AlfrescoPlus products are specifically designed and engineered for low-maintenance durability and long-lasting performance.

That being said, a good buff now and then never hurt anyone and occasional TLC can help keep your deck sparkling spectacularly week in and week out.

For a show-room shine that wows year-round, follow this handy guide on how to clean composite decking.

 

how to clean composite decking

 

Basic Cleaning

For optimal performance, we recommend periodic cleaning with a power washer, using a fan tip nozzle. To avoid damaging the finish, we recommend spraying in the direction of the grain with a pressure of no more than 1500psi.

 

Decking Maintenance Guide

If you want to give your deck a thorough polish to really bring it back to “like new” health, we’ve got you covered for that too.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clean composite decking for a spotless finish that truly sparkles and dazzles.

Prep Work

Before you begin cleaning your deck, it’s important to clear the area, particularly if you have furniture or outdoor accessories that aren’t made of composite material. Splashing these items with a bona fide composite cleaning solution could damage them, so it’s worth getting them out of the danger zone, just in case.

Clean Sweep

A quick once over with a broom prior to scrubbing can prevent the spread of surface dirt. Meanwhile, any accumulated dirt found gathering between boards can be removed by using a wallpaper scraper or a putty knife.

Mix It Up

If you’re using a professional composite decking cleaner, we recommend following the instructions on the product to ensure no adverse effects. However, AlfrescoPlus decking can usually be adequately cleaned using simple soapy water.

Work It

Once you’ve prepped your chosen cleaning solution, you can now get to work on scrubbing your deck. Apply the solution to the deck in 5-metre sections, allowing one section to soak while you work on another. Brush through using a stiff broom to scrub through any obvious patches of dirt.

Power Through

Finally use a jet wash to power off the remaining suds, methodically working your way through the entire deck as you clean, section by section. Once you’ve reached the finish line, take time to stand back and admire your handiwork – you deserve it!

 

Additional Cleaning Tips

While general sprucing can be easily done using the jet wash steps above, you may find there are some occasions that require a method that’s a little more specialist.

AlfrescoPlus composite decking, particularly capped composite decking, is impressively resistant to a wide variety of conditions; however, there may be the odd occasion where additional TLC can work wonders.

For those instances, try these handy tips below to keep your deck in fighting shape.

Ice & Snow

For chilly occasions of ice and snow, rock salt or calcium chloride can work wonders, keeping your deck safe in wintry conditions. After application, simply rinse with water or mild, soapy water to remove the residue for a frost-free deck.

Tannin, Mildew, Dirt & Grime

Mildew stains can occur due to an excess build-up of debris. Periodically rinsing your deck can prevent this problem from escalating.

Spot Stains

Spots and stains can be a real blemish on your otherwise awesome deck. Clean with soapy water and allow the area to weather for 8-10 weeks to regain its colour.

Scratches, Nicks, Cuts and Grooves

Despite their heightened durability, composite decking isn’t indestructible and abrasions/indentations can occur. Treat damage by brushing in the direction of the grain with a stiff broom. The brushed area should weather back in 8-10 weeks.

 

 

If you would like to find out more about decking maintenance or have any further questions about how to clean composite decking, why not drop us a line? Call 0800 028 8756 today to speak with one of our helpful staff or click the button below to get in touch online.

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When the weather is warm, the sun is shining and the clouds are curiously absent from the British skyline, the garden can be the perfect destination for a lazy afternoon of carefree relaxation.

That worriless ambience can be made all the more wondrous if you know how to accessorise your garden with the right furniture.

Give peace (and quiet) a chance with a garden seating area that turns your outdoor space into an R&R VIP room.

 

outdoor seating area,garden seating area

 

Benefits of Outdoor Seating

While Mother Nature’s weatherly influence can determine when you enjoy your garden, there are a few man-made factors that are firmly in your hands – namely garden furniture.

Whether you have decking or a paved patio, the introduction of outdoor seating to your external space can notably improve your outdoor enjoyment.

Better still, not only can it enhance your relaxation, it can also add an instant element of style and fashion to your garden.

 

Outdoor Seating Ideas

While it’s easy to automatically think of typical garden staples when it comes to outdoor furnishing, there’s so much more to outdoor furniture than wooden benches and metallic dining sets.

Here’s a few creative ideas to help you think outside that box when it comes to your garden seating area.

 

Hanging Out

If Homer Simpsons has taught us anything – and I think we can all agree, he’s taught us a lot – it’s that there’s no better way to relax in the garden than in the supine comfort of a hammock.

It’s easy to overlook this unusual yet awesome seating option, as many of us will have a pre-conceived notion that your garden needs two conveniently placed trees to support a hammock.

Luckily, this is purely a stereotype created by movies and cartoons. In reality, hammocks come in a variety of forms, including free-standing versions with solid frames for ready-made relaxation.

Whether you choose to go full Homer and rest a frosty beverage on your belly while you do so is your call, but the message remains: hammocks = relaxation

If you want to add a unique sense of luxury to your garden, look no further than the hanging haven that is the garden hammock.

