The colour of your decking is probably the most important design choice — you want to make the right call to complement your garden and property.
So, what are the options? What will look best? Our team of decking experts have pulled together six of the most popular, on-trend colours.
We’ve included a mix of solid timber options, some factory-finished ideas as well as a couple of composite decking choices — so there’s sure to be something that looks fantastic in your space
1. Grey: for on-trend, modern, Scandi-inspired minimalism
When it comes to garden and home design, grayscale is certainly having a moment. It’s minimalist and closely tied to the ever-popular Scandinavian style.
As such a neutral colour, grey is incredibly versatile, blending well with your home’s exterior and any existing features. It provides a canvas for statement pieces to take centre stage, such as feature walls, garden furniture or that expensive new outdoor rug.
Another bonus: grey hides dirt well — possibly a consideration for households with mess makers in their ranks!
- Composite decking: Composite decking is where wood and plastic elements are blended together. Products such as WeatherDek Grey and ReversaDek allow homeowners to choose either medium, light or dark grey. Be sure to check out our comparison of wood and composite decking!
- Natural weathering: Another way to go grey is by choosing a naturally-durable timber species, like European Oak, Iroko or Siberian Larch and allowing it to weather naturally. Over time, the effect of moisture and the sun’s UV will bleach the wood, giving a marvellous, natural weathered look. Note that this greying is not necessarily a sign of damage; you can prevent any moisture-related dangers by applying a transparent preservative treatment, like Owatrol H4 Wood.
- Factory finishes: Heat-treated softwoods like Thermo-Pine can be professionally finished during production for a beautiful, high-performance product. One of the most popular factory-treated technologies for this grey look is SiOO:X. You can learn a little more in our article about pre-treated timber.
2. Golden brown: for timeless, versatile beauty
The warm, honey-like golden brown colour of timbers like European Oak are perennially popular. Whatever sort of outdoor space you’re creating, oak is sure to offer a beautiful, high-performance solution.
The species’ distinctive, wavy grain pattern — featuring prominent knots and swirls — offers timeless, rustic beauty. Whilst it’s a more traditional choice, it’ll never go out of fashion.
Another similarly characterful species, but this time offering a more straw yellow-golden appearance, is Siberian Larch. Its occasional knots and swirls are a cherished feature, making it perfectly at home in a rustic, nature-connected outdoor space.
3. White: for Mediterranean vibes and smaller spaces
Factory treatment can be used to create any colour of decking or, of course, you can buy a quality white stain! One particularly trendy choice is all-white decking.
Whilst any spills will be immediately apparent, white decking is clean and refreshing — almost like the coastal sands of the Mediterranean. Like grey, its neutrality as a colour makes it naturally versatile and at home in any space, easily complementing brick, plants or other outdoor features.
By adding the illusion of size, white is also particularly useful for smaller gardens.
4. Darker brown: for luxury and intrigue
The tropics offer us some stunning timbers. One such species is Iroko, native to the west coast of Africa. It has two well-earned nicknames: ‘African teak’ and the ‘Rolls-Royce of decking’. Suffice it to say, this wood looks the part and performs exceptionally.
There’s quite a bit of colour variation with Iroko, adding to its appeal. Honeys, caramels, golden browns and darker brown hues all make for an elegant, stylish choice. It has a stunning intricate grain pattern, typically with some light fleck markings.
Another popular way to achieve the luxurious, tropical darker brown look is with a heat-treated decking product like Thermo-Pine.
During manufacture, the wood undergoes a chemical-free thermal modification. This not only improves the wood’s properties, but also imparts a gorgeous, rich darker brown colour.
Also remember that the colour of your decking can be subtly changed with a quality woodcare finish, like Owatrol Aquadecks or Owatrol Textrol HES. It’s available in a range of tint and shades and also allows you to retain the beauty of the wood.
5. Reddish brown: for warmth and character
Hailing from Malaysia, Balau’s exotic mixture of reds, light browns and golden browns make it another design-led choice. The variance in colour provides warmth and character, allowing you to make your decking the star of the show. Needless to say, it’s also remarkably dense and scratch resistant.
6. Black: for a dramatic, head-turning touch
Not afraid to make a statement? Factory-finished or painted black decking might be the sophisticated, sleek option you’re after. To complement it, you can channel the popularity of grayscale with white garden furniture or light-coloured decking trims.
Got a decking project in mind?
Whichever decking colour you’re digging, we can help — take a look through our range of quality timber decking to start your project.
Our woods are sustainably sourced from around the world and machined to profile by us. For more inspiration, have a gander at some of our case studies, and for more information, drop us a message using the button below.
