Timber Decking to the Rescue

The events of the last 12 months have certainly made us redefine how we regard our private outdoor spaces. Forced to spend long periods of time cooped up at home, these spaces have become our havens, increasingly important for mental health and wellbeing.

It seems more and more of us have turned our attentions to improving our gardens, seeing them more as an extension to the home. And natural and easy to use timber appears to be the material of choice.

The huge increase in demand for timber decking has resulted in many retailers reporting record year turnovers, re-enforcing the enduring popularity of wood. The Timber Decking & Cladding Association (TDCA) shares this love affair with wood – knowing all too well of its versatile, tactile and environmentally friendly qualities.

Case Study: Soft colour makes a bold statement

IRO deck boards in Dolphin and Charcoal

The Minnie family wanted to create a modern but simplistic space to wind down during the evening and were looking for a product that offered something a bit different – they found IRO from BSW Timber.

IRO means ‘colour’ in Japanese. Inspired by the ancient Japanese method of charring timber – Yakisugi, IRO is heat enhanced and coated in wood cream resulting in a striking grain appearance. IRO is available in a range of 10 colours, including driftwood white, poppy red and lagoon blue. The Minnie family chose ‘Dolphin’ grey with ‘Charcoal’ black around the border. This tied in nicely with their black window frames and meant the modern, minimalistic look was consistent throughout the house and garden. The family were drawn to the smooth feel of the IRO deck board, especially under barefoot and that’s also the beauty of a timber deck – in the summer months it doesn’t get unbearably hot. With the aid of the IRO ‘touch-up’ colour product their deck can be refreshed years down the line, making it look as new for many more summers to come.

IRO is DeckMark approved and is also available as a cladding product – learn more here � www.irotimber.co.uk

Case Study: Durability and sustainability in the heart of Glencoe

Gripsure Premier deck boards, images courtesy of Woodlands Glencoe.

‘Luxury Wee Lodges’ use Gripsure’s Premier anti-slip timber decking, to provide the perfect veranda of each cabin and around the hot tubs, with boardwalks and steps weaving guests through the trees and safely up to their accommodation.

The brief was to find a product which offered durability in the harsh and wet winter conditions and beauty to compliment the surrounding area. Timber is of course a great choice – specified correctly it provides many years of service and offers a sustainable option when it comes to selecting a building material.

Already five years in situ and the European Redwood Pine deck boards look great and are performing well. Gripsure’s Premier anti-slip decking offers a 10-year warranty and carries the TDCA DeckMark Plus accreditation which means it has undergone additional specific technical or safety evaluations by a recognised quantitative procedure, in this case slip resistance testing. It is important for any decking project which includes steps, is under trees, will encounter heavy footfall or will not be kept clean, to ensure safety through the use of anti-slip measures.

Learn more about Gripsure products here � www.gripsure.co.uk

TDCA exists to provide key support and information to help ensure that all decks are built to a high standard, using quality materials. Through our growing membership we can promote accredited suppliers, products and installers who share our passion to build decks the right way with durable materials. More at � www.tdca.org.uk