“Summer afternoon - Summer afternoon... the two most beautiful words in the English language.”

…or so said the poet Henry James at the turn of the last century. And the same can certainly be said today.

With summer just around the corner, and beautiful spring weather to enjoy, thoughts turn to barbecuing, outdoor entertaining and warm evenings in the backyard. What better way to celebrate your ‘stay-cation’ this year than with a new, lowmaintenance deck!

Low maintenance decks are an affordable way to enjoy life outdoors without compromising quality, luxury or the environment.

Low maintenance decking was invented over 20 years ago as the industry began to demand a way to make decks last longer, look better and require less maintenance. Today there are over 100 manufacturers and literally thousands of individual products to suit every design specification, backyard and budget.

Composite decking may be comprised of elements such as wood fibres and flour, recycled plastic, vinyl, rice hulls, and glass fiber, which when combined, create an incredibly durable material. There are also decking products made of aluminum, fiberglass and stone.

There are many advantages of low-maintenance decks over traditional wood.

The primary benefit is longevity. Typically it is estimated that low-maintenance decks will last thirty years or more – and look consistently beautiful year after year. For an average increased cost of 15% over traditional wood, you can have a deck that will be brilliantly resilient for decades.

Of equal relevance is the lack of maintenance required – no more staining! With low maintenance decking, a good soap and water cleaning every spring will keep you deck looking like new. Not only is this a great time saver, but a cost and environmental advantage as well.

Low-maintenance decks do not sliver, splinter or crack. There aren't many jobs that parents dislike more than pulling slivers out of children’s feet! With wood decks, slivers can happen in the first year and will only get worse over time.

Low-maintenance decks are slip resistant - wood decks can be up to four times more slippery when wet! This is a great benefit on a low maintenance pool or spa deck where water is always present – or if your deck is often used as a race-track for tiny feet! And, some products are installed with no surface nails or screws, which is both aesthetically pleasing and safer.

On the top of everyone’s mind today is the environment. Composite decking materials offer many environmentally friendly choices. Many materials contain 12% post-consumer recycled plastic, which amounts to millions of pounds of product scrap being reclaimed each year. This, in turn, saves even more wood and plastic waste from reaching landfills.

Much of the wood used in low-maintenance decking products is pre-consumer recycled. Wood flour, for example, is recycled from the woodworking industry - this reduces the amount of wood wastage that goes into landfills each year!

From an aesthetic perspective low maintenance decks cannot be beat.

Some ideas to customize your deck:

Mixing and matching different colors to compliment your house and backyard setting;

Built-in planter boxes and gardens;

Multiple levels and designated purpose areas, such as a built in barbecue zone, dining section, and areas for lounging, spa and games;

Gazebos, partial roofs and pergolas, which can help you enjoy your deck further into the cooler seasons;

Curved seating areas and staircases;

Patterns – from simple angles to more complex herringbone, basket-weave or diamond patterns, or even a show-stopping nautical star or compass inlay;

Railings and shatterresistant glass;

Mood and safety lighting.

As with most specialties, is very important to work with a builder who has a great deal of experience with low maintenance decking materials, as they function quite differently than wood. As long-term industry innovators and leaders, the Hickory Dickory Decks team knows all of our manufacturers and suppliers! This helps our capability in helping to design and build the deck of your dreams.

We are proud to report that most of our clients use their decks twice as much as they thought they would.

Let us help you make your deck an expression of your lifestyle and design a leisure space you can really be proud of and enjoy! Call us today!

Enjoy life, outdoors!