BEST DECK COMPOSITE WOOD INstallation

Installed / Professionals / Contractors or DIY

Whether you want us to supply only or to supply and install your world-class composite wood products, Best Deck has the ideal solution for your unique project and specific needs.

For those who Require a Turnkey Supplied and Installed Product – Important

Best Deck is a national and international supplier of composite wood products to our industry. As well as installing our own products in most main centres in and around SA and into Africa, Best Deck offers a turnkey service with competent contractors on site and that all-important Best Deck single guarantee.

We stand head and shoulders above competitors, thanks to the most experienced management team in our industry and a database of the most experienced installation contractors in our country. Best Deck’s turnkey option makes a lot of sense. We take full responsibility for your composite wood installations. We value our clients. So, our experience, work ethic and integrity do not come at a premium. All things being equal, this should be a one-time spend.
Why you must Ensure That you Choose the Best Contractor

Having a competent, reputable company with an excellent track record install your composite wood products should be of the highest priority. With these long guarantees, one needs to deal with a company that has a substantial footprint. A long, fancy guarantee is worth nothing if you’re dealing with a “here today, gone tomorrow” business.

How are the Costs of Our Installed Products Calculated?

It is very important to understand how the installed square metre price is calculated. There tends to be an incorrect perception that the installation portion is too costly. But, there are four aspects to calculating the installed square metre rate for a specific product. Below, we break it down, which makes it far easier to understand:

The cost of the actual product – with the decking, the cost of the clips and screws needs to be included. Importantly, it is imperative that products are considered in an “apples for apples” comparison. Not all companies offer the same quality or standard. Different products are of different qualities.
The cost of the material for the subframe – Best Deck uses lightweight galvanised steel C-channel for inland projects and pressure-treated timber for coastal projects. When gathering costs, it’s important not to compare a galvanised steel structure price with a timber structure price.
Consumables – welding rods, cutting disks, screws, and concrete are all required to build a sturdy, beautiful structure.
Labour – THIS IS THE CRITICAL NUMBER. The three aspects above are similar for most contractors (provided the product type is the same or similar). Best Deck’s labour rate varies from R300 to R400 per square metre for a standard installation. This rate allows us to pay our construction team of three or four people (which costs between R180 and R250 per square metre), as well as some hidden costs (like fuel). This does not leave a lot of “meat on the bone” after that.

A few T’s and C’s apply, but Best Deck will do everything possible to assist you with your specific needs and vision.

Installation

Professionals and Contractors

We offer the latest engineered composite decking range in a variety of fashionable natural tones to suit any style home or building.

Best Deck has two ranges of deck planks – our Gold Range and Diamond Range. Both of these are solid profile deck planks. Best Deck has phased out cavity deck planks, evolving as composite materials have evolved. Although different from one another (more info below), both of these ranges will outlast their guarantees.

The outstanding quality of our timber-alternative products and the hassle-free maintenance of the composite material ensure not only a beautiful end result, but one that will last for years to come.

Stain and Moisture Resistant 25 Year Guarantee Solid Wood Grain Deck Planks

Diamond Range

This narrow grooved-finish profile plank has a 15-year guarantee and is extremely durable. The narrow grooves help to hide scratching, scuffing and even stains. It is suitable for both residential and commercial projects. Gold Range products are porous, as are all products in this composition. So, while totally maintenance-free, they should be cleaned to keep their gorgeous aesthetic.

90-DEGREE FINISHING STEP PLANK

Gold Range

This 90-degree profile is a deck plank. It is used to finish off steps, the inside rim of a pool, the outside border of a visible area, and more.

As with our deck planks, this 90-degree plank is fixed in place using our clip system, which means no visible fixings. Aesthetically, clip finishings with this profile plank are visually appealing, neat, smart and elegant. It’s important to understand and ensure the installation requirement of this profile. It differs in thickness by 4 mm to our Gold Range deck planks and by 3 mm to our Diamond Range deck planks. Enquire directly for more information. This profile is only available in a tasteful brushed finish.

90-DEGREE FINISHING STEP PLANK

Diamond Range

This 90-degree profile is a deck plank. It is used to finish off steps, the inside rim of a pool, the outside border of a visible area, and more.

How and why the Gold and Diamond range Deck Planks are different from each other:

This extract best explains what the fundamental difference is between the gold and Diamond Range Deck Planks

Gold Range Deck Planks – all composite deck planks are manufactured in a similar way, they are all porous (they absorb). So, while the deck planks are totally maintenance-free, it is possible that they may stain if something (like red wine or oil) is spilt on them. The longer the plank is left before cleaning, the harder it will be to remove the stain. The fluid soaks deeper into the material, so get rid of it as soon as possible. This profile has a narrow groove finish. Therefore, scratching and scuffing are not always visible to the eye, which is a fantastic bonus. Follow Best Deck’s easy instructions to care for your deck. The Gold Range deck plank has a 15-year guarantee, making it an excellent choice.

