Demand for timber decking has held up despite difficult economic times, but competitive pressures have led to use of lower grade material and more disputes with customers over product quality.
The Timber Decking and Cladding Association (TDCA), which is kicking off a communications campaign to raise awareness about specifying decking materials correctly, said it has experienced a “significant” rise in calls to provide expert, independent comment to help resolve disputes over decking quality.
TDCA operations director Steve Young said this was the result of substitution of premium softwood joinery grades (such as Scandinavian 5th or Russian 4th) with lower specification and visual grades (6th or general decking grades), while high performance species in the hardwood sector were also being changed for lower cost hardwoods with less defined performance characteristics.
Mr Young reported an “unprecedented” rise in commercial and domestic property owners seeking to commission the TDCA inspection and report service.
Softwood board thickness trends have also swung from 38mm to 32mm, which require closer joist support centres.
Mr Young said customer dissatisfaction with product quality had led to withheld payment and frustration all round.
All too often, he added, all that was specified was “treated softwood decking or “oak decking”.
“Essential details about the species and visual grade required, treatment use class, durability and sapwood exclusion, service life and moisture content at time of installation are totally absent,” he said.
Mr Young said none of the disputes handled by the TDCA relate to timber manufactured in accordance with its DeckMark quality scheme.
Timber decking sales were worth £130m in 2011, similar to 2010.
