Your questions answered

This type of decking is a popular surface choice for outdoor domestic and commercial spaces. It’s an ideal alternative to timber decking as it does not rot, warp or splinter and is long-lasting with warranties of up to 25 years. It’s easy to maintain and, unlike wood, requires no regular staining or treatment, a simple wash down every now and then keeps it in top condition.

Yes – our Adek aluminium decking system is non-combustible and holds a fire rating of A2fl-s1 and A2-s1, d0. For additional information please visit the Adek website.

Despite having a high load bearing structural ability (visit our technical information pages), we do not recommend using our composite decking in structural applications. We would recommend consulting a structural engineer to design any load bearing structures.

As with all outdoor flooring products, composite decking can get hot in direct sunlight. This happens mostly with darker colours as they retain heat for longer. Only in the most extreme UK conditions will the deck be too hot to walk on barefoot.

Our decking has one of the highest slip resistance ratings for the ‘low potential for slip’ requirement, as set by the HSE. As with the majority of flooring products, our deck boards will lose some slip resistance when wet. Both wet and dry test data can be found in our Slip Test Data Sheets.

How long your decking will last will depend on the type you choose. At Ecodek we only manufacture solid composite decking (although we do offer high quality hollow PVC boards).

Solid composite decking will last longer than hollow boards. Solid composite boards are extremely strong and do not rot. This means they have a long life span and carry longer warranties (Ecodek collections are 25 years, apart from Essentials which is 10 years) providing you with the peace of mind that you’ve purchased a superior product.

Our Heritage, Signature AT and HD, Essentials and Stadia collections are uncapped boards, made from hardwood fibres in order to minimise natural UV fading. There will still be some fade visible during the first few months of installation, giving a more textured appearance. This is a standard process known as ‘weathering’. 

Any initial colour difference between boards is due to the natural colour variance in the wood fibres and, once weathered, the boards will all be a similar colour tone. 

Our capped collection, Evolution, has a protective outer layer – EcoTech® – meaning it is far less likely to fade when exposed to UV.

Although hollow composite deck boards are cheaper to buy in the short term, they’re simply not as durable (as they have far less material in them), meaning that you’ll probably have to replace your decking sooner than expected. All of our solid composite boards come with a minimum of 25-year guarantee (10 years for Essentials).

Our decking is made from approximately 60% sustainably-sourced wood flour and 35% recycled HDPE polymer (recycled plastic milk bottles). These materials are heated together with bonding agents, formed into boards and then cooled. The result is a high-quality, long-lasting composite board.

The three-sided capping found on our Evolution boards allows an enhanced woodgrain finish to be achieved. It also means the boards are stain and fade resistant. Read more about the difference between capped and uncapped composite decking.

Our capped decking collection – Evolution- has a protective outer layer, meaning it is far less likely to fade when exposed to UV.

The cheapest substructure option for composite decking is treated softwood. However, a softwood substructure will attract damp, and with water ingress over time, it will rot. 

Our recommendation is to use a composite subframe using composite joists or support beams and heavy duty posts or pedestals. Composite wood will resist water ingress and damp in areas with low air circulation, meaning it will be much more durable and stay rot-free for much longer than timber.

Read our post What base do I need for composite decking for more information.

How you install your decking will depend on the type of board you have chosen, the sub frame and the required fixings e.g clips or screws. Please download our installation guides or watch our videos where you will find full installation instructions. If you have any further questions, please get in touch with our team of decking specialists.

Decking is relatively easy to install, if you have done your homework! Start by measuring your space, planning your design and researching your required materials. Remember to think about your base frame as well as your top decking! For more installation guidance, please download our installation guides or watch our videos.

This decking can be cut using common tools, such as a handsaw. However, for an easier installation, we suggest using a mitre or circular saw which is a lot quicker. Here’s our Guide to cutting composite decking for more information.

No specialist equipment is needed to install our decking, you can even saw it by hand. Generally a standard chop saw with a multipurpose Tungsten Carbide Tip would be preferred by installers. Read our Guide to DIY composite decking for more information or download our installation instructions.

Yes. Heritage, Signature AT and HD and Essentials boards can be used for this purpose. For Evolution you will need to utilise square edge boards and face fixings to achieve the best end result. Read our post on How to picture frame composite decking for more information.

