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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After a very long and tiredsome twelve months filled with lockdowns and restrictions, there is finally some light at the end of a dark tunnel.

The UK is leading the world when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine rollouts and each home nation has outlined its roadmap out of its respective lockdown, allowing Brits to once again meet up with family and friends and enjoy some sort of normality. 

Despite not being back to what we would all consider 'normal', each of the four home nations is now allowing people from different households to meet up outside, including in gardens, which is fantastic news. However, this doesn't mean that all of the hard work that we've all put in over the last year can be forgotten about. We still need to act cautiously and take precautions whenever we can to contain the virus and stop the spread of COVID-19, including when meeting other people in the garden.

So, what can you do when your family and friends come over to visit? Here we look at some of the most important precautions that you should be taking to limit the spread of coronavirus when meeting other people in your garden.

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By installing a deck to your property, you introduce a myriad of endless possibilities that you can use it for, as well as gaining a host of benefits that come with it. These include adding value to your home, creating an additional space to relax, entertain guests or dine with the family and making your outdoor space look more homely and inviting. 

However, just like any other type of interior or exterior design, the look of your deck needs to be the right one and match the rest of your home. For those of you who lean towards a more modern-looking home and outside area, installing a contemporary deck is what you'll want to go for.

Now, some of you may be wondering what a contemporary decking design even looks like. So, to avoid any confusion, we're going to run through a few contemporary decking ideas that you can use to take your outdoor area to the next level. 

Covered decking 

The first contemporary decking idea that you can add to your property is a covered deck. This is, of course, a traditional decked area which is covered by an outdoor structure such as an awning, veranda or sunroom. For us that live here in the UK, this offers a great way to enjoy your garden throughout the whole year, as a suitable cover will help to fight against the elements when needed. Whether that's shelter from the rain during the winter or shade from the sun during the summer, a well-designed covered deck can allow you to enjoy your garden all-year-round.

Combining paving with decking 

Another creative way that you can create a contemporary decking area is to combine paving with deck boards. Typically, you'll find a garden has either a deck or a patio area, but very rarely do you see the two combined. This can be a result of either a lack of imagination from homeowners or simply down to simple reasons such as space and budget. However, by installing a decked area in your garden that doubles down as a patio, you are guaranteed to catch the eye of anyone who comes to visit. 

As our composite decking is the perfect low-maintenance deck option, it would make sense to choose a similar paving product. Porcelain paving is a perfect choice here as it also offers extremely low upkeep requirements with high resistance to fading, scratching and abrasions. Meaning your new contemporary deck will last a long time without the need for constant care and attention.

Deck planters 

For those of you who enjoy gardening and caring for plants and flowers, there's a simple way for you to incorporate your hobby into your deck's design and that is through planters! Deck planters use the same deck boards that you install for your main deck, to create beautifully-matching spaces where you can grow flowers, plants or vegetables. This is a nifty contemporary decking idea that aims to combine your outdoor design with an element of practicality, providing you with an extra reason to spend more time in your newly-designed outdoor space. Even though planters are often planned in the initial deck design, they are also a great way to make use of any extra deck boards that you have laying around once your main deck is installed! 

Multi-level decks 

The final contemporary decking idea that you can utilise to bring some life to your garden is a multi-level deck. Here, your deck is designed to incorporate multiples levels as opposed to just one, which is what you would typically find in a garden that has a deck. By adding a multi-level deck, you create a somewhat optical illusion in that it adds to the aesthetic paradigm of your garden, making it look multi-faceted instead of plain and simple. 

A great benefit of a multi-level deck is that it creates an opportunity for you to house different areas of your garden. For example, when you walk out of your home and onto your deck, you can have an open area that spills onto the rest of the garden. You can then add a set of deck steps which takes you to a lower level where your main seating area or even a pool or hot tub. The ideas are endless! 

These are just a handful of contemporary decking ideas that you can use to inspire your new, modern-looking outdoor space! You can even combine them to create the ultimate contemporary garden. 

Create your contemporary decking today! 

If you'd like to take the first steps to create your contemporary outdoor space with a new deck, then please do not hesitate to contact the DeckPlus team. Our experienced and professional decking experts can help you every step of the way. From initial ideas to planning and installation, we are only one call away from bringing your garden dreams to life! So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today. 

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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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If you're considering redesigning your outdoor living space with a new deck you might be wondering "is composite decking is worth the price?" Yes, composite decking is worth the price because you get what you pay for! 

Decking options such as hardwood, softwood and plastic are readily available at affordable prices and are used among a large number of households up and down the country, but they are not without their drawbacks. The reason why composite decking is generally more expensive than these decking options is that it's manufactured to a higher standard and it's easier to maintain. This saves you so much money over time! 

If, however, you are still not convinced, here we take a look at five reasons as to why we believe that composite decking is definitely worth the price. 

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