Since its early introduction to the Irish market over 10 years ago composite decking has enjoyed continual growth in both commercial and residential sectors. Nowadays most apartment balconies are finished with composite decking which gives the builder peace of mind that he has installed a hassle free product for their end users to enjoy for many years. The advantages of composite are also been exploited in more and more public spaces including roof top gardens, board walks, marinas and hotel terraces as architects and designers seek out softer landscaping materials.
When it comes to homeowners, the cliché of the garden being an extension of the home is underlined by ever decreasing gardens sizes in “modern” housing units. In more densely populated areas of the country some new developments have almost eliminated front gardens for the sake of parking spaces and a higher yield of units. Back gardens in these properties are snug to say the least and new homeowners are keen to capitalise on every inch to maximise usage. They want “low maintenance” outdoor living areas split into two key areas – a functional patio for entertaining closely followed by everyone’s dream of a perfect lawn. The latter is easily solved with artificial grass which once installed correctly will last a lifetime and is a great surface for the kids to play on. When it comes to the patio there are two main options – paving or decking.
Paved patios have been a staple of many Irish homes with materials ranging from porcelain to granite and designs ranging from plain flags to plain crazy! When it comes to decking, composite has become the first choice for most as a low maintenance alternative to traditional soft woods. Installers and DIY enthusiasts are becoming more adventurous by introducing various designs from simple breaker board and frame layouts to more daring curves and angles.
According to Iain Wogan, Sales Director of Whiteriver Group, sales of their composite decking remained strong for 2019 with plans to introduce new board formats this year to help maintain growth. “This year we will introduce a wider 210mm version of our aspirational Ultrashield Naturale capped decking which will bring a whole new dimension to our range as well as being an industry first in Ireland”. Iain says that the wider boards can be combined with standard widths to create bespoke bold designs. Whiteriver will also launch a new Ultrashield Textured board in two colour ways which incorporates all the features of their capped Naturale decking at a mid-range price point which will be more attractive to the residential market.
Whiteriver offer a wide choice of composite deck board options supported by a choice of hardwood or aluminium joist systems, pedestal supports, in-store marketing solutions and over a decade of product know how.
