A beautiful, comfortable beer garden is practically a must for any pub, giving your patrons a place to relax and soak in the rays. Adding solid decking to your beer garden can have both aesthetic and practical benefits. A deck will give your patrons a safe, slip-resistant surface that will withstand heavy foot traffic far better than grass or turf, and a well-maintained deck can beautify any outdoor space.

However, traditional timber decking can be expensive and has a number of shortcomings. Composite decking is a fine alternative. Here are five key advantages of choosing composite decking for your pub's beer garden:

Low Maintenance

Maintaining a traditional timber deck can be arduous and time-consuming. Most timbers will need to be treated with stains and surface sealants on a regular basis to stop rot from setting in. You will also need to use insecticidal treatments to prevent severe damage caused by termites and other wood-boring insects.

Composite decking requires far less maintenance and is ideal for busy and/or short-staffed pubs that can't afford to waste long periods maintaining a timber deck. As an engineered product made from synthetic resins blended with wood fibres, composite decking never needs to be stained, sealed or painted and is thoroughly resistant to mould and rot. It also cannot be consumed by insects.

Does Not Warp

Warping can be a serious problem in outdoor timber decking. If the timber is saturated by heavy rains, and then dried out quickly by hot sunshine, the timber can dry out at an inconsistent rate, causing it to warp. Warped decking presents a serious trip hazard, and isn't exactly attractive to look at.

Composite decking has a relatively homogenous structure and will dry out at an even rate. This makes it completely immune to warping, and it is very useful for unsheltered decks that are likely to be battered by rainstorms during the wet season.

Eco Friendly

You might assume that, because composite decking contains plastic products, it is less environmentally friendly than real timber. However, the wood used to create timber decking is frequently taken from unsustainable (and sometimes illegal) sources, such as rainforests and old-growth trees. Finding timber decking that can be traced back to a sustainable source can be difficult, and plantation-grown timber is often of lower quality.

In addition, most composite decking manufactured today is made from recycled materials — the wood fibres can be taken from recycled timber sources or logging by-products, and the resins are created from recycled plastics. Although composite decking is not biodegradable, it frequently has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than real timber decking.

Attractive Looks

Composite decking can be just as attractive as timber decking, and high-quality composite decking from a reputable manufacturer can look almost identical to real timber. Decking with convincing, textured wood-grain effects is widely available, and will not fade or peel over time. More colourful decking in solid colours is also available if you want your deck to truly stand out from the crowd.

Cost Effective

Despite these advantages, composite decking is significantly cheaper than timber decking, and will usually cost less than alternative hard flooring arrangements, such as concrete or flagstone patios. It is quick and easy to install, so labour costs will also be low if you decide not to fit the new deck yourself.

If you're interested in composite decking, talk to a contractor about your options, including a Trex decking system.