How Decking Colour Variation Enhances Your Outdoor Aesthetic

Composite decking boards have been a favourite lifestyle choice of many Australian homeowners. Their durability, visual and curb appeal, low maintenance, and value for money have long appealed to them. Unlike traditional, high-maintenance timber decking, which requires frequent staining, painting, and sealing, wood-plastic composite decking relieves you of these burdens, enabling you to enjoy a sophisticated fixture with less upkeep.

The natural wood fibres of composite decks strengthen the boards and mimic the aesthetics of traditional timber. However, it’s critical to note that they can discolour when exposed to moisture, heavy rainfall, or intense UV rays.

There’s no need to worry, though: this is a natural phenomenon associated with composite decking. For this reason, colour variation should be a primary consideration when installing this fixture in your outdoor living space.

If you’re considering composite decking, we’re here to help. As trusted, highly experienced Australian decking suppliers, our expertise can help you make informed home purchases.

This blog explains how decking colour variation enhances outdoor aesthetic, empowering you to take charge of your living space and receive a high return on investment.

What Factors Lead to Colour Variations in Composite Decking?

Colour variation in composite decking is a natural occurrence, primarily due to the presence of organic compounds like recycled hardwood fibres, natural lignin, and moisture. Understanding these factors enables better control over your outdoor aesthetic.

Savvy manufacturers understand that composite decking colour fading may happen. They take proactive steps, such as applying deeper or more vibrant hues than the original colours, to offset this phenomenon. Thus, the composite decking boards settle into a consistent tone over time when exposed to heavy rainfall and harsh UV rays.

Please remember that your initial colour preference may not be the decking’s final shade after prolonged exposure to outdoor elements.

Harsh sunlight

Harsh UV radiation is a primary factor in composite decking colour variation. Long-term sun exposure triggers pigmentation fading, specifically during the first post-installation weathering period.

To offset fading, trusted manufacturers apply deeper colours to composite decking boards, enabling them to settle into consistent colours over time. It’s important to note that colour fading is more prominent in uncapped composite decking boards. The absence of a top protective layer exposes them to UV radiation, which can cause fading.

On the other hand, capped decking boards offer superior UV protection and fade resistance properties. Their resilient protective layers minimise fading and colour changes, allowing homeowners to enjoy a consistent, visually appealing outdoor fixture.

Tannin leaching

Tannins are natural compounds found in wood fibre. Prolonged exposure to moisture can cause tannin leaching, which creates darker spots or streaks on the decking surface and inconsistent colouration over time.

Tannin leaching is more prevalent in composite decking boards with a higher concentration of hardwood fibres, which may contain higher levels of tannins. Fortunately, tannin leaching is temporary, ceasing when the decking has fully weathered or when the surface is cleaned or washed by rain.

Production

Although manufacturers produce composite decking boards in a controlled environment, humidity and temperature can cause colour variations across production batches.

Obtaining your composite decking boards from the same production batch prevents colour variation and ensures long-term consistency. However, manufacturing tolerances can still lead to colour discrepancies. A reputable decking installer can offer guidance and insights on achieving maximum colour consistency.

Strategies for A Smooth, Consistent Finish

Although composite decking colour variation often happens, you can achieve a smooth, consistent finish by following these strategies:

Board configuration

Production and environmental factors can cause subtle colour variations among composite decking boards. Fortunately, you can optimise their visual appeal and create a balanced appearance during their first installation. We recommend arranging the boards following a sequence that creates a consistent finish.

For example, if you prefer a rustic or natural aesthetic, slight colour variations among decking boards enhance the space’s depth and personality.

Other board configuration tips include:

• End-to-end staggering: This strategy prevents repetitive patterns, creating a natural, consistent appearance across decking boards.
• Mixed grain patterns: Alternating woodgrain boards accentuate tones and patterns, creating a striking visual contrast. Moreover, mixing grain patterns prevents visual monotony and create a uniform, eye-catching texture.
• Consistent gaps and alignment: Maintaining consistent gaps and alignment between decking boards creates a smoother, more uniform colour.

The initial board configuration will determine your desired visual effect and consistency. Consult a trusted decking installer who can arrange the boards according to your unique preference.

Decking placement

Decking location can influence long-term colour variation. Oftentimes, installing composite decking in shaded areas minimises fading and colour variation over time.

Placing furniture or planters on boards with considerable colour discrepancies can also prevent these scenarios, ensuring a natural, uniform appearance across the deck.

Regular cleaning

While cleaning won’t prevent colour fading, it ensures consistent weathering across the surface.

Unlike conventional timber decking, composite decking doesn’t require frequent staining, painting, and sealing. Regular cleaning, including frequent sweeping, mild dish soap and warm water, or a premium composite decking cleaner, helps promote consistent weathering.

Long-term negligence can lead to the accumulation of grime and dirt and uneven colour patterns over time. We recommend using a composite wood reviver to rejuvenate weathered surfaces and protect against staining and excessive moisture buildup.

Do The Colours of Other Composite Fixtures Fade?

Fading and discolouration naturally occur not only in composite decking, but also in other composite fixtures, including fences, cladding, or slatted panels. Their similar compositions of recycled plastic, natural wood fibres, and pigments make them susceptible to colour variations from UV exposure, heavy rainfall, and production discrepancies.

For example, slatted panels can show slight colour discolouration over time, especially when sunlight passes through open gaps and along board edges. On the other hand, composite fencing under trees or shaded areas can weather unevenly and slightly discolour due to fallen leaves, moisture, and inconsistent UV exposure.

Composite cladding installed in sunlit, south-facing walls fades faster than that in shaded areas. Whether it’s composite decking, fencing, slatted panels, or cladding, choosing capped versions minimises fading and ensures colour consistency over time. These fixtures endure harsh sunlight and moisture better than uncapped versions, resulting in a smoother, consistent finish even after many years.

Conclusion

Fading and discolouration are common with composite decking containing natural wood fibres. Harsh sunlight, tannin leaching, and production discrepancies can compromise decking aesthetics, leading to uneven colouration over time.

Taking proactive measures, including proper board configuration, end-to-end staggering, mixed-grain patterns, consistent gaps and alignment, decking placement, and regular cleaning, ensures a smooth, consistent finish, long-term visual appeal, and a high return on investment.

Take that all-important first step in your outdoor living space transformation. Ezy Decking, a trusted supplier of Sydney composite decking boards, can help you in this endeavour.

Ezy Decking provides premium quality composite decking boards with 10 year structural warranty to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney & Northern NSW. Contact us today for a free quote.