Termites eat wood, and if you're unlucky enough to have these pests in your home, their ferocious appetites may result in extensive structural damage.

Fortunately, termites are quite rare in the UK - they tend to prefer warmer climates than ours - but they are occasionally brought into this country in imported goods. For example, wooden furnishings that are manufactured overseas may be infested with termites, which can cause a lot of problems when they arrive in Britain.

Traditional wooden decking is highly vulnerable to termites and other wood-eating insects, so if you're thinking of adding a deck to your garden, you may be worried about what could happen to it in the unlikely event of a termite infestation.

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When considering adding a new composite deck to your property, it's natural to ask yourself questions regarding its suitability such as "how much does composite decking cost?" "How long does it last?" "Do I need to paint composite decking?" And "does composite decking warp like other types of decking?"

There's no problem with being cautious, in fact, it's good to cover all bases and make sure that your money is being spent on something that will ultimately add value to your home and life and composite decking isn't immune to such considerations.

In this blog, we try to make this process a little easier by answering one of these questions and hopefully giving you somewhat peace of mind that your money is being well spent. So, if you're wondering does composite decking warp, let's find out!

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With Storm Christoph making its way across the UK, homeowners are wondering how their gardens will hold up. Rain, flooding and even strong winds can have a detrimental impact on your garden, so it's important that you invest in durable garden features that can withstand British weather. 

Will rain ruin my newly stained deck?

If you have a traditional timber deck in your garden, you might be wondering whether the rain will affect the stain you just applied. Well, that all depends on how well your boards are sealed. A stain is good at making timber decking a deeper, richer colour, but it doesn't always do much in terms of making the decking waterproof. Most timber decking providers would recommend that you also apply a coat of sealant to protect your boards from the rain. 

So, yes, it's likely that your newly stained deck will be ruined by the rain if you haven't properly sealed it. Rainwater is slightly acid, and over time, it will seep into your wooden boards and break down the sealant and stain that you painstakingly applied - that's why it needs to be re-applied annually! 

A water-resistant alternative

We know what you're thinking, that sounds like a LOT of work. And you're right. A traditional timber deck is a lot of work and if you want it to look good all year round you need to be prepared to put the time in. 

If you're thinking about finding a water-resistant alternative to traditional timber decking, then you've come to the right place. Here at DeckPlus, we offer a wide variety of composite decking that's manufactured with water resistance in mind.

How is composite decking made?

For those of you who aren't familiar with how our composite decking is made, we combine wood flour with a polymer resin and (for some of our ranges) finish the board off with an additional polymer sleeve. This makes our boards very impermeable to water, which is great for gardens here in the UK where rain clouds can appear at any moment! Composite decking won't need staining or sealing, the polymer resin keeps it looking bright and beautiful whatever the weather.

You might be thinking that boards made with polymer must look cheap and plasticky. That's where you're wrong. We've worked really hard with our manufacturers to create composite decking that has a real-wood look and finish, so you really can have the best of both worlds. A beatiful deck that's more than capable of standing up to the elements.

Read More: How is composite decking made?

If you're interested in replacing your old wooden deck with a durable deck, take a look at our range of composite decking. It's sure to withstand whatever the British weather throws at it and will last you a lifetime.

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While many people know that composite decking is a beautiful, long-lasting alternative to traditional wood decking, few people know how composite deck boards are made. As the name suggests "composite" decking is made up of more than one element. Where traditional timber decking is made purely of wood, composite decking is made using a combination of hardwood fibres, polymer resin. The resulting boards offer superior strength, water-resistance and durability! Let's look a little bit closer at the way our composite decking is manufactured here at DeckPlus...

Our eco-friendly manufacturing process

One of the biggest misconceptions about composite decking is that it's bad for the environment because it contains plastics. In reality, the opposite is true! As outlined on our Eco-Friendly Decking page, a large proportion of the raw materials that make DeckPlus composite decking are recycled.

The wood fibres that we use are made using cut-offs of wood that would've otherwise ended up in landfill, and the plastics we use come from post-industrial and post-consumer sources. All of our composite decking is made responsibly so that we can offer you an eco-friendly alternative to timber decking. 

