Composite Decking vs Wood: Which Is Better for a UK Garden?

Composite decking costs more to install than treated softwood, but it lasts longer and needs far less upkeep: no sanding, staining or oiling, just an occasional wash. Timber is cheaper up front, looks and feels natural, and can be repaired board by board, but it needs treating every year or two to stay looking good. For a deck you want to use rather than maintain, composite usually wins over its lifetime.

The short comparison

• Lifespan: quality composite typically lasts 25 years or more; treated softwood around 10-15 years with regular care; hardwood 25 years or more.

• Maintenance: composite needs a wash a couple of times a year; timber needs cleaning, and re-oiling or staining every year or two.

• Look and feel: timber is warm and natural and weathers to silver if left; composite is consistent in colour and grain, and the better boards look convincingly like wood.

• Heat: dark composite boards get noticeably hot in direct summer sun; timber stays cooler.

• Grip: grooved or textured composite is generally good in the wet; untreated timber can get slippery once algae builds up.

• Up-front cost: timber is cheaper; composite is typically well over half as much again, often closer to double.

How much is composite decking?

As a typical UK guide, installed composite decking commonly comes in at around £120 to £200 per square metre, including boards, frame and labour. Treated softwood decking is commonly around £60 to £110 per square metre installed. Hardwood sits between the two or above composite, depending on the species.

Those are market ranges, not our prices. The frame, the height of the deck, steps, balustrades and access all change the number, and a raised deck on a slope costs far more per metre than a low deck on flat ground.

Where the price gap closes is over time. A softwood deck needs cleaning and treatment every year or two, and a full re-stain is a weekend's work or a paid job each time. Over 15 years, the maintenance on timber can make up much of the difference.

How long does each last?

Composite boards from reputable manufacturers typically come with warranties of 20-25 years against rotting, splitting and fading, and the boards usually outlast that. Treated softwood lasts 10-15 years with care, less where it stays damp. Hardwoods such as balau last 25 years or more. Our guide on how long decking lasts explains what shortens each one.

The weak point on both is often the frame. Composite boards sit on a treated timber or aluminium subframe, and a composite deck on a poor timber frame won't last as long as the boards.

Maintenance compared

Composite needs little more than a brush and a wash with warm soapy water a couple of times a year to keep algae and grime off. There's nothing to sand, stain or oil.

Timber needs:

• A clean with a deck cleaner each spring

• Re-oiling or staining every year or two to keep the colour and resist water

• Checking for raised screws, splits and splinters

• Occasional replacement of boards that rot, especially in shade

Heat, slip and comfort

Composite in dark colours can get hot enough in strong sun to be uncomfortable for bare feet. Lighter colours, or a deck with some shade, avoid the problem. Timber stays cooler.

On grip, the grooved or textured surface of most composite boards performs well when wet, and it doesn't grow algae in the same way timber does. Timber is fine when clean, but a north-facing softwood deck can become slippery in winter without regular cleaning.

Which looks better?

This is personal. Timber has a natural grain and warmth that no composite perfectly copies, and it silvers attractively if left untreated. Composite has come a long way: capped boards with varied grain look much closer to wood than the early, plastic-looking products. If you're unsure, look at samples outdoors, in daylight, next to your house.

Which is better for the environment?

Both have a case. Timber from certified sustainable sources (look for FSC or PEFC) is renewable. Many composites contain a high proportion of recycled wood fibre and recycled plastic, and their longer life means fewer replacements. There's no clear winner; it depends on the product.

Can you repair them?

Timber is easier to repair. A damaged softwood board can be unscrewed and replaced with a new one, which will look different at first but weathers in. Scratches can be sanded out.

Composite is harder to patch invisibly. Replacement boards need to come from the same range and, ideally, the same batch, because colours shift between production runs. Deep scratches on capped boards can't be sanded out the way timber can. On the other hand, composite rarely needs repairing: it doesn't rot, split or splinter.

How do they cope with the frame and fixings?

Both sit on a subframe, usually treated timber joists. Composite boards generally need the joists closer together than softwood boards, and they're fixed with hidden clips rather than face screws, which gives a cleaner surface with no screw heads. Timber boards are usually face-screwed with stainless or coated screws. Our guide on how to build decking sets out the joist spacing for each.

Which should you choose?

Choose composite if you want a deck that looks the same in ten years with minimal work, if the deck is in a damp or shady spot, or if you plan to stay in the house long term. Choose timber if you prefer a natural material, want the lowest up-front cost, or enjoy (or don't mind) the annual maintenance.

We build decking in Kettering and across Northamptonshire in both timber and composite, and we're happy to bring samples so you can compare them in your own garden. Many clients combine a deck with paving, and our patios team can plan the two together. Get in touch to arrange a visit.