Safety First: Ensuring Your Decking is Secure and Family-Friendly

Decking is becoming a popular addition to many holiday homes and caravans because it provides extra space and seamlessly blends the outdoors with indoors. However, one of the biggest concerns is their safety. Why? Because people are worried they will easily slip over or the sturdiness of the fencing and railings around it.

The reality is decking, particularly uPVC and composite materials, are incredibly safe… provided it is well-maintained.

At Vinyl Decking, we’ve designed and installed bespoke, quality decking solutions to add a finishing touch to your holiday homes or caravans for over 20 years. Over the years, we’ve spoken to customers who have raised questions about safety, and we completely understand their concerns. Safety is always a priority, so we’ve put together some key points to help answer any questions you may have while researching your options. 

Continue reading to see how uPVC decking and accessories ensure these spaces are safe and family-friendly.

Non-Slip Surfaces: Protecting Against Slips and Falls

One of the biggest concerns we come across is slips and falls on decking. Traditional wooden decking is notorious for being slippery when wet. Unfortunately, this sets the precedence for all decking alternatives.

But fear not because the materials we use are anti-slip. This means even when wet, the chances of your visitors falling over is very unlikely.

These materials have a textured finish that allows shoes to grip and create traction between the bottom of the shoe and the decking surface, even when wet.

On top of this, the decking is designed to allow water to drain away quickly, reducing the chances of slips and falls because water doesn’t pool on the surface as much.

Sturdy Railings: Ensuring Stability and Support

The flooring isn’t the only aspect of the decking that people worry about, though.

Decking is level with the holiday home or caravan, meaning it is raised from the ground.

We often speak with families and park owners who are concerned that railings and fences won’t be sturdy enough, and so children or elderly relatives who might rely on the support will go flying off the edge.

This is a valid concern, as we’re sure you’ve come across videos or real-life situations where a railing has wobbled when pressure is applied.

However, at Vinyl Solutions, we can categorically say that won’t happen with our installations. We know the strength and reliability of uPVC fencing or glass balustrades, and our installation team understand the importance of quality fitting to enhance this.

The beauty of uPVC or glass is that while sitting strong and sturdy around the homes, it will also enhance their look, creating a sophisticated and elegant atmosphere around each holiday home for guests to enjoy.

An added touch for family homes where small children stay is to add a uPVC gate. Whether at the bottom of a slope or the top of stairs, we can design and fit gates to match the look and style of the decking.

Child-Friendly Design Features for Decking

Holiday homes are designed for families, so we know that decking solutions also need to be designed for families, especially children.

There are a number of ways that decking is child-friendly already.

No matter whether you choose our English or Latin spindle styles, the edges are rounded, so there is an illusion of square poles while being safe for children.

It is also worth mentioning that the gaps between the spindles are carefully spaced out to avoid extremities getting stuck between them.

By adding gates to your decking, you can create enclosed spaces where children—and even dogs—can play freely, giving parents peace of mind that everyone is safe. 

Maintaining a Safe Decking Environment Over Time

As with most things, maintenance is key to ensuring the safety of the decking and railings around your holiday homes.

Decking maintenance changes slightly throughout the year, so it is important to keep up with this between guest stays.

Tips that you should follow are:

• Regular cleaning to remove debris that might cause slips
• Resealing composite decking
• Add shading solutions to prevent the floor from getting too hot for bare feet
• Regular inspections and immediate repairs where necessary

Safety Regulations and Compliance for Holiday Home Decking

There are a number of safety regulations and standards that holiday home decking needs to comply with.

As designers and installers, we will always make sure that the work we produce will meet these. But it never hurts to have an understanding of them before installing any in your holiday park.

• Building regulations
  • Guardrails and barriers must be installed for decking over 600mm in height.
  • Gaps in decking boards should be narrow enough to prevent tripping. The standard spacing is 10mm.
  • Handrails should be fitted where there are steps or a slope to provide stability and support.
• Health and Safety at Work Act
  • As an operator of a holiday park, you will have a duty of care to ensure that decking structures are safe and do not pose any hazards to staff or guests.
  • Part of this is to conduct risk assessments and regular inspections to identify and repair potential hazards.
• The Equality Act
  • Holiday parks must be accessible to all visitors, including those with disabilities; installing ramps and slopes is key to this.
• British Standards for Slip Resistance
  • You should aim for decking surfaces to meet BS 7976 slip resistance standards to make sure surfaces meet the minimum coefficient of friction in both dry and wet conditions.
  • Water and drainage systems should be installed to prevent water from pooling on the surface, creating a slippery surface.
• Fire Safety
  • Any materials used should meet fire safety standards.
  • Emergency access should be available with decking not obstructing entrances or exits.

   

  The team at Vinyl Solutions are always up-to-date on the strict health and safety regulations they need to meet, and we will work with you to make sure you understand what is done to meet each standard and how you will need to uphold it.

Create Safe and Secure Decking Areas with Vinyl Solutions

Non-slip surfaces, sturdy railings and child-friendly designs all create a safe and secure decking area for your holiday homes, so you can provide luxury holiday homes that combine the enjoyment of outdoors and relaxing indoors, knowing that everyone is safe.

uPVC and composite decking are now the standard materials to use over traditional wood decking because they offer enhanced safety and low maintenance.

At Vinyl Solutions, we’ve been working with these materials for over 20 years, designing and installing bespoke solutions for a range of holiday parks across the country.

With our ranges of configurations, decking styles, colours, balustrades, glass, lighting and accessories, we can work with you to create decking areas that match the style and feel of your holiday park.

As we’ve mentioned above, our team are always keeping an eye on safety regulations and are passionate about delivering the best solution for you, so you can be sure that the work we do will comply with all rules and regulations.

Contact us today to arrange an initial consultation where we can understand your needs better and start discussing how we can help design and install quality decking throughout your holiday home park(s).

Call us on 01202 650 700 or complete our online contact form, and we will get in touch with you to book an appointment.

Additional Resources To Help Your Research

• Top 10 Benefits of Installing Premium Decking for Your Caravan Holiday Home
• The Unrivalled Quality of Vinyl Solutions’ uPVC Materials: Engineered for Excellence in Outdoor Living
• The Environmental Benefits of uPVC Decking for Holiday Homes