to clean too.
Some of the other benefits of composite decking include its low cost, long lifespan, non-slip coating, mould resistant, reversible designs and a wide range of colour options available. Did we also mention that composite decking looks fantastic?!
Does Composite Decking Fade?
Any material exposed to the sun, particularly for years on end, will fade to some degree.
We do advise that our Classic range will undergo up to a 30% colour fade in the first 6 months following installation before stabilising to its final colour.
However, our decking contains UV fade resistant technology to reduce how much your decking will fade as much as possible. Our Premium range also features improved stain, scratch and colour fade resistance.
How Much Is Composite Decking UK?
Our composite decking boards start from just £6.25 per linear metre. We also have Classic or Premium ranges to choose from so that you can decide how much you’d like to invest in your new decking. Also, remember that with our 10-year guarantee, Dino Decking composite decking is designed to work hard for you over time. Versus opting for a cheaper or inferior material, it’s definitely worth purchasing a deck that will give you long term satisfaction.
Composite Decking Ideas
One of the many benefits of composite decking is that it’s so incredibly versatile. So, whether you’re planning a low maintenance garden or something a little more elaborate, whatever shade you choose will slot right into your design.
Here are some of our top ideas to inspire you. P.S: If you’ve used our decking for your project, we’d love to see it! Be sure to tag us over on our Instagram or Facebook accounts.
Mix And Match Shades
It’s perfectly possible to keep your decking all the same shade. Alternatively, we’ve found our customers have created some incredible designs by mixing and matching different shades of our decking to outline borders or create general visual interest with their deck.
Composite Decking Grey
Grey is a colour the nation has fallen in love with in recent times, and with its calming neutral appeal, not to mention ultra stylish look, who can blame them? If you have existing grey interiors in your home, particularly if you have any rooms with grey floors and bi-fold doors that lead outside, then continuing the floor colour within your decking can create the illusion of endless space.
Composite Decking And Artificial Grass
Not everyone has time to maintain their garden, and that’s okay! If you’re in search of the ultimate fuss free low maintenance garden, then pairing our composite decking with artificial grass makes for a winning combination. Think less painting your deck and mowing the lawn, and more actually getting to enjoy your garden. We’ll drink to that!
Composite Decking And Cladding
If any of your exterior walls or buildings are in need of a spruce up, did you know you can match your composite deck with composite cladding? Our composite cladding is available in three shades including Anthracite, Pearl and Walnut, that perfectly match our Premium composite decking range.
Composite Decking Raised Beds
Likewise, if you have any leftover decking, then why not use it to create some raised beds? Alternatively, if you plan out how much decking you need, then you can incorporate raised beds as part of the design. This look couldn’t be more contemporary, plus saves the hassle of manually building raised beds out of concrete or breeze blocks.
Composite Decking Near Me – Dino Decking
We hope that we’ve explained everything you need to know about composite decking. But, if you have any further questions, we’re here to help!
Dino Decking is a UK based supplier of composite decking. You can reach our customer team at any time by giving us a call on 01942 355968 or dropping us an email at support@dinodecking.co.uk.
As well as giving us a call, if you’re local to Wigan you can also visit our showroom to see our decking in person.
Based elsewhere in the UK? Order your free sample of Dino Decking today, and we’ll send you a beautiful range of our decking options.
Alternatively, if you’re ready to get started, head to our composite decking page to select your items and check out. We deliver across the UK.;
You can also download our brochure to browse our full range of products.