Caxton magazines staffWhether your plans call for relaxation, alfresco entertaining or just having a comfortable outdoor place to sit and keep an eye on the kids, a well-designed deck is worth its weight in gold. Managing Director of MobiDeck Ian de Weerd talks us through this year’s top decking trends
Has the ‘place’ or importance of the deck evolved in recent years?
We’re definitely seeing a change when it comes to the configuration of the spaces in which we work, live and play. Most people have jobs that confine them to small spaces, such as an office or even the car, so when they walk through the front doors of their homes they don’t want to be entering yet another restricted space. Instead, they want an open-plan environment where the lines between indoors and out are blurred. In essence, they want their homes to convey the same feeling as does a well-designed bushveld lodge, where the interior, deck and garden are all one seamless whole.
What are the main decking themes coming through for 2015?
While people want a deck that looks and feels like wood, they don’t want the maintenance issues that go with a hardwood deck. Countries like the USA have been developing alternative decking products for years. Today, WPC (wood plastic composite) and other composite materials are becoming more and more acceptable for decks. What’s more, materials like composite and aluminium give a crisper and cleaner look and feel. Lighter decking colours are also trending at the moment, and, increasingly, people are considering environmentally sound products and practices when it comes to decking materials and installation.
How does the MobiDeck product range fall in line with these trends then?
Decks are traditionally constructed upon a wooden framework and it is the maintenance of this framework, rather than the deck planking itself, that is a difficult undertaking. Without treatment, wood deteriorates naturally, with this being further compounded by the harsh South African climate. A wooden deck framework can also make construction complicated: due to its inherent nature, wood planks from the saw mills are not always completely straight and true, making precise construction challenging. So, as a response to these various challenges, we have developed an aluminium alternative to deck framework construction.
The FrameOne system is a maintenance-free system that guarantees symmetry of construction by allowing for adjustments in the assembly process, while, at the same time, increasing the ease of installation. What’s more, there is no need to seal the deck structure and any number of different products can be used as a top for the deck, which means that it makes installing composite decking boards a breeze. It’s also a 100% recyclable product.
What is your personal favourite decking or outdoor-living trend of the moment?
A large outside entertaining area with a boma pit and a long, elevated environmentally friendly deck ending in an infinity pool. If I can’t be at a luxury lodge, I’ll create my own at home!
To see MobiDeck’s unique aluminium-frame decking system, which will be launched for the first time to the Western Cape market, or for more outdoor-living trends, don’t miss Decorex Cape Town, which takes place from 24th to 27th April at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. For more information, visit decorex.co.za.