We have a range of screws specifically designed for installing our composite decking. These come in a range of colours to match the colour of your boards for a seamless finish. Read our Complete guide to composite decking screws and clips  for more information.

How you install your composite decking will depend on the type of board you have chosen, the sub frame and the required fixings e.g clips or screws. Please download our installation guides or watch our videos where you will find full installation instructions. If you have any further questions, please get in touch with our team of decking specialists.

All items regularly left on the decking can impact on the weathering of the boards. We recommend that all items of furniture are regularly moved to allow for more evenly distributed weathering.

Flower and plant pots can create potential problems with staining when sitting directly on the deck. Minerals from the soil and fertilizer can end up leaving a white discoloration on the deck. We recommend using plant stands to enable air flow underneath.

If your decking is covered in ice or snow, scatter sodium chloride (table salt) over the surface to melt it. Do not scrape the surface of your decking with a shovel.

If you see dark spots on the surface of your decking, it may be mould or fungus. It’s very important you clean your boards with an anti-mould solution to prevent any lasting damage.

Please read our mould and fungus removal guide for more information.

Your decking can be easily cleaned with a hose, soft brush or sponge and some decking cleaner.

If you discover any difficult-to-remove stains, please contact us for advice. Please do not use a jet wash or harsh chemicals as they may cause damage to the surface.

The beauty of installing composite decking is that it’s extremely easy to maintain. Both our capped and uncapped composite decking collections do not require painting or staining to protect them. 

Although our boards will adhere to oil based or epoxy based paints and stains, we’d advise against altering the natural beauty of the board.

After your composite decking has been installed, there’s likely to be some pencil marks. These can easily be removed with a normal pencil eraser.

For ongoing maintenance, the simplest way to clean your new deck is to use a hosepipe and a soft brush or sponge. For more stubborn stains you may want to use a deck cleaning solution. Do not use any abrasive materials, such as a scourer, jet wash or stiff brush as this will leave marks on the deck. See our Care and Maintenance guide for further details.

All of our collections are extremely robust and difficult to damage under normal circumstances. Please read our Care and Maintenance guide on how to keep your decking in the best condition possible.

If your boards do get damaged, please get in contact with our team and they’ll advise on the best course of action.

If you’re a consumer customer you’re able to return orders within 14 days of receipt and will be fully refunded. Orders returned between 15 and 30 days of receipt will be subject to a 20% handling charge to cover re-stocking costs.

Please contact our team to discuss your query and to arrange for a collection.

If there are items missing from your order please contact us with your order number and your details and we’ll rectify any errors as soon as possible. 

Firstly make sure you accurately measure the outdoor area to be decked. Using these figures and our decking calculator, you can estimate the amount of decking you need. Don’t forget to add 5% wastage to be sure you have enough for the job!

For an accurate quotation please contact our team and they’ll work out deck boards, fascia, fixings and, if required, your sub-structure requirements.

If in the unlikely event that your products arrive damaged, please contact us within 48 hours of receiving your goods, explaining what the issue is and providing photographs where applicable. 

Please discuss any special delivery requirements with our team before placing your order.

Delivery costs will depend on a number of factors, including the size of your order and the delivery location. We always strive to provide the best delivery rates possible and they will be itemised as part of your quote. For more details please contact us on 01978 667840 or email enquiries@ecodek.co.uk

Your delivery will be made by either Ecodek employees or a third party carrier. 

The decking will be wrapped in protective film and, depending on quantities, it could be on a wooden pallet. 

We highly recommend that you have two people available to unload the delivery. The delivery driver will not be able to assist with unloading. 

Please note that you will have to dispose of the pallet and protective wrapping as these items are part of your order.

Colours of our uncapped decking collections (Heritage, Signature At / HD, Essentials and Stadia) can vary from batch to batch. We therefore recommend that you add 5% wastage to each order to ensure that you have enough to complete your project.

Because we manufacture in the UK and hold good stocks of our collections, we can deliver standard board lengths in as little as 3-5 working days. Delivery timescales will vary depending on the volume required and product choice. Please get in touch for accurate dates for your particular project.

Our standard composite board lengths are 3.6m, but because we manufacture in the UK we can offer bespoke lengths from 1.5 to 6 metres (often at no extra charge). 

For custom projects our manufacturing facility can cater for up to 9 metre lengths (with a small surcharge). Please contact us for more information.