You're probably thinking, how can timber decking be worse for the environment than composite - it's completely natural. Well, yes. Timber decking is completely natural, but herein lies the problem. In order for timber decking to be manufactured, thousands of trees are cut down each year, most of which are in tropical rainforests and other similar settings. Our composite decking doesn't contribute to deforestation and instead gives discarded wood a new lease of life!

How are composite deck boards made?

There are two different ways that composite deck boards can be made, by extrusion or by compression moulding.

Extrusion

The two main elements, wood fibres and polymer resin are combined with lubricants, foaming agents and colourant before being fed into an extrusion machine to create the desired shape. This method creates one long composite deck board on a conveyor belt that can be cut down to the required lengths later. 

Compression moulding

Compression moulding is slightly different. Instead of feeding the raw materials into an extrusion machine, manufacturers tip the materials into a wood grain mould and compress them under extreme heat and pressure. This heat and pressure creates a strong physical bond that gives the boards their shape.

Different kinds of composite decking

Composite decking doesn't just come in one shape or size, you will see from the variety of ranges we offer on our website that composite decking can be hollow, solid, capped or uncapped. Each of these board types has its own unique qualities that make it suitable for different designs and budgets. 

Hollow composite decking, like the boards in our EvoDek and FutureDek ranges, are perfect for homeowners that need a lightweight, budget-friendly option. Since these boards are made using less material, we can supply them at a lower price. The unique design of our hollow boards means that you're not compromising on structural integrity. 

Hollow Boards >

Capped composite decking benefits from an additional polymer sleeve on top of the durable composite boards. This helps to make the boards highly-resistant to moisture and also preserves the colour and wood-grain finish for longer.

Read More: What does capped composite decking mean?

Capped Boards >

Whichever DeckPlus composite decking you choose, you can rest assured that it's been made responsibly and will last you for years to come. Take a look at our full range of decking, or give us a call on 0800 028 8756 to find out more. 

If you're considering a garden redesign that includes a shiny new composite deck and have a furry little friend as part of the family, you'll want to know whether they'll be able to safely walk on it. There'll be absolutely no point in spending the required time and money on installing a new deck if you later find out your cat is unable to walk on it. Especially if you plan on spending a lot of time outdoors during the warmer months! 

There's no need to panic, however, because composite decking is completely cat-friendly and allows all members of your family to walk across the deck boards worry-free and here are a few reasons why...

Fantastic Slip-Resistance

One of the great advantages of composite decking is its incredible slip-resistant properties. This makes it a puuuurfect choice for your cat as you'll never have to worry about them running and slipping away. Especially if you have a raised deck which can lead to some nasty and unwanted accidents.

Thanks to the protective polymer sleeve that is wrapped around our composite deck boards during the manufacturing process, not only will your new deck be slip-resistant, it will also deter scratches and abrasions. Meaning you'll also need not to worry about your cat scratching up your deck when they do walk or run across your boards - catastic! 

Cool Composite

We know that one thing a cat loves to do is to lounge around and relax near their owners. If you plan on spending a lot of your spare time in your outdoor space during the summer months, then you'll want a deck that can accommodate everyone, including your cat! 

Well, composite deck boards are created through a special process that means they will stay cool even on the hottest of summer days, so your cat can join you for those days of sunbathing in the garden.

Wipe Clean

Thanks to the protective polymer sleeve that is wrapped around our composite deck boards, not only are they scratch and slip-resistant but they also offer extremely low upkeep requirements, which means that any mess that is spilt or dropped on your deck can be easily cleaned - including presents left by your cat (if you know what we mean)!

Cleaning your composite deck will never be a chore as it only requires a quick jet wash once or twice a year, meaning you and your cat will have far more time to sit back, relax and enjoy your deck and less time cleaning it. 

So, if you're stuck asking yourself if cats can walk on composite decking, the answer is yes! Cats can definitely walk on composite deck boards as well as many other things.

If you're interested in ordering some samples of our cat-friendly deck boards, simply click below! For more information on our decking, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the DeckPlus team today.

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