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Coastal Decking – Composite vs Wood

Coastal Decking – Composite vs Wood


So you live by the sea, and now you want that deck everyone dreams of?

But you can’t decide between traditional hardwood or Eva Last composite decking?

Personally, I don’t think there’s much of a choice and here’s why; we all love living on the coast but our houses and specifically wooden structures don’t.


Coastal weather can be especially hard on wooden structures and surfaces due to the damaging effects of salt water absorption and sun exposure. Because of this all exterior woods should be sanded and varnished annually. Eva-Last composite decking needs no sanding, sealing or varnishing! In essence Eva-Last composite decking cuts costs on labour, time, products and chemicals (which are harmful to the environment).


This allows you to spend time relaxing on your deck rather than time working on it!

But what happens to wood and why should I treat it?


Typically at night and early morning salty damp air, heavy rains and dew cause wood to soften and swell. Persistent moisture can also create conditions for mildew, fungi, mould or any other organisms that feed on wood to grow, which can further damage wooden surfaces.


During the day the baking sun causes the wood to dry and harden again.

After a few years this cycle of wetting and drying, swelling and shrinking can lead to wood degradation and ultimately repairs. Over a prolonged period of time (1-3 years) sun exposure and degradation can also lead to a discolouring or ‘greying’ of the wood. This ‘greying’ in colour is the result of wood fibre degradation on the surface and will gradually grow darker over time.


Decks are also subject to foot traffic, physical wear and tear, ground-in dirt and food stains, making traditional wooden decks very hard to clean. Eva-Last is one of the most requested and specified composite brands on the African continent because it is unbelievably easy to clean and care for.


Eva-Last offers not just the best in composite wood decking products, but also other outdoor building solutions such as WPC cladding, railing, pergolas, balustrades as well as specialised fixing and support systems.

Check out our product pages to see which is the best for your coastal deck.