The rapid growth of the UK decking market has come at a price. Thanks largely to the work of the Timber Decking Association (TDA), the industry can count many reputable suppliers, manufacturers and contractors. But there will always be an element happy to make a fast buck from unknowing consumers.
The TDA has worked hard to maintain and improve standards in the UK timber decking market. Its DeckMark quality assurance scheme provides an independent assessment of the quality of materials used for decking and landscape structures (eg timber, fixings and coatings) – and the workmanship of installers to make sure they meet acceptable levels.
DeckMark sets high standards – the NHBC recently adopted TDA guidelines for new builds – but, often, unscrupulous traders simply bypass the standards to offer cut-price decks, regardless of their quality.
Market value
With the UK timber decking market now valued at £120m, up 8% last year and still growing, it’s not surprising the industry is in danger from cowboys who are cashing in on consumers who want to get the job done for the cheapest possible price.
TDA secretary Steve Young warns that many of these rogue traders are offering low prices simply by cutting corners. “Many consumers underestimate the costs involved in constructing a quality timber deck, and this can create huge problems,” he said. “If you’ve had a number of quotes for a job and you get one which is much lower, you should always question it.”
Poor quality workmanship is inevitably going to have an enormous impact on the lifespan of the deck. The TDA is receiving an increasing number of phone calls to its helpline. “We regularly receive calls from homeowners who feel they’ve been duped into accepting materials and workmanship which is well below an acceptable standard,” said Mr Young. “Properly built, decks will provide years of pleasure but it is absolutely crucial, particularly with a raised deck, that the structure is safe and sound after completion.”
One of the biggest problems can be the type of timber that is used. Cowboy traders know the price of a deck can be substantially reduced using substandard woods that are unfit for the job. The prime example of this is using ungraded timber or the wrong grade of timber for a high level deck and exceeding the safety limits on spans. There have also been numerous cases of fitters using freshly imported hardwoods that have been recorded with moisture contents as high as 28%. “Such wood is thoroughly unsuitable for decking purposes because when it is installed and exposed to the sun, rapid shrinking occurs causing buckling, distortion and cracking,” said Mr Young.
Untreated timber
Another common problem, he said, is the use of timber that hasn’t been treated, or not treated to the correct standard for outdoor use, especially deck posts and joists. “Unsurprisingly, these do not take a great deal of time to rot when left in the wet soil,” said Mr Young. Poor workmanship also extends to securing the deck itself. Often, in a bid to save both time and materials, contractors have simply left out the foundations, leaving consumers with a thoroughly unusable deck.
Since its formation in late 1998, the TDA has sought to set standards for both the quality of materials and the workmanship used in the creation of safe and long-lasting decks. It also keeps a register of all firms whose products and workmanship it has approved.
“The DeckMark gives added confidence to specifiers and consumers that either the materials they are using or the contractors that they employed to do a job have been independently assessed by the TDA for their quality and fitness for purpose,” said Mr Young.
In addition, installers registered with the TDA must also offer customers a 10-year insurance-backed warranty on their deck. This means that property owners have the reassurance of knowing that, if a problem arises with their deck, and the installer is no longer in business, they have an independent insurance company to turn to for help.
However, Steve Young believes the TDA will not win the battle against the cowboys overnight. “It’s an incredibly slow process,” he said. We have excellent standards in place, but getting people to use them is another thing entirely – it’s all a process of education. In collaboration with the manufacturing members of the TDA, we are determined to succeed in raising awareness about decking standards, quality and good installation practice. The future prospects of this vibrant sector of the timber industry depend on it.”
