Despite unsettled times and the business challenges we have all had to face, there is a lot to be positive about in the timber decking sector at the moment.
Garden spaces continue to be popular for both leisure and working purposes: a garden deck on which to entertain, relax and spend time with family and friends provides a great setting: whilst working from home (or hybrid working) is the new normal for many – with decks providing an extension to both outdoor and indoor office spaces.
Such access to the natural environment has been proven to help boost productivity and mental well-being. This intensified desire for healthy outdoor landscapes bodes well for the domestic decking market and as the message about timber’s environmental benefits broadens, more people will turn to timber as the sustainable material choice.
The popularity of the staycation looks set to continue through 2022 with many still wary about travelling abroad. Hopefully the trend to spend any saved money on renovating the home and garden will continue – especially as the housing market remains strong.
Equally, the commercial market looks promising. Many projects that were put on hold through the pandemic are now re-emerging. Although a downside is the increasing practice of replacing timber decking surfaces on balconies with aluminium – selected for its non-combustible rating. Several Timber Decking & Cladding Association (TDCA) members have reported instances of poor fitting, with incompatible fixings providing the potential for disastrous galvanic corrosion consequences.
In the supply chain, current high timber stock levels – set against a backdrop of an 18-month period of frenetic activity – are giving the illusion of a market downturn. But suppliers believe as stocks begin to shift, demand should pick up again.
Some timber sourcing issues continue, with certain species hard to come by. Such supply chain difficulties have certainly hampered potential decking sales and wood polymer composites are also having their share of issues.
For economic reasons, pressure-treated softwood continues to be the most popular material for decks, with balau being most favoured in the hardwood sector. Relative newcomer composites’ market share has grown steadily, with popularity governed mainly by price point and availability.
Increasingly people are prepared to pay a little more for a product that meets their aspirations. Consumers tend to want ease of maintenance, good performance and long-term aesthetics. This is echoed in the success of BSW Timber’s IRO decking, which is gaining fans and distributors throughout the UK.
IRO offers durability along with a striking grain appearance in a choice of colours – achieved by a unique process: two stages of kiln drying; heat enhancement; high pressure treatment and the application of a protective wood cream resulting in a water-repellent surface. Five new colours have been added to the extensive decking palette; named the Highland Colour Range, they are softer and more subdued.
The quality of a deck board becomes immaterial if it has not been installed according to good practice guidance – and equally if the substructure it sits on is substandard. All too often mistakes are made that could be easily avoided by following simple guidance available from the TDCA and other trade bodies. Suppliers are recognising that specific installation and product knowledge is paramount to customer satisfaction, with some introducing new, incentivised training schemes.
An industry-wide campaign is helping to spread awareness about the new requirement for softwood deck substructure components to be treated to a higher specification – Use Class 4. Although uptake is steady, the number of TDCA members supplying UC4 joists is increasing. This new specification is set to be incorporated into the next revision of BS8417, the British Standard for wood preservation. The change has already been included in the Wood Protection Association’s Code of Practice for Industrial Wood Preservation (2nd edition: June 2021). There will be a period of transition for this requirement to filter through the supply chain.
