Decking For a Static Caravan: A Comprehensive Guide

 

When it comes to your caravans, mobile homes, and luxury static caravans for sale, you want them to be as comfortable and safe as possible. And that means choosing the right exterior materials, like decking, is essential.

A caravan or camper has the same exposure to the elements as a regular house or factory; bad weather, strong winds, insects, and other pests will eventually find their way in. The right decking will help protect your home from these external threats by keeping moisture out, reducing the risk of termites and termite damage, and making it easier for us pesky bugs to get in.

With these simple caravan decking ideas, you can turn your static caravan into a fully functional mobile home that is perfect for camping wherever there are no streetlights to disturb your peace. This article will cover everything you need to know about converting your static caravan into a mobile home suitable for camping in the great outdoors.

Construction of Static Caravan Decking

When looking for static caravans for sale in Yorkshire and beyond, the price of the material itself is important, but it’s also important to consider how much it will cost to install it. Although you can build decking by yourself, hiring a professional firm, such as Atlas Caravans, is best to ensure a refined, high-quality result.

Any cracks in the decking might allow dampness and moisture to enter, leading to mould growth. It’s important to prevent problems like these during the construction of your decking to save money over the long term.

Fortunately, most decking boards interlock easily, making them simple to assemble yourself. In addition, you might save up to £1000 by constructing the decking yourself.

You will need to ensure the ground is level and be sure you can put up the basic framework, such as concrete slabs and joists. The boards themselves are easy to put down, but the rest is trickier and could be challenging.

What is the Cost of Static Caravan Decking?

The cost of static caravan skirting and decking will vary based on the type you pick. According to the list of static caravan site fees 2022, uPVC is the least expensive material, costing around £12 per square foot. Composite and wood decking often cost more than uPVC, at an average of £50 per square metre.

You must determine if you want decking only at the front or side of your caravan or whether you want decking around the entire perimeter. Here, you will need to include posts, fascia boards, post caps, edging strips, and a railing for your decking. You will also need to decide if you want to install handrails or gates, as these will need to be priced separately and will affect the total price of decking your static caravan.

Damaged decking could be costly to replace, so keep that in mind when calculating costs. For example, uPVC is relatively cheap but expensive to correct. This means that if it breaks, it will be expensive to repair and could end up costing more.

Advantages of Static Caravan Decking

There are several advantages of installing decking and skirting on your static caravan. Here are four key benefits of static caravan decking:

It enhances your static caravan’s appearance

People usually buy static caravan decking to help “complete” the appearance of their static caravan. Decking can transform even the most basic vacation house into an oasis of modern elegance and open space if done right. It can also give your static caravan that feeling of being at home. Maintaining a high decking quality will also improve the overall aesthetic of the park, complementing the caravans around you.

It increases outdoor storage space.

As a family’s static caravan is frequently a home away from home, leaving items at your vacation home is more convenient than carrying them with you every time you check into your static caravan. If you often visit your vacation property, this is guaranteed to be the case. Since the skirting will enclose the decking, the underside of the static caravan is often accessed by skirting gates.

A caravan with a decking provides additional storage for your other belongings for the ultimate vacation home experience. The added storage also makes it easy to tuck away unsightly objects like seasonal decorations, children’s playthings, hoses, watering cans, and other yard maintenance tools.

It enhances Deck Storage Space and Is Convenient

Static caravan skirting and decking create an “outside room” that is excellent for entertaining, spending time with family, and relaxing. The advantage of increased storage space beneath the decking extends to the decking itself. A decking is incomplete without a grill, table, seats, and umbrella. Having these conveniences pre-assembled is an excellent time saver.

It enhances your home’s marketability

Adding decking and skirting to a static caravan could be expensive, but the investment is well worth it in terms of increased marketability and home value.

There is a vast selection of materials on the market. You can also use decking to highlight a certain aesthetic of your holiday home. Decking enhances the size of your home and creates an opportunity for outdoor living space. The skirting allows you to conceal your storage from view.

Types of Static Caravan Decking

Composite decking

To create composite decking, a particular machine called an extruder is used to feed a mixture through it, heat it, and force it through a shaped material, or “die.” This technique is known as co-extrusion. A composite polypropylene shell is then applied to the deck board to boost its durability.

uPVC or PVCu Decking

This decking is composed entirely of plastic. Plastic’s resilience means the decking may be used repeatedly without showing signs of wear, and it’s also far less vulnerable to scratches than composite boards.

Wooden decking

Wood is the most popular material for caravan decking due to its cost, availability, and versatility. Timber is widely available and can be found in a wide price range, so it’s easy to discover an option that works within your spending limits. A wooden caravan decking is ideal for the DIYer since it comes in a broad range of colours and can be cut to match various dimensions, making it easy to construct precisely what you want.

Final Thoughts

Adding a deck to your static caravan can increase its resale value and give you more room to enjoy your vacation home. Besides the obvious aesthetic benefits, decking may also help level out uneven areas around your space. Several types of decking are available, so different people will likely have varied preferences when deciding which is ideal.

Wood decking is the optimal choice for individuals who have an affinity for more traditional decking and do not mind the additional maintenance required. Those who don’t spend much time at their vacation property or work long hours may consider uPVC decking due to its low maintenance requirements.