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Until fairly recently, you couldn’t choose a TV channel without being exposed by an unknown celebrity showing us how to ‘transform’ your garden by adding a deck area. The relatively low cost and simple installation, even for people with disastrous DIY skills, was a very attractive proposition.
Restore & Revamp Your Deck
Fast forward a few years after the lingering smell of freshly cut and sanded timber has drifted away. The wood stain has become a generic shade of water stained patchiness and the varnish has failed to keep the water out.
What you are left with now is a spongy wooden structure that you are scared to walk on in case you fall through, having experienced the odd chair leg punching a hole in the rotting boards. For those of you fortunate enough to have chosen composite decking boards your deck will still be looking as good as new. But even so, you may want to make a few changes to either resurrect your rotten deck or give your composite deck a new look.
If you do have a timber deck which has seen better days, it is possible, assuming the support frame is still in good working order, to replace the timber boards with composite boards so you will have a brand new deck which won’t succumb to the weather, fade over time or become dangerously slippery when wet.
To revamp your deck, there are lots of options available using composite decking boards and the appropriate accessories that will give your garden a whole new feel. We know you would love to keep the great outdoor space and continue to enjoy the outdoor space for lounging, dining, entertaining and increasing the amount of fresh air you get. So don’t despair if your deck is in disrepair, replace the boards with composite decking and feel smug that you will be able to enjoy it, maintenance free, for the next 20 – 30 years.
Shading
Even in the UK, a hot summer’s day (on the sight of which many will shout “global warming!”) can be an unwelcome arrival. The combination of being blinded and sunburnt brings home the reality of sitting in the garden all day.
By fixing some vertical joists around the deck and filling the spaces with bamboo strips you can create a sophisticated pergola which will give you some welcome shade. You will also get some protection from the wind and flies will find it slightly more difficult to find you when you are eating outdoors.
Railings
If your decking is raised by any significant amount. Commonly in areas where the ground is very uneven, the addition of railings will give a great feeling of enclosure and separation from the rest of the garden. Importantly, railings will also provide a great safety feature to prevent anybody from falling off the side of the deck – this happens more than you probably think! Using composite materials, which won’t splinter, adds a further safety element when hands are in contact with the railings for support.
Use color
Composite decking offers the flexibility of a wide range of colours. For a unique effect, which is really difficult to achieve with timber boards, you can lay different coloured boards in a repeating pattern, or even make the deck zonal with different colours indicating areas for different uses.
You may like to have an area, especially for the kids to use which is away from BBQ or an area for dining and a separate one for lounging. These areas don’t have to be significantly different. A subtle change in shade or laying the boards in a different direction can result in a really sophisticated look. Arranging the boards in a herringbone configuration can be an especially effective way of giving a really nice visual impact.
Make use of accessories
Something as simple as adding a few accessories to your composite board deck can have a huge impact on the appearance of your outdoor space. Especially as the sun starts to go down, lighting can make a huge difference in the usability of your deck. You don’t need to install high powered flood lights to see every detail of your surroundings.
Low powered fairy lights around the surrounding area, or even some floor level solar lights can provide enough lighting to give a cosy, intimate feeling to your garden. For those with the ability of foresight and planning, lights can even be installed directly into the composite boards. If using mains powered lights you then have the opportunity to keep the cables well hidden to avoid them having to be routed around the edge of the deck. With composite boards being absent of screws and nails, having wires visible can really spoil the clean look of your composite deck.