 

Swing Along

In keeping with the hanging theme of the last entry, swing seats are another great way to relax in your outdoor space.

In addition to the ever-popular swing seats (also known as canopy swings) that have been staples of outdoor relaxation for decades, outdoor hanging chairs have become increasingly popular in recent years.

Bridging the gap between hammocks and traditional outdoor furniture, hanging garden chairs come in a variety of forms, from the cushioned comfort of padded armchairs and sofas to the modern style of all-weather bamboo/wicker chairs.

These dangling seats can be attached to suitable structural supports for sturdy suspension, providing a stylish seating solution that’s also spatially economical.

 

Bubble Over

Stylishly modern and unashamedly different, bubble chairs and cocoon seats are an instant statement, providing aesthetic allure and human intrigue in one fell swoop.

Uniquely designed and for style and comfort, these unusual seating options make for a memorable addition to any outdoor space. These can also come in hanging form, however, the standing form with a standard base is just as common and just as stylish.

The most common options are the transparent plastic versions and the more traditional wicker variety. For a contemporary, if not somewhat futuristic option, the plastic option is sure to be a crowd pleaser on novelty and curiosity; however, the wicker range is undoubtedly a safer option for long term style.

 

Cutting Corners

Corner sofas have become a preferred seating option for many homeowners when it comes to interior design; however, why should this stylishly practical furnishing be limited to indoor use only?

Modernised rattan furniture has been infiltrating British gardens with increasing regularity over the last decade or two, with revolutionary new designs cropping up as the years roll on.

One such innovation has been the introduction of the corner sofa to outdoor spaces. Space saving, stylish and superbly comfortable, it ticks a lot of boxes.

Better still, outdoor corner sofas are also weatherproof and tailor-made for socialising, making them a great place for summertime gatherings when the weather allows.

 

Outdoor Seating Area

Now that you’ve got the actual seating sorted, next up is the all-important flooring. After all, what good is beautiful, expensive seating if the base beneath it is made up of weeds, weathered wood or age-ravaged tiles?

To compliment your lovely, new garden furniture, why not explore the aesthetic awesomeness of garden decking or patio tiles from AlfrescoPlus? Both make fantastic flooring options with their own distinct personality and style, providing the perfect platform for your fresh garden furnishings.

You can even incorporate benched seating into your deck design, with decked benches built into your overall decking design. Built-in deck seating can also double up as a storage area to really make the most of the space available.

Conversely, paving can also work just as well and provide an equally stunning solution to your flooring conundrums. With a huge range of designs to suit your mental blueprint, a paved patio area can round off your garden and make for the perfect setting for an outdoor dining area.

All of our porcelain paving tiles are slip, stain and fade resistant and can simply be wiped clean of spills in an instant. Meanwhile, our decking options also boast these protective features, should you prefer to dine on deck over a porcelain patio.

Whichever material you opt for, decking and patio are the perfect base for stylish furniture. Simply accessorise with garden furniture that features complementary colours, sit back and enjoy!

 

For more information on outdoor living options, why not drop us a line? Call 0800 028 8756 today to speak with one of our friendly staff or use the button below to get in touch online.

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In 1986, Bon Jovi released the album Slippery When Wet, giving the world karaoke classics like “Livin’ On a Prayer”, “Wanted Dead or Alive” and “You Give Love a Bad Name”.

Sadly, the term “slippery when wet” is far less fun and infinitely less awesome when applied to the world of decking surfaces.

Luckily, AlfrescoPlus has laid that fear to rest with composite decking that’ll leave you rocking and rolling whatever the weather.

 

Non-Slip Decking

Before we go any further, we want to be up front and honest here – there’s no such thing as 100% non-slip decking. No matter how much we’d love to say there is, slip-free decking just doesn’t exist and any company that promotes their products as such is setting you up for a fall…quite literally.

However, when it comes to damage limitation, our slip-resistant composite decking options are as good as it gets. Our quick drying decking boards are specifically designed to take in minimal moisture, painstakingly engineered to absorb less than 1.2%, ensuring our decking is as water-proof as possible.

In fact, after a spell of rain, your deck can be completely dry within 30 minutes. As such, our composite decking is the ideal all-weather surface for the British climate, while also making it the perfect flooring option for use around pools and hot tubs.

 

Why choose composite decking?

When it comes to water-resistant decking, there’s no contest between genuine wood and composite decking – it’s composite decking all the way. Genuine wood decking is extremely absorptive which makes them problematic when wet.

Worse still, the natural grooves in real wood decking act as a bona fide ice tray in cold weather. These grooves fill up with rain water, freeze and expand, turning your decking into a veritable home ice rink.

What’s more, jet washing – the most common and popular way to clean wood decking – actually opens up the grooves even further, making the boards even more susceptible to water absorption and more slippery by proxy.

