Why Wooden Decking Is More Trouble Than It’s Worth

We could never deny the beauty of wooden decking. It has a naturally beautiful look, no question about that, and when cared for properly, can age wonderfully well. But it’s such hard work! 

You really do have to keep on top of it, otherwise, it starts to look ugly and serious problems can emerge, and who has the time to be constantly maintaining wooden decking?

But here’s the trouble. Even when you do give it your undivided attention, wooden decking will still not be without its problems. 

Here’s why it can prove to be a real headache…

Easily scratched

Timber decking is very easily scratched, and it can be really difficult trying to disguise or get any scratches out. 

Porous

On average, it rains for 156.2 days of the year in the UK! When rain splashes down onto timber decking it seeps into the wood and softens it, making it lose much of its durability, and also increases the chances of the wooden boards rotting. 

Warping

The wooden boards can become deformed and change shape if one area of a board dries out more quickly than another. 

Boards can be replaced, but it’s not an ideal scenario as you will need to find a like-for-like board style. 

Regular painting and staining

Excess rainfall also causes wooden decking to quickly lose its colour, if it has a painted finish, so you will have to repaint it regularly. If you just stain wooden decking, then it will need to be re-stained every few months. 

The downsides of wooden decking easily outweigh the benefits, in our minds. That’s why we much prefer UPVC and composite decking. 

Once it’s down, you don’t have to do anything to UPVC or composite decking. You can just enjoy it, without any future hassle. 

Lakeland Verandahs can quote you for it here if you fancy spending some of the autumn and winter nights outdoors.