The Warping Deck: Why Cheap Composite Turns into a Rollercoaster in the Sun
Don't waste money on cheap hollow composite boards that warp and sag in the summer heat. Learn why solid-core composite and tight structural joist spacing are the only way to build a deck that lasts.
Summer
Summer is coming up, and a lot of people are ripping out rotten timber decks to put down composite. But if you buy cheap, hollow boards off the internet, you get massive problems as soon as the weather gets hot.
Hollow Boards in the Sun
Those cheap composite boards you see online are hollow. They do it to save on material. When the summer sun hits them, the plastic heats up. With no solid core to hold it straight, the top expands and the board just bows. Give it a few months, and your deck is sagging all over the place.
The Joist Spacing Problem
Then there is the frame underneath. A lot of lads will push the timber joists out to 400mm or wider just to save money on wood. Hollow plastic doesn't have much strength anyway. Put it over a wide frame, and the boards will physically bounce under your feet when you walk on them.
Solid Core and Tight Frames
We only fit heavy, solid-core composite. It’s solid right the way through. When the sun hits it, it stays dead flat.
We also pull the frame in tight underneath. We run the structural joists at 300mm centres. When you drop solid-core boards onto a tight timber frame, there is zero bounce. You can walk on it, or sit heavy stone planters on it, and the deck won't move.
If you are getting the garden done this year, use materials that actually last.
Stop by the office at 78 Alma Rd, Bournemouth BH9 1AN, UK, or call 07835 390845.
