Decking: wood or composite? What's best for Singapore Weather?

Things to know before contracting decking in Singapore

Choosing the right material for your decking Singapore is a process that needs knowledge, especially in Singapore. If we’re opting for a wooden deck, first consideration is to go for a noble wood like IPE or Teak for example. We’re aware we’re far from talking about a cheap solution, but we even know that it is the best investment we can do on our deck’s longevity. It’s not really great to have your deck installed, looking gorgeous soon after, and after a few weeks comparing it to a rally truck!

Important is even to choose the best installation system... especially if we talk about less stable woods, you really need to look for a zero screws/nails solution... it’s just a matter of time, screws loose their hold and look what happens:

Wood is magic and its warmth cannot really be re-created with any other material! You just need to be careful to choose the right one and install it the right way. After being worked, wood goes on living. Maintenance required is both for structural and esthetic reasons.

If you don’t want to renounce to wood, there’s a compromise that can be reached, and it’s called ETHERNO Bamboo.

Bamboo grows much faster than any tree and is among the most prolific resources on earth. Through a specialized process of compression and thermo treatment, ETHERNO provides strength, stability and durability. Etherno Bamboo is particularly ideal for any area where high volume of people is expected. Its Dark color would perfectly blend in any Park (can be national park or a park in a resort / private house).

Composites is a totally different speech... Normally they are called WPC (wood polymer composite) and here you really have not to run the risk to be fooled by commercial ads saying: NO STAIN, NO MAINTENANCE! Just Wrong... or better, it needs explanation. Standard WPC composite decking boards are made of recycled polymers such are PE or HDPE, which are no more and no less than recycled plastic bottles, bags etc.etc.

And the boards made out of those polymers are subject to extremely bigger movements and torsions if compared to the not recycled PVC (which can be recycled, is more valuable and doesn’t move as much!). This is what we need to know when we approach the idea of buying a composite product, especially if you’re willing to install it... a material that moves a lot needs a master deck builder to deal with, otherwise you just trashed your money.

In the compound/mixture of the standard wpc decking boards there is even a percentage of natural product, the most common is SAWDUST! Wow... sawdust! When dropping oil on the floor, my grandmother used to put sawdust on top in order to absorb it and better clean! IT ABSORBS A LOT... really a lot! So again be prepared to dimensional changes according to the percentage of sawdust inside... this again it’s not a that bad thing if you know it before you get it installed (to do it the right way).

What does it happen when you build your deck with a standard wpc composite decking? Look below: 

Among the best composites you can consider to choose, in order not to encounter the risk given by any other wpc/bpc, there’s DURO and SKUDO!

DURO is an extremely innovative composite developed to be the one and only alternative to real noble wood. Duro is made of RICE HUSK (skin of the rice grain) and PVC (not recycled). Yes, you got it right... RICE HUSK, a by product that would be otherwise burnt and create CO2 is given a much more noble second life into decking boards with incredible structural performances. It has to be compared to a noble wood other than common composites. Rice grows into water, and the skin of the rice protects the grain till the moment it’s ready to blossom! NATURAL HYDRO REPELLENCY, in fact it is only the micro surface to absorb. Duro is Anti-Slip certified, an EcoFriendly material ideal for places like swimming pools and wherever the situation needs a natural look and feeling with all the benefits of a stable product. Look at this clip that shows DURO as a swimming pool floor:

SKUDO instead is the brand new ultra resistant shield decking that can be installed with the new EasyClick and EasyChange Technology. This new composite decking has a realistic embossed wood grain finishing on each board surface! It’s not just about fashion and look (which is always important), the SKUDO boards are protected by an ultra resistant shield all around giving the decking the most searched and aimed characteristics for this kind of product: anti-stain / easy to clean, no splintering, low maintenance.

No Matter if composite or wood... just make sure your choice is done the right way! Deck is outdoor, plus you walk of that! It’s important to have a good product and most of all the best installation! The most innovative installation system without screws and nails is patented by iDecking Revolution: EasyClick and EasyChange systems! Are they really better than traditional systems???

