How to Choose The Right Composite Decking For Sunny Areas

While the UK may not be blessed with the year-round sunshine of places like Malibu or Madrid, our ever-warmer summers mean British homeowners are increasingly looking for decking that can retain its colour for many years. As someone looking at new decking, you’re quite rightly keen to ensure your new decking investment is up to the challenge when it comes to retaining its colour and not becoming bleached in the sun.

The good news is that while the vast majority of outdoor materials experience some natural weathering, certain composite decking products are designed to offer greater resistance to UV exposure and long-term colour fade than others.

As we've covered in other blogs that explore colour variation in composite products and composite colour fading over time, when it comes to decking materials that contain organic material, a certain degree of colour fade is somewhat inevitable. As you will see with many things exposed to the sun’s rays, not just decking, like garden furniture, wooden fences, car paintwork and even wallpaper and curtains in your home, prolonged exposure to the sun will create some fading over time. However, the degree to which these materials fade depends heavily on their makeup.

With more homeowners choosing to invest in modern decking materials, it's only right that you want to ensure your decking continues to look great year after year.

In this guide, we'll look at why composite decking can fade, the factors that affect colour retention, and which types of composite decking are best suited to sunny gardens.

The key takeaway: Not all types of composite decking are the same.

While more and more people are deciding to invest in composite decking for their projects, there are still those who have the misconception that all products perform in the same way. In many cases, these perceptions stem from the early days of composite decking, when products were not as advanced or as durable as many modern alternatives. In reality, factors such as board construction, colour choice and whether a board is capped or uncapped can all play a role in how well it retains its appearance over time.

As we touched on above, early versions of composite decking did have issues surrounding durability and longevity. However, advancements in technology and manufacturing in recent years have meant that composite decking is now fast becoming a preferred choice for many households.

One of the biggest developments in modern composite decking has been the introduction of capped surfaces. This invisible polymer-based protective layer helps to not only protect the board from UV rays, but it also helps guard against scratches, dirt and general wear. Our very own ProDeck range features a capped surface, making it a strong option for homeowners where colour retention is an important consideration.

While capped boards offer an additional layer of protection, uncapped composite decking, such as our Signature composite decking range, continues to be a popular alternative to timber, thanks to its attractive appearance, durability and affordability. If you're looking for a more cost-effective alternative, it can still provide many years of stylish, low-maintenance performance when properly maintained and cleaned.

Because most composite decking contains natural wood fibres, a degree of weathering and colour variation can be expected over time. However, capped composite decking is designed to minimise colour fade, with any initial colour adjustment typically occurring during the early months following installation as the boards acclimatise to their outdoor environment . Like most uncapped wood-plastic composite products, Signature composite decking will naturally experience some colour change as it weathers. The rate and extent of this weathering will vary depending on factors such as sunlight exposure, installation location and environmental conditions. 

And manufacturers are well aware of this desire, which is why composite decking is usually manufactured in a darker shade to the actual colour they intend customers to see. By adding more pigmentation during the manufacturing process, the natural fading process can be somewhat countered, resulting in the eventual, more mellow tone that is revealed after the weathering process.

While it may seem like a bit of an odd question at first glance, it’s nevertheless an important one if reducing the risk of colour fade is a priority.

Although a board's construction and protective features will have the biggest influence over how well it resists fading, the colour you choose can affect how noticeable any change appears over time.

In other words, if you were to line up every colour within the same decking range, they would typically experience a similar degree of weathering over time. The difference, however, is how noticeable that colour change becomes.

This is one of the many reasons we recommend ordering some of our free samples. Not only does this allow you to get a better feel for the material itself, but it also gives you the chance to see how different colours look in natural daylight. If you wanted to be particularly thorough, you could even leave your samples outdoors for a few weeks and see whether you notice any changes for yourself. That said, this approach does require a fair bit of forward planning, so perhaps not one for those who enjoy an impulse buy.

As discussed in the previous section, capped boards such as ProDeck are designed to minimise colour variation, meaning the shade you see on installation day is much closer to the colour you'll continue to enjoy long term. For this reason, it's worth considering both a board's construction and its colour when deciding which range is best suited to dealing with sun-related fade.

If colour fade is something you’re keen to limit to the best of your ability, choosing a capped composite decking board is naturally the best option. Supported by a protective outer layer or shell, capped composite decking boards are designed to minimise the impact of UV rays and provide a greater level of protection than their uncapped alternatives.

Our polymer-capped ProDeck composite decking boards are a high-quality, low-maintenance alternative to traditional decking materials, such as timber. As well as providing excellent protection against dirt, scratches and everyday wear, ProDeck boards are designed to minimise the effects of colour fade over time and may offer improved colour retention compared with many uncapped alternatives. 

That isn't to say uncapped composite decking should be ruled out, however. Boards like those in our Signature composite decking range continue to be a very popular option for homeowners wanting something other than timber that combines affordability, modern style, and a lower-maintenance design compared to traditional wood decking.

Ultimately, very few materials, even those designed for outdoor applications, are entirely immune to the effects of weathering. However, by choosing a quality composite decking product, selecting a suitable colour and understanding how different boards behave over time, you can significantly reduce the impact of colour fade and enjoy a stylish outdoor space for many years to come.