What to Do with Your Cladco Samples

Every week, Cladco sends product samples across the UK to customers who want to see our materials up close and get a true feel for the quality, finish, and colour options before ordering.

One of the most common questions we hear (aside from "Can I place my order now, please?") is: "What should I do with my samples once I’ve looked at them and made my decision?"

The good news is, it’s entirely up to you! But to help spark a little inspiration, our team at Cladco HQ has come up with a few clever, creative and eco-friendly ways to get the most from your product samples, including the magnetic display box they arrive in.

Know someone planning a garden renovation or outdoor project? While a loved one might not appreciate a Cladco sample pack as a birthday or Christmas present (trust me…I’ve tried!), passing your samples on to a friend, neighbour or family member who’s considering a decking upgrade could be surprisingly helpful. It gives them a chance to explore the colours and finishes up close, and might even inspire a whole new project idea they hadn’t yet considered. Plus, sharing your pack gives the samples a useful second life instead of leaving them to sit in a drawer or adding to household clutter.

Our samples make excellent mini bases for flower pots or planters — whether out in the garden, on a conservatory shelf, or along a sunny kitchen windowsill. Their weather-resistant, wipe-clean surface helps prevent watermarks on decking and patios while keeping plants stable and elevated. It’s a simple way to repurpose your samples while adding a tidy finishing touch to your space.

From hedgehog houses to bird boxes (and let's not forget bug hotels!), your Cladco samples can play a part in various small-scale conservation projects. Thanks to their durable, weather-resistant design, the samples stand up well to rain and frost, making them ideal for long-lasting outdoor wildlife projects.

We all know garages, sheds, and workshops can easily get cluttered. Why not use your samples as small storage shelves, backing boards for tool hooks, or bases for jars and containers? Their strength and wipe-clean surface make them a practical and affordable solution.

If you’ve ordered multiple sample boxes to compare the look and feel of different product ranges, you may have quite a few samples knocking about. If you’re in this position, why not pass them on to a local school, college, or community craft group? The boards are safe to handle, easy to cut and clean, and ideal for children’s craft or design projects. From model building and upcycling lessons to outdoor art displays, the samples can be used creatively while helping young people learn about sustainable materials. It’s a simple way to give your samples a second life and support educational initiatives in your community.

If you've had time to examine our samples and have made your final decision, providing they are still in a good condition, you can always send them back to us here at Cladco for reuse. Please note, however, that our sample packs don't include a free returns label, so you would need to cover the return postage yourself. Returning them helps reduce waste and allows us to reuse materials wherever possible.

If you would like to return your samples, please get in touch.

Our customers often surprise us with creative ways they’ve reused their samples, from garden decorations to plant labels. If you’ve found a clever use, tag us on social media — we’d love to see what you’ve created!

As much as we’ve focused on the samples themselves, what about the sample pack’s magnetic presentation box? Our boxes are designed to be reused, not thrown away, so here are a few ways to give them a second life:

Remember the earlier comment about not trying to pass your sample pack off as a birthday or Christmas gift? Well, the samples themselves might not make the best present, but the quality box they came in just might! Cover the outside and line the inner with decorative wrapping paper or fabric and repurpose it as a sturdy, stylish gift box, perfect for birthdays, Christmas presents, or any special occasion. It’s a great way to give the packaging a second life while keeping your wrapping looking polished and professional.

From keeping jewellery and your personal knick-knacks safe to storing spare screws and fixings that tend to clutter sheds and garage worktops, our magnetic sample box makes a simple, affordable way to stay organised. Its sturdy build and secure closure help keep your belongings tidy, protected and easy to find, wherever you choose to use it.

As you can see, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to deciding what to do with your Cladco sample packs. Whether you return them to us, pass them on to friends or family planning their own projects, or repurpose them creatively around the home or garden, there’s a solution for everyone.

Don’t forget - at Cladco, we offer sample packs across our full decking range, including Signature, ProDeck, Nordeck and recycled plastic decking. You can also order cladding and fencing samples to help plan your next home or garden transformation.

Found your perfect colour and finish for your project? Now’s the time to take the next step! Visit our website or call our friendly Sales Team on 01837 659901 to place your order today.