Let’s have a look at it together:

Traditional HIDDEN FASTENERS Decking Systems

No matter if it is face fastened or hidden fastened… Singapore weather is a major enemy of any kind of screw that with time looses its grip! If you are buying decking boards that have to be installed like that just be prepared to face a lot of structural maintenance, because, it’s just a matter of time, and this like this are going to happen:

iDecking Revolution Systems: ZERO SCREWS / EASY INSTALL AND REMOVE !

iDecking Revolution is the company born to innovate in the field of decking/cladding installation systems and materials! The company patented a whole generation of innovative decking installation systems optimized for the Singapore market! Many installations have in fact been performed with success in Singapore, bringing iDecking to be the leading company in innovative decking systems and materials.

EasyClick is the innovative system which allows you to install iDecking Revolution boards simply using your feet. No need to use any nails, screws, drills, spacers or “obsolete” clips. The EasyClick system helps ensure a quick and simple troublefree installation. EasyClick is essentially comprised of an understructure “rail system” which comes with pre-installed and pre-spaced patented EasyClick nylon clips. Our patented grooved decking boards are then simply pressed and locked in place. The system can be used both for Wood and for Composites such as DURO, SKUDO and ETHERNO (Carbonized Bamboo).

What are the highlights of EasyClick system?

• Decking installation up to 5 times faster than traditional deck building
• Boards require Zero screws, nails or other fasteners
• Drastic reduction of installation errors
• “Effortless” installation
• Doesn’t cause water stagnation
• Increased structural integrity and strength
• Self blocking and Self aligning system

 Just to give you an example on How Fast the EasyClick system is, compared to traditional ones:

Then if you have any doubt on the strength of the EasyClick clip compared to any screwed clip… here’s a little video that says it all:

EasyChange is the only system in the world which allows you the ability to remove and replace every single board of your deck using a special iDecking key. No need to utilize any drills, screws, spacers or “obsolete” clips to install the decking. iDecking Easy Change system helps ensure a quick and simple troublefree installation. EasyChange is comprised of an understructure which comes with pre-spaced special rotating nylon cams. Decking boards are then locked in place with a simple turn of the EasyKey. The system can be used both for Wood and for Composites such as DURO, SKUDO and ETHERNO (Carbonized Bamboo).

What are the highlights of EasyChange system?

• Remove and replace any decking board from anywhere in the floor
• Up to 50% faster installation compared to traditional deck building
• Doesn’t cause water stagnation
• Increased structural integrity and strength

To conclude the point, it’s clear that iDecking installation systems are perfectly optimized to achieve the best budget optimization for any kind of project in Singapore. iDecking in fact gives major and unique benefits to the whole chain, from the buyer to the user, and here they are:

• Systems instead of a single product: iDecking systems are engineered to work together and supported by test reports and project references, while most of the companies only sell decking boards / planks leaving the customer without any knowledge of what kind of structure and clips will be used for the installation. Highly increasing the risk of structural failures
• Ability to replace the plank: as we said, Singapore is a tropical country and there’s common concern about pests and insects under the decking. iDecking EasyChange is 100% inspectable and you can remove/replace any plank from anywhere in the deck !
• Reduction of installation errors: Vast majority of labour forse in the Singapore construction industry are foreign workers. They are not trained and masters of deck building, so exposed to fatal errors when installing. The iDecking systems structures come with the clips pre installed in order to drastically reduce the chance of errors!

Always remember that once bought, the decking must be serving your needing and NOT THE CONTRARY. So first of all, any architect / committee / maincon should be informed on products whose maintenance is the lower possible. There are two kind of maintenance: Aesthetic maintenance and Structural maintenance. The first one is almost ok for every product, since it only affects the look and it’s just about regular cleaning and, in case of wood or certain valuable composites, lay a coat of transparent treatment once per season in order to maintain a vivid color. The structural maintenance instead can bring BIG TROUBLES in the case of choosing the wrong product. For example, any deck installed with screws or screwed clips can result in boards elevation and in consequence: 1 - be dangerous for people and kids who’d risk to fall. 2 - force to do structural maintenance which means putting down new screws every time the installed one loose their strength (which under Singapore’s tropical weather can happen more than twice per year). So, the most important thing would be opting for a decking whose boards don’t need screws to be installed on the substructure (they exists… we’ll see those in a bit)!