The UK's first decking with built-in drainage is now on the market.
Following the wettest winter on record and with more frequent flooding predicted, the launch of Gripsure Aquadeck provides a way of controlling water run-off in gardens and public spaces.
Aquadeck is SuDS (sustainable drainage systems) compliant and responds to the need for decking that will remain safe in wet or freezing conditions. With the non-slip features that customers expect from its creator Gripsure, Aquadeck is a timber board that allows rain water to permeate through to the water course below.
Traditional rubber infill decking boards can retain up to 0.6 litres of water, which can cause algae to grow. In freezing conditions, wet decking can become even more hazardous as residual water turns to ice.
Removing the need for installing a separate drainage system, Aquadeck's Scandinavian Redwood timber boards include a rubber infill and unique dual system drainage channels. Absorbed by the rubber, which is available in a range of colours, rainwater passes through the board and back into the ground below.
Gripsure Director Mike Nicholson said: "We are proud to have launched a SuDS compliant product that will help mitigate flooding as well as meeting the need for decking that stays safe in wet and freezing weather.
"With severe flooding expected to increase as a result of climate change, architects are looking for decking that can withstand these challenging conditions. The latest environmental development in non-slip timber decking, Aquadeck provides an attractive solution."
Aquadeck is the sixth product created by Gripsure, the UK's leading suplier of non-slip decking boards.