BetterDeck Blog

See our decking featured on BBC

admin — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 09:37:55 +0000

On Thurs, 21st April on BBC2 Northern Ireland at 7.30pm, watch the rerun of last year’s Get Up and Grow where BetterDeck’s composite decking was featured in a garden designed by award-winning landscape architect Chris Beardshaw and presented by landscape gardener Colin Donaldson.

Series two of Get Up and Grow will revisit the same project one year on. This will be aired on BBC1 Jun 13th at 7.30pm and will show how the garden has matured and how the decking has performed over time.

For more information go to http://www.terntv.co.uk/media-centre/programme.aspx?mediaID=1844&parent=1883

www.betterdeck.ie

See us at the 2010 Selfbuild show

admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:57:48 +0000

We are excited about 2010 and eager to show our products at the Selfbuild show from the 19th to the 21^stof February . BetterDeck is featuring our composite decking and railing, which recently got an extended warranty to 30 years. We will also have our new line of PVC fencing systems on display at the show too. Please stop by and see us at the show. Our booth number is V18. We look forward to seeing you there!

We are giving away a limited amount of free tickets to attend the show. Just email us your name and address before the 16^th of February 2010 to info@betterdeck.ie and we will mail you out your two free passes worth €16. All tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

www.betterdeck.ie

Dangers Hiding in Your Pressure Treated Timber.

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:28:24 +0000

Most parents think it’s a good thing to have their kids playing on the swing set in the garden or doing homework on the deck. But children who play on outdoor wooden play sets, decks, or picnic tables may be at high risk for exposure to the cancer-causing agent arsenic, which was used in pressure-treated outdoor wood products, suggests a recent study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the University of North Carolina-Asheville’s Environmental Quality Institute. This research found that contrary to previous belief, the amount of arsenic in these structures does not dissipate with time. “The arsenic naturally leaches out and makes it onto a child’s fingertips in the course of normal play,” says Michael Shannon, M.D., acting chief of emergency services and director of the Paediatric Environmental Health Centre at Children’s Hospital Boston. “Arsenic is a very nasty poison that can harm virtually every organ in the body and is carcinogenic.” Though manufacturing companies have agreed to phase out the arsenic-based chemical mixture that’s used in making these wood products, structures that are already in place are allowed to remain. Unless you have a brand-new wooden deck or play set, assume that arsenic is present, Shannon says. The only permanent solution is to replace arsenic-treated wood with safer alternatives, such as cedar and recycled plastic composite, according to the EWG. If that option isn’t possible, every six months apply a wood or deck sealant (available at building providers) that’s designed to penetrate decks; it’ll create a physical barrier between a child’s hands and the arsenic in the wood. Also make sure that you and your children wash your hands thoroughly after touching the wood.

The European Commission announced a ban on the use of arsenic in wood preservatives, except for a restricted number of industrial applications. The ban was put in place on 30 June 2004, and applied to treated wood. Arsenic is the latest substance to be added to a list regulated under the EU’s 1976 chemicals’ marketing and use directive.
The Commission proposed the ban in 2001 after scientists recommended tougher restrictions on wood preservatives containing arsenic because of its genotoxic and carcinogenic nature. www.betterdeck.ie

Don’t rebuild your existing deck

admin — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:51:44 +0000

It can be done utilizing quality Betterdeck products - and it can be done in a fraction of the time and cost of totally rebuilding your deck. Why rebuild your entire deck, when resurfacing the deck boards is all that is needed.

Betterdeck offers,

· ease of installation

· cost-effectiveness - up to 30% less than having a new deck installed.

· can be installed in a fraction of the time of a rebuild

www.betterdeck.ie

The International Builders Show

admin — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:25:24 +0000

Independent Testing Results for Composite Decking

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:03:21 +0000

As you can see from the consumer report video below that not all composite decking products are manufactured the same. Some manufacturers use cheap materials while others do not include key ingredients that will drastically reduce the durability and life span of the product.

Click on play to see video

BetterDeck has done extensive research into the composite decking market over the years. We are confident with our successful partnership with Deceuninck North America on providing a decking product that is superior to anything that is available on the market today. In the Consumer Report tests, our deck board got the best rating for holding its colour and got a good rating for mold and mildew, which is very important for the wet Irish climate. Our composite deck board can be found under the Oasis brand name in the deck material ratings of Consumer Reports.

Author,

A Mullen.

www.betterdeck.ie

Replacing your old Timber Decking

admin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:32:58 +0000

Now that spring is here, homeowners are inspecting their deck and thinking about replacing the top boards or even tearing it down and putting up a new one.
In the past, most decks were built with pressure-treated timber, hardwood or cedar. However, the market has changed dramatically, and people are getting a glimpse of the trend toward composite wood decking products. It’s predicted that by 2015, these man-made, wood-plastic deck products will account for almost 30 percent of all residential decking sales. The major advantage of alternative decking products is the low maintenance when compared to wood decks.
If you are replacing your deck, you should first decide whether you need to build the deck from the ground up, or if you can keep the deck’s substructure and just replace the top boards. Many substructures on a deck that was built 10 years ago, for example, can still be very solid and might not need replacement. In most cases, that substructure can also be used for composite decks.
While the cost of composite decking is more expensive than pressure-treated wood, these alternative decks can save homeowners money in the long run because there’s no need to strip and stain the deck and they last longer than wood. No matter which way you choose to go, make sure you do your homework and get all the facts.

Author,
A. Mullen

www.betterdeck.ie

Ireland’s Top Deck

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:32:26 +0000

Ireland’s tallest building the Elysian Tower was recently completed in the centre of Cork city . Since its completion it has been awarded Ireland’s Residential Property of the year 2008. This is due in part to the designer’s emphasis on quality and attention to detail.
In a building that stands at seventy one meters tall, with seventeen floors and over two hundred and forty balconies, terraces and walkways, careful consideration had to be given to the decking products used.

Over five thousand square meters of our composite decking was supplied for this project. BetterDeck’s products were chosen for its slip-resistance, fire-resistance and structural durability, as well as its unique wood-grain finish.

Author

A. Mullen
www.betterdeck.ie

Move up to Stiles Railing System

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:30:20 +0000

With our aluminium Stiles railing, you get low maintenance with the look of Roth Iron.

www.betterdeck.ie

Composite Decking, the eco-friendly option.

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:10:57 +0000

It’s become common practice the last few years for businesses to include the word Eco before or after their product name, or in some cases attached to their company name. Here at BetterDeck we would like to think of ourselves as a company who quietly behaves in a responsible manner in regards to the environment. We look at all possibilities of lowering our green house emissions. We use recycled packaging and economize fuel usage in every aspect of our day to day business.

The Forests and the European Union Resource Network estimates that the EU imports around 45% of all timber exported from the Amazon Basin, and as much as 50% of EU imports of timber and wood products from Southern countries may be illegally sourced. Ireland plays its part on importing such timbers from our deteriorating rain forests.

Composite decking is a much better alternative to the majority of timber decking that is on the market today. We source all our products from reputable manufacturers in North America who themselves maintain high standards of environmental responsibility. For several consecutive years, Deceuninck North America, has received the Excellence in Pretreatment Award from the Department of Environmental Services. Another environmental advantage to our composite decking is that there is no yearly staining or painting. This means that harmful chemicals are prevented from entering the environment year after year. Our composite products have a much longer life-span than timber decking which helps conserve resources. A. Mullen

www.betterdeck.ie