Why Composite Decking Should Be Your Summer Garden Go-to

Thinking about creating a decking area in your garden to enjoy the warmer weather?

What’s stopping you?

Summer doesn’t stick around for long, so act now if you’re going to make the most of it.

To help you avoid wasting precious time, here the experts at Modern Garden talk through exactly why decking areas are a great summer addition to your garden.

Why garden decking is a great idea

• More space

If lockdown taught us anything, it’s the importance of outside space. Enforced time at home has made us appreciate more than ever the worth of having a place to escape to outdoors.

Adding a decked area to your garden offers just that luxury, creating a usable area – not just for summer but all year round.

Whether it’s a space to sit and relax, sunbathe or for a spot of alfresco dining, with a touch of creative design, decking can transform your outside area, maximising space and creating the feel of an additional room. And who doesn’t want more room to play with?

• Usability

We all know how unpredictable the British weather can be. Sitting out on the lawn after a heavy downpour is usually a definite no-no, resulting in sinking deck chairs, soggy blankets, and a muddy mess.

No such problem with a decked area. Raised up from the soil and quick drying, you have a usable area at any time – and whatever the weather.

Why use composite decking?

Ok, so we’ve established that decking is definitely the way forward, but should you go for traditional wood or composite?

That’s easy – composite. And here’s why…

• Keep cool

All materials will absorb heat from the sunlight, it’s only natural. But wooden decking can quickly become too hot to walk on in bare feet.

Composite decking on the other hand reflects heat, helping to keep the surface far cooler to the touch.

Top tip? If you’re intending to lay composite decking in an area of your garden that’s a particular suntrap and want to keep the surface as cool as possible, it’s worth remembering that the colour you choose will impact how much heat it holds. Dark decking shades – black decking boards, dark grey etc – will hold on to more heat than browns and light greys.  

• Avoid fading

Exposed to intense sunlight, wooden decking can shrink, crack and splinter, causing potential problems way more complicated than heat retention and just needing to make sure your flipflops are kept handy!

In comparison composite decking, with its clever combination of wood fibre/wood flour and thermoplastic materials, is highly durable. Resilient to all weather conditions, it’s quality won’t deteriorate in the extremes of the British climate – whether that’s the powerful rays of the sun or the harsh frosts of winter.

• Relax

Spend more time enjoying your decking than working on it? Yes please.

With composite decking you simply pick the colour of your choice and that’s it! Easy. No slaving away sanding, applying expensive wood treatments or repainting boards each summer to make sure your decking still looks good. 

• Stay safe

Padding about in bare feet is all too tempting in summer – but it can be risky if you opt for wooden decking.

Nasty splinters are a common occurrence, making it advisable to wear shoes at all times. There’s no such problem if you choose composite decking.

• Summer fun

Summer just wouldn’t be summer without a good old fashioned water fight now would it?!

Whether it’s running away from exploding water bombs, being shot at with water pistols or diving in and out of the paddling pool, a decking area made from composite boards offers grip underfoot – even in wet conditions. 

And thanks to this anti-slip and splinter-free surface it’s a great spot to position the kids’ paddling pool. Reducing the amount of grass that ends up in the water and providing a safe, slip-resistant surrounding.

Get set for summer

The British summer is fleeting, so don’t miss another moment and order your decking today.

Worried it’s already too late for summer 2021? It’s not! Yet another advantage of composite decking is the fact it’s so lightweight and easy to work with, speeding up the installation process. And with the help of our handy installation guide, you can make quick work of building a decking area – meaning you can spend the rest of the summer enjoying it!

Browse our comprehensive range or get in touch with the team to discover more about how composite decking can help you to maximise the potential of your garden this summer.