Diamond Range Deck Planks – this capped or wrapped decking (also known as co-extrusion), which means the composite plank has an additional protective wrap around it (the same principle used to wrap cars). This wrap around the composite profile is a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic and makes the deck plank stain- and moisture-resistant. This makes cleaning it very simple (it is easily washed with a hose). It also has a longer guarantee than the Gold Range (25 years), so it looks better for longer. With its wood grain wrap finish, it’s likely that it will never be necessary to spend money again on your deck planks (unless there’s a case of malicious damage or an extraordinary act of God).

Best Deck’s pricing on our Diamond Range (co-extrusion plank) is the most competitively priced in our industry. IMPORTANTLY, our wrap goes all the way around the deck plank. See more below on this wrap.

Why Best Deck’s Diamond Range deck planks are an industry leader:

Co-extruded, capped or moisture-free – these are all terms that refer to this type of deck plank. But, at Best Deck, it is our Diamond Range. Some co-extrusion wrapped planks are not wrapped around the entire plank; the wrapping is only on the top of the plank. At Best Deck, we understand that being moisture-resistant is crucial all the way around the plank, and not just on top. A plank with protection only on the top and not all the way around cannot be completely moisture-resistant. Best Deck wraps the entire plank at the industry’s most competitive pricing.  Our Diamond Range planks make sense.

How the two ranges differ in dimensions:

Gold Range Deck Planks – this plank is 135 mm wide and 21 mm thick on the outside at the flat section. Importantly, when the plank is measured from end to end (taking out the back recesses) the plank is 11 mm thick at this section.

Diamond Range Deck Planks – this plank is 140 mm wide and 22 mm thick on the outside at the flat section.

Importantly, when the plank is measured from end to end (taking out the back recesses) the plank is 15 mm thick at this section.

However, It is important to take note that both the Gold and Diamond ranges will function the same and outlast their guarantees. Below are some suggestions to assist in making an informed decision.

Things to consider when making a decision on which range to choose:

  • Is it for a residential or commercial project?
  • Is it a high traffic area?
  • Will it be in an area where food and drink could be dropped and spilt?
  • What is your budget?
  • Do you prefer the narrow groove finish or the wood grain finish in terms of aesthetics?
  • NB – Samples: have you seen, touched and felt the product? Ask Best Deck about our samples. They are always available for collection, and can also be couriered all nationally and internationally, subject to project size, at Best Deck’s cost.

Have you been quoted on clips and screws?

Ensure that, when you ask any company for pricing on composite decking, you get a square metre price that includes the clips and screws. One must be sure that the required clips and screws have been quoted for. This is something we deal with daily.  When compared with completely inclusive quotes from our competitors, our prices remain impressively cost-effective.

Clips and screws from various companies will add between R70 and R110 (ex VAT) to the quoted square metre price of the deck planks. So, the price without the clips and screws is not an apples-for-apples comparison. Best Deck will always include clips and screws in our pricing, unless otherwise instructed by the client.

What is our point?

The point is that you cannot install the deck planks without the clips. And, while you could buy the screws elsewhere, the risk of using the wrong screw with our clip could mean a negative impact on your guarantee. What’s more, Best Deck offers a fantastic price on our screws; it would be hard to beat our costs.

When it comes to composite deck plank clips

Best Deck’s standard clip is a black plastic Teflon clip. Although we very seldom sell stainless steel clips, we can supply them, if required.

While our standard clip is black Teflon, we also have a narrow-gap stainless steel clip. This clip is usually used in more specific applications. For example, in the product image of this narrow-gap clip, one can see a tented bush camp, where they have internally used the narrow-gap stainless steel clip with silicone to create a sealed composite floor. Externally, they have used the standard black Teflon clip.

  • Standard black Teflon clip = 5 mm gap between the deck planks
  • Narrow-gap stainless steel clip = 2 mm gap between the deck planks

Never use another company’s clips with Best Deck’s deck planks as that could affect the guarantee.

When comparing Best Deck pricing with other companies

Best Deck has phased out cavity planks altogether. At one time, these were all that were available, everyone sold them. Today, cavity planks are referred to as first-generation deck planks. They are now outdated and technology has advanced. Since about 2013, composite products (specifically, decking) have evolved dramatically. Best Deck has evolved with them and we now sell and install what we refer to as third- and fourth-generation deck planks.

Best Deck products are of the highest quality and have been sold in South Africa since around 2011. While various brands may look the same or similar, they simply ARE NOT. Contact us directly for more assistance.