Outdoor Decking, Composite or Natural Wood?

Are you looking to build a wood deck for your outdoor space and feeling overwhelmed by all the choices of materials and colors? Rest assured, there is no right or wrong, but simply a matter of taste, personality and budget. As an exterior wood supplier in Beirut, we are here to guide you towards building the deck of your dreams based on your needs.

outdoor decking beirut

Why do people choose composite wood over natural wood?

As you might already know; wood is the material used to build a deck, and can be either composite or natural. Composite wood refers to a mixture of wood and treated plastic fibers pressed together in sheets. Natural wood refers to wood harvested from trees such as oak. Many homeowners, renovators, and interior designers in Lebanon opt to choose composite wood over natural wood for the following reasons:

  • Minimize plastic waste going in the oceans.
  • Save forests by reducing the use of wood.
  • Durable, and gives a better value for money.
  • A natural wood-look deck without protruding nails.
  • Doesn’t warp out of shape or fade in color when exposed to heat.
  • Resistant to stains, UV, and mold.
  • Won’t be attacked by insects.
  • Requires minimum maintenance.

At Mawad, we offer high quality composite wood decking to our customers in Lebanon. As composite wood is made from a combination of recycled plastics and wood fibers, which are then shaped into a selection of colors and natural-looking boards. This results in composite wood decking that requires low maintenance and provides high durability. You need to be careful, not all wood composites are created equal. We work with NewTechWood and Exterpark that guarantees a high quality durable product in addition to a 25-year warranty.

outdoor decking beirut

Ok, but do we choose a hollow or solid core?

Composite wood decking boards can be either hollow or solid. Most companies offer only solid core boards because manufacturing those boards is much easier than manufacturing hollow boards.

Hollow Core Composite Decking

Hollow core composite is light in weight and less expensive than solid boards. It is appropriate for Lebanese climate and weather conditions. When compared to solid boards, Hollow boards are easier to work with as each 4.8m board weighs nearly 32% or 4.5kgs less.

Hollow boards are easy to install, use less material, and are built to last. A might fear that use of less material will offer less strength. On the contrary, hollow boards were crafted scientifically for strength and durability, with the strength of the arch structure dependant on the light weight of the core. If you need any further guarantees, just think of our offer of a 25-year warranty.

Solid Core Composite Decking

Our XL range is designed for commercial, heavy duty use, and in residential situations where deck joists are a minimum of 450mm. Solid boards are heavier and more expensive than hollow boards. They are also useful when replacing an older wood deck where the existing sub-frame is already based in joist spacings of 450mm. Solid boards are easy to install, durable, and come with a 25-year warranty.

Reach out to Mawad

We are a leader in the exterior wood industry with our advanced products and expertise. Contact a Mawad professional to learn more about our exterior wood products.

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