 

Composite decking from AlfrescoPlus

Composite decking is superior to traditional wood decking in virtually every way imaginable. Durable and built to last, composite decking from AlfrescoPlus comes with a lengthy guarantee for peace of mind and is specifically designed to be a long-lasting fixture of your outdoor space.

AlfrescoPlus composite decking comes in a wide variety of styles, colours and designs available, with three different materials to choose from. Our comprehensive collection of composite decking boards provides you with the creative freedom to explore a myriad of potential aesthetics for your property.

What’s more, each board is stain and fade resistant too, so you won’t have to worry if you spill a glass of red and can rest easy when the sun is at its peak. Our composite decking is a safer way to deck out your garden, providing family-friendly, worry-free furnishing for your outdoor space.

For a safe, stylish and slip-resistant solution, look no further than composite decking from AlfrescoPlus.

 

For more information on AlfrescoPlus composite decking, call now on 0800 028 8756 or drop us a line using the button below.

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Love it or hate it, there’s no denying it: gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in the UK.

Ideal for both young and old alike, the universal calming qualities of gardening have made it a top choice for many nationwide. In fact, according to LoveTheGarden.com, a colossal 27 million of us Brits love nothing more than maintaining lawn and order in the sunshine.

However, you don’t have to be born with a silver trowel in your mouth to enjoy the outdoors on your property. There are plenty of ways to make the most of your outdoor space, even if you aren’t graced with green fingers.

 

outdoor living

 

British Gardens

According to the Horticulture Trades Association, the average UK garden is just 14m2.

To put that into context, 14m2 is about the size of a typical parking space (or three and half King Size beds, if you work in DFS).

While that might not seem like much to work with, there are a wealth of ways to utilise your garden space and really make the most of it. In fact, here at AlfrescoPlus, that’s our speciality!

Read on for a few awesome options on how to turn your glorified garden parking spot into a stunning space fit for a king...or three and half.

Patios and Decking

Whether firing up the barbeque with friends or kicking back with a good book in the sun, patios and decking can bring instant appeal to an outdoor space. With endless design options and a laundry list of colours, there’s a flavour for every taste bud when you opt for a patio or decking.

Decking

If you’re looking to create that unparalleled wood-look finish in your outdoor space, there’s no substitute for composite decking. Our array of designs covers a variety of colours and finishes, from the authentic allure of Cedar VertiGrain to the classical charm of our Vintage White Legacy.

Better still, our composite decking comes in a variety of forms, ranging from the budget-friendly hollow composite option, all the way up to the top-of-the-range capped composite at the premium end of the scale.

Patios

For durability and class in abundance, few products compare to the awesome aesthetic of porcelain paving. Available in a huge range of colours and sizes, our porcelain paving slabs are ideal for creating a stunning stony design within your outdoor space.

Durable and extremely resistant to staining and fading, our outdoor porcelain tiles can instantly transform your garden space into the perfect outdoor lounge or dining area. Available in a diverse spectrum of designs and colour shades, transforming your garden with the addition of a patio can be an instant upgrade. 

For more information on our outdoor living products, why not give us a call on 0800 028 8756? Alternatively, feel free to drop us a line using the link below.

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Welcome to AlfrescoPlus - the all-new online home of outdoor design.

Ever looked out of your window, gazing longingly at the stars, in the hope that one day there would be a site that catered for ALL of your outdoor design needs?

Well yearn no more, Britain – AlfrescoPlus has arrived!

 

alfrescoplus

 

What is AlfrescoPlus?

AlfrescoPlus is the ultimate one-stop shop for luxury outdoor products.

Backed by the power of parent company Greensquares, AlfrescoPlus combines a range of outdoor expertise to offer everything you need to create your dream outdoor space.

Under the direction of our MD, Jason Cole, and his 30 years of industry experience, our collection of outdoor fixtures is tailor-made with insider knowledge for a selection that’s truly second to none.

What’s on offer?

From decking to paving, our selection of stylish products can completely transform your outdoor space into your very own homely garden wonderland.

Each product is built to last with durability at heart, keeping your outside space looking fresh and vibrant from season to season, year after year.

To sweeten the deal even more, we even offer FREE delivery on all order over £750 – all the more reason to go Alfresco!

How do I find what I’m looking for?

Whether your budget is bound by a pricing limit or your heart is set on a specific shade of colour, navigating through our site couldn’t be easier.

The entire AlfrescoPlus website is designed with you in mind, laid out in easy to use sections and sub-sections to fit your own spec and requirements.

Simply click on the heading you require and find the sub-heading that suits your needs. For more specific searches, just type your required term in the search bar and away you go!

Why AlfrescoPlus?

At AlfrescoPlus, we believe in quality. Each product is made to the highest specification for low-maintenance luxury and superior aesthetics.

Don’t believe us? Request a FREE sample pack today and see our top-quality products up-close and personal – you won’t be disappointed!

 

So, what are you waiting for? Bring a fresh look to your outdoor space and go Alfresco with AlfrescoPlus today.

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