At the beginning of 2020, no one could've predicted the year would pan out how it did. Swathes of the country have been (and still are) in and out of lockdowns to slow the spread of COVID-19, which means more people are spending time at home than ever before.

For a while during summer, gardens were the only place we could meet up with friends and family, so this year has really made people think about their outdoor spaces and how they can be improved. Unsurprisingly, there's a direct correlation between the number of people at home and the number of people adding decking to their gardens! Many of these people didn't have the time to consider a full-scale garden renovation, but now they have plenty of time to design and install the deck of their dreams.

But is this the only reason that so many people have added decking to their garden this year?

Hottest summer on record

While lockdowns have inspired people to turn their attention towards their gardens, they're not the only reason that decking installations have rocketed this year. The three months between June and August were recorded as "the hottest meteorological summer on record, surpassing both 2019 and 2016 which were previously tied for hottest" - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

We already know that hot weather gets people out in their gardens, so it's no surprise that this heatwave led to more decking purchases. Our composite decking is a great investment for summer because it doesn't get too hot underfoot.

Timber decking has a tendency to get unbearably hot when the sun's out, with composite decking you won't have to worry about popping out barefoot even on the hottest days. Even your furry friends will enjoy laying out on it to sunbathe...

Read More: Composite Decking That Stays Cool

Will decking still be popular in 2021?

We're all hopeful that a vaccine will help us get out lockdown during 2021, but it's definitely possible that our gardens will be used as safe spaces to meet up with the vulnerable for a little while at least! Our gardens have seen all kinds of family gatherings, including weddings, which has helped people realise how important their outdoor spaces can be during a time of crisis. 

On top of this, people are still unsure whether they'll be able to go abroad over the next year and are instead thinking about making improvements at home. Not having a vacation doesn't feel so bad when your staycation is just as good!

For these reasons, we expect garden renovations (including decking installations) to stay on the rise for a little while longer as we move into 2021.

Have you been thinking about improving your garden over the last year? We offer a wide range of composite decking to suit different designs and budgets. Give your garden a little pick-me-up and shop our composite decking now!

Shop DeckPlus Composite Decking >

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.

Browse Our Composite Decking >

Composite decking has been an outdoor living favourite for over 20 years, but despite its popularity, there are still lots of myths floating around the internet which completely put people off from buying it. In this blog, we take a look at some of the most common misconceptions about composite deking to show you why composite decking is a great choice for any home. 

1. Composite decking requires a lot of maintenance

This is something that people often think, but it simply isn't true. It's easy to understand why someone who's only ever experienced timber decking would believe that any kind of deck would be high maintenance, but that's where composite and timber decks differ. 

Natural timber decks require a lot of work if you want to maintain their structure and colour. Left without a stain or sealant treatment, timber boards can suffer from water ingress, start to fade and eventually crack and split. This creates an unsightly (and quite often dangerous) surface that would undoubtedly put anyone off having a deck installed again. To keep a timber deck looking its best, an annual sand, stain and seal treatment is required. 

In comparison, composite decking requires a fraction of the work to keep it looking pristine. Designed with a durable polymer coating, the colour and texture of composite decking is preserved without demanding a rigorous maintenance routine. For that reason, composite decking is actually a great upgrade if you want to move away from high-maintenance timber decking. 

2. Composite decking has an unnatural, plastic finish?

If you've never seen composite decking up close, then you might believe the myth that composite decking looks unnatural. Before we explain how composite decking is manufactured to look just like real wood, we want to give you the opportunity to see our beautifully wood-like composite decking for yourself.

Order a sample here >

When composite decking first hit the market 20 years ago, it did gain a bit of a reputation for having a 'plastic' or 'unnatural' look. Nowadays, we use more advanced manufacturing processes to create composite decking boards with a realistic wood effect. Now you can choose from a huge selection of wood grains and colours that look just as natural as real wood. 

3. Composite decking is not eco-friendly

When people find out that composite decking is made using a combination of wood and plastic, they instantly assume that it's not an eco-friendly option, but here at DeckPlus, we are dedicated to making our decking in a sustainable way.

Some decking companies may use newly-manufactured materials to create their composite decking, but we use reclaimed materials from other production sites to create composite decking that's environmentally friendly. Most of the plastic and wood fibres that go into DeckPlus composite decking are waste materials from other industries, that would otherwise have been sent to landfills. 

We work to strict regulations and guidelines that monitor the emissions we produce, and we even recycle the water that's used to cool the deck boards as they travel down the production line so that every part of the manufacturing process is as sustainable as possible. 

Read More: Our Eco-Friendly Composite Decking

So now you know the truth about these composite decking myths, we hope you can make a more informed decision about your decking purchase! If you have any further questions about our composite decking, our experienced sales team are happy to help you. Call us on 0800 028 8756. 

We love seeing creative uses of our composite decking products, and this one's a humdinger. You've probably seen gardens where a series of stepping stones are laid across a lawn or gravel path; this customer had a similar idea, but they used our gorgeous weathered-effect deck boards instead of stepping stones!

Pictured: WeatherDek Aged Oak composite decking

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