Deck finishes
Deck finishes need to consider both the functional use and also the aesthetic appearance, as seen from inside the apartment. Especially when it’s raining, the functional performance is paramount. Consideration must include how the finishes will perform in heavy rainfall, slip resistance, maintenance and durability.
It is imperative too, that the chosen deck surface resists the spread of fire. Our recommendation would be to always consider a Class A board first, whether or not it is required to fulfil the building code of the area and building it is being used. You can understand more about non-combustible deck systems at our sister company www.mydek.com Whether hardwood, softwood, or composite, grooved decking boards are commonly used as a balcony surface finish. Experience has shown that the majority of rainwater falling on a decking board will run along the grooves and drip off the end of the board. For this reason, it is generally better to run decking parallel with the building line, otherwise, there can be a substantial amount of water dripping of adjacent to the façade, giving an increased risk of staining or water penetration.
Materials
Natural timbers and some composites are fixed using screws. This can look messy unless using hidden screws, either way, both make initial fixing and maintenance much more tricky. Our preference is to use hidden decking clips which enable fast install, and easier removal of individual boards.

Class A Decking
Following the fire at Grenfell & the more recent balcony fires in London, including the changes to the Part B...
Find out more
Composite
There are two main types of composite decking. WPC boards are typically made from between 55-60% recycled hardwood fibres and...
Find out more
Hardwood
Hardwood decking is a more expensive option than softwood, which has a closer grain and fewer knots. These both offer...
Find out more
Softwood
Softwood decking is the cheapest natural wood option with a reasonably consistent grain and colour, it does, however, tend to...
Find out more
Door sill Interface
The interface between the decking and the door sill are often the subject of discussion between trades. We have categorised solutions...
Find out moreBalcony Structure
There are three parts to the main balcony structure. Firstly, the Cassette® balconies ‘skeleton’, this in essence, is a chassis...
Soffits
Different balcony structures have different drainage requirements. Concrete balconies, for example, tend to be treated like a flat roof and...