‘Eco-friendly’ and ‘sustainability’ are becoming the latest buzzwords in the building industry with many people becoming more environmentally conscious. To us, this is nothing new, and we have been supporting this cause with our composite decking solutions for over 20 years now.
As decking material specialists with both substantial industry experience and a product designed with the environment in mind, we’ve picked up a thing or two on how to make your backyard area more eco-friendly.
#1 – Use composite decking
Our number one, and overarching advice is to use composite decking as an alternative to all your outdoor timber needs.
This is not a sales pitch, and we will give you plenty of other ideas, but we can’t go past the incredible fact that composite decking is abundantly more eco-friendly than wood or timber decking and can be worked beautifully into backyard spaces.
Our Brite Decking composite products are made from recycled waste products, incorporating wood from forestry waste with recycled plastics to make a sustainable building solution. Our Solid XS150 range, for example, contains roughly 33 recycled plastic bottles and 2.5kgs of recycled wood dust in every lineal metre. Unlike timber, which is a finite resource that contributes to deforestation and a myriad of other environmental issues, composite decking is a sustainable and enviro-friendly building material.
Some traditionalists consider composite decking with trepidation and are concerned about how good it will be in comparison to wood. The truth of the matter is, however, that it is more durable with far lower maintenance and is easier to install, all while still looking like the real deal and being eco-friendly. There is no oiling, staining, sealing or sanding involved in its regular maintenance, requiring less work and expense for you, and fewer chemicals and resources for the environment. Composite materials are also resistant to unwanted mould growth on your deck.
If you needed any more convincing about its durability and sustainability, our Brite Decking composite boards come with a 15–30-year warranty. We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t know how durable they are; our composite decking is engineered for Australia and we know it will last regardless of what extremes the turbulent Australian climate throws at it.
Using composite alternatives also reduces waste AGAIN through its easy installation process. Installing our composite decking takes, on average, 70% less time and work in comparison to timber, reducing the need for power and materials significantly. Additionally, there is much less wastage because every board is made to the same shape and size. There are no curves, rough bits or inadequacies like natural timber that needs trimming, processing and sanding before it can be used.
Top it off with the fact that it has a high fire safety rating, increasing the protection and sustainability of your entire home, and you can see why we are so proud of how eco-friendly composite decking is.
#2 Use eco-friendly furniture
If your backyard is a space that you use often and entertain in, you are likely going to want to furnish it and have plenty of seating options. You can make your backyard more eco-friendly by finding sustainable furniture solutions that don’t involve buying something new, creating more waste, or resource-heavy production.
You can do this in a DIY fashion and up-cycle old furniture, or you could use composite decking materials to make purpose-built seating areas. This could be built into your deck, as additional seating throughout the yard, or even a sunken fire pit. Our decking is designed to be used outdoors, engineered for Australia, with a 15–30-year warranty, so it will stand the test of time and not need to be replaced as quickly as other furnishing options, creating less waste and reducing your costs long term.
#3 – Reduce your lawn area
Caring for grass and manicured lawns takes up a lot of water. If you are trying to be environmentally conscious, the watering and upkeep of lawns will make a major impact on how eco-friendly you can be – especially in the hotter regions of Australia.
Incorporating other elements in your backyard, like mulched gardens or composite decking, can significantly reduce water usage for your lawns. Decreasing the size of lawn areas also lessens the need for regular edging and mowing, reducing the amount of power and fuel used in your backyard maintenance regime.
#4 – Incorporate native plants
Plants that are native to your local area will already be acclimated to the specific conditions you live in like rainfall, temperature and seasonal changes. They will be easier to maintain, more likely to survive and be more sustainable, while also attracting native wildlife, birds, insects and thereby supporting the natural, pre-existing eco-system.
A great way to do this if you are building a deck or landscaping an area is to create planter boxes with composite timber or incorporate built-in planting areas into your deck; using nature to enhance your outdoor deck.
#5 – Reuse rainwater
Another way to increase your sustainability is to harvest rainwater in your backyard. You can use rainwater to water gardens, or better yet, use it to clean your composite decking. Composite decking requires little maintenance, and usually only needs regular washing to keep it looking clean with warm soapy water. Using recycled rainwater means the ongoing environmental footprint of your deck areas will be virtual zero, in comparison t
#6 – Use natural fertilizers, herbicides and pest control
Becoming more eco-conscious can make you increasingly aware of how many solutions and chemicals are involved in your backyard maintenance and landscaping. Your gardens and local wildlife can take a big hit from using harsh chemicals like weed killers and insecticides. Thankfully, there are plenty of environmentally friendly products on the market to choose from, or better yet, many DIY solutions you can find.
This tip speaks to one of the things we love about our composite decking – how little chemicals it requires for maintenance and use. The recycled composite needs little more than a soapy water wash to keep it clean, meaning fewer chemicals to disrupt your backyard’s eco-system, unlike the paint, stain, polish, oil or other chemicals necessary for timber.
There are many techniques to make your backyard eco-friendlier, and our Brite Decking composite decking can clearly help you achieve higher levels of sustainability. Want to know more? Call us and speak with our friendly decking experts to find out how we can help you make your backyard more eco-friendly, or to request a sample to see it for yourself.
