Choosing the right decking material for your garden is about more than just the upfront cost. While traditional wooden decking or other alternatives may appear to be budget-friendly options, many homeowners fail to factor in the significant cost and time investment required for ongoing maintenance. Over time, these hidden commitments can quickly erode your initial savings.

In this article, we explore what’s truly involved in decking maintenance, how much Brits are currently spending, and the staggering amount of time it takes out of an already busy domestic schedule. We’ll compare different decking materials and reveal how composite decking, such as Millboard, offers a low-maintenance, cost-effective solution that could save homeowners up to £2,250 and countless hours of labour.

Maintenance varies depending on the decking material used. Whether it’s timber decking, composite, or another alternative, keeping your deck in good condition requires effort, specific tools, and products. It also needs regular upkeep, particularly during winter or wetter seasons, to prevent damage, rot, and unnecessary slip hazards.

1. Wooden Decking

Wooden decking demands the most intensive upkeep. Recommended annual maintenance involves the following:

• Sweeping and clearing debris to prevent rot and build-up
• Pressure washing or scrubbing to remove dirt and mould. Unfortunately, wooden decking doesn’t hold up particularly well to pressure washing, so it requires restorative treatment after doing so. This yearly upkeep task can reduce its lifespan and take up more of your precious time and money.
• Repair work: If any deck boards have become damaged, cracked or splintered, you may have to replace or repair them, which can be costly and time-consuming.
• Rejuvenation work – this includes oiling, staining, or painting to protect the wood and keep it looking fresh. This often requires several coats and adequate drying time.

There are also some tools and products required to keep wooden decking looking good; some of these include the following:

• Pressure washer costs on average, between £50 and £50-£100 (upfront cost)
• Decking stain, sealant oil, or paint costing up to £50 per 5L tin: larger decking areas may need several tins, and the costs can add up.
• Brooms and brushes incur a one-off cost of £15-30: these may need to be replaced periodically.
• Additional repair work for splintered or damaged boards: extensive damage can be costly to fix.

If you decide to hire a professional to save you time and effort, this could cost around £200-250 for a small-to-medium-sized decking area. You may need to do this twice a year to keep it looking fresh.

The predicted costs of maintaining a wooden decking are between £100 and £500 for an average-sized deck, being maintained twice yearly. Beware of the one-off costs if you maintain your own decking. The average homeowner could expect to pay upwards of £100 per year to maintain a healthy and beautiful wooden deck.

2. Composite Decking

Composite decking, like Millboard, eliminates the need for extensive upkeep. Recommended maintenance involves a simple seasonal clean using soap and water with standard household tools such as a broom or hose. Unlike wood, composite boards don’t require:

• Painting, oiling, or staining
• Pressure washing (although they are suitable for pressure washing if you choose to do so)
• Regular repairs for rot, mould, or insect damage.

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3. Other Materials Alternative materials like PVC decking, patio tiles, concrete pavers or aluminium slats can save you time compared to timber decks, but these come with their own upkeep needs.

For homeowners with wooden decking, annual maintenance costs quickly add up. Although many homeowners don’t take care of their decking as much as they should, they still spend unnecessary amounts on refreshing their garden deck, especially for larger outdoor spaces.

• Regular upkeep: Sweeping, cleaning, and sealing wooden decks requires a combination of time and money. A tin of decking stain, oil, or paint costs around £50 for 5l (covers up to 20m2 with a double coat).
• Professional services: Homeowners opting for professional maintenance (less than 4%) face costs of up to £250 each time. The costs can also creep up quickly for larger decking spaces.

Homeowners report spending up to £150 maintaining their wooden decking yearly (Millboard, 2024). The typical lifespan of timber decking, if you look after it properly, is 15 years. Maintaining it twice a year (as recommended) for 15 years at £50 per refresh would cost an additional £1,500. You could have spent this money on a decking product that doesn’t need costly maintenance.

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The actual cost of decking maintenance can often exceed this, especially for dog owners. Research reveals that twice as many dog owners spend more than £150 maintaining their decking as non-dog owners. Dogs can contribute to extra cleaning and wear & tear due to dirt, claws, soiling and other accidents.

Maintaining a wooden deck isn’t just expensive – it’s also time-consuming. Wooden decking requires multiple tasks to keep it safe, clean, and visually appealing. You’ll need to regularly sweep, clean and treat your decking. This can take hours each time.

Research shows that cleaning, such as scrubbing, pressure-washing and brushing, is the most time-consuming decking maintenance task for 64% of homeowners.

• Most Brits spend 2-3 hours maintaining their wooden decking each time.
• For some (14%), the process takes over 5 hours.

If the average time spent maintaining the decking each time is 2.5 hours, and homeowners mostly only do this once per year, it’s not a particularly draining task.

However, if you have a large deck or you maintain it seasonally or biannually as recommended, it can eat into your precious time. If you maintain your decking once a year (as is the average), you’ll spend 37.5 hours over the lifetime of the wooden deck. If you maintain it twice a year, as recommended, you’ll spend 75 hours over 15 years.

Dog owners face additional challenges – not a single dog owner that we surveyed spends less than an hour on decking upkeep each time.

Choosing composite decking from the start is the smartest way to reduce your maintenance costs and labour. However, even switching materials will save you time and money in the long run. Durable, low-maintenance decking from Millboard significantly reduces the time and cost burdens associated with wooden decking. Compare the costs and learn the possible savings.

Cost savings with composite deck:

• Homeowners spend up to £150 annually for DIY maintenance and up to £250 for professional services.
• Composite decking requires only a seasonal clean with soapy water, using tools you probably already own. This brings annual costs to virtually zero.

Total cost savings over 15 years are up to £2,250

Time savings with composite deck:

• Maintaining wooden decking takes an average of 2.5 hours per session, and homeowners usually do this once a year (37.5 hours over 15 years). If you maintain your decking properly, the time adds up to 75 (5 hours yearly).
• Composite decking requires just a quick seasonal clean that takes minimal effort and no more than 30 minutes to 2 hours yearly (30 hours over 15 years).

Time saving over 15 years would be 45 hours, or over a full work week.

How much would homeowners actually save with a composite deck?

Maintaining a wooden deck properly only extends its lifespan to around 15 years, and this could cost you up to £1,500 to maintain and the time equivalent of over a full workweek of labour. Although these costs are spread out, you could save precious time and money in the long run by opting for a stunning and low-maintenance composite decking.

Section 5: Low-Maintenance Composite Decking by Millboard

Millboard composite decking is designed to offer homeowners a hassle-free, cost-effective alternative to traditional wood. Unlike wooden decking, Millboard offers advantages such as:

• Mould, moisture, rot, and insect resistance: No need for regular chemical treatments or repairs caused by decay.
• Low maintenance: No painting, staining, or sealing is required. A simple clean with soap and water keeps the decking looking beautiful.
• Durability and impact resistance: Millboard’s unique construction and Lastane® layer make it resistant to splintering, cracking, and chipping, reducing the need for frequent repairs. It’s also suitable for dog owners, as the boards are highly resistant to staining and scratches.
• Aesthetic appeal: Millboard decking combines the natural beauty of wood with modern technology, ensuring long-lasting beauty and resilience.
• Protection by a structural warranty: Homeowners can enjoy peace of mind with a product built to last 25 years when installed by Millboard-approved tradespeople.

By choosing Millboard, homeowners can enjoy their outdoor space without the time-consuming and costly upkeep of traditional decking.

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Comparing composite and wooden decking

Comparing composite decking and patio tiles