The boardwalk

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CorrectDeck, distributed by TerraVerde.

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Decking is growing in popularity in the region. (Image courtesy of Landscape Architects)

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Composite decking from TimbearTech.

It is widely used in the US, but until now the region has been curious but reluctant to embrace it. Is the tide about to turn? Michele Howe checks out the arguments for and against swapping real wood for composite decking.

It looks like plastic. It can't compete against the real thing. It doesn't work in hot weather. The arguments against the application of composite decking in the region are many, but that hasn't stopped the growing swell of enthusiasm for the flooring product.

Just five years ago, composite decking was practically unheard of in the Middle East. But with the arrival of more international designers and architects who are happy to specify it and the availability of more suppliers in the region to provide it, its popularity is slowly creeping up.

Performance matters

The supporters of composite decking wax lyrical about its properties. It's environmentally friendly and doesn't add to timber shortages. It's low maintenance. It doesn't shrink or swell in outside conditions. It's non-slippery. It's moisture resistant, and so on and so forth.

"Composite has all the positives of wood without the negatives. It looks and feels like wood, it doesn't bleach, it's resistant to the elements, and perfect for the climate. It doesn't stain or crack, and it's very resistant to atmospheric influences," says Boryana Korcheva, a representative of Majestic Jetties and Marinas, which distributes the composite decking product MoistureShield.

Not all wood suppliers are won over by composite decking, however. Albert Douglas, chief executive of flooring and decking supplier Alomi, says that his firm stopped stocking a composite product after trialling it on a project and finding that it failed to perform well during the peak heat of the summer.

"We brought one in and we were excited about it but when we did the tests, it failed. You can't sell a product that will work 11 months of the year, you've got to sell a product that will work every month," he says.

The problem with the composite decking the firm tried - the name of which was not disclosed - was that whilst it worked fine for most of the year, in the summer months the plastic component of composite decking made it too hot to use, he adds.

Supporters of composite decking argue that composite decking works year round, however. Speaking about its CorrectDeck product, Fouad Makarem, sales manager at landscaping contractor TerraVerde, claims it works perfectly.

How well composite decking performs during the hotter months depends largely on its composition, he says.

Made from plastic and wood fibres, the composition of composite wood varies with some products using more wood and others more plastic.

The higher percentage of wood versus plastic, the greater the chance the composite decking will work in the heat, says Makarem. CorrectDeck is composed of 60% wood fibre while other composite decking products typically have around 20-30% wood fibre, he claims.

Getting the composition right is key to having a composite product that performs well, says Jill Browning, associate marketing manager at US-based alternative decking manufacturer TimberTech. If planks contain too much wood they are subject to accelerated deterioration, mould growth and warping or twisting when exposed to water. If there is too much plastic, there can be heat retention issues and with continued exposure to sun, boards can begin to sap, bend or warp, she notes.

The arguments against

One perceived drawback of composite decking is its appearance, which is seen by some clients as being less attractive than that of real wood.

"Some look really like plastic. It's not the traditional warm feeling of wood and it doesn't look natural," comments Kristin Scheffer, CEO of flooring specialist Rohmix International, which distributes Buzon composite wood.

The plasticky look of composite decking does put some people off, opines Douglas. "It is a product that you would think would be taking over the market because it has always been talked about but people don't order it. At the end of the day, they go for the natural wood," he says.

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