Carefree Coastal Living With Composites
“Oh I do love to be beside the seaside…” Who doesn’t dream of sun, sea and sand with warm tropical climates and endless sea views as the idyllic lifestyle? But the very elements that make coastal living so appealing can turn your dream into a nightmare if you don’t choose the building materials for your beachfront property carefully.
Enjoy carefree coastal living with durable Eva-Last bamboo composites and turn your seascapes into dreamscapes.
Making The Most Of Coastal Conditions
Take advantage of gorgeous sea views and great weather by extending your horizons outwards but beware the elements. Added exposure to heat, humidity, high winds, and corrosive salt or sand is notorious for damaging or destroying coastal structures from decks to pergolas, façades to fencing and even outdoor furniture. This can spell time-consuming and costly maintenance, or even premature replacement if you don’t use materials specifically suited to coastal conditions.
Durability and Longevity
Eva-Last composite products are engineered to withstand extreme conditions. They are resistant to UV radiation which can degrade, damage or discolour other materials such as wood or metal over time. Their inorganic composition also protects against damage or degradation from pests, moisture ingress or seasonal temperature fluctuations, ensuring stable, scratchproof and strong structures that will remain functional and aesthetically pleasing for decades with minimal upkeep.
Traditional building materials such as steel and wood are particularly sensitive to damp, rust and rot typical of coastal climatic conditions. This makes the selection of your building materials, as well as the sub-structure below, critically important to guarantee longevity in these areas.
Penny-wise is often pound foolish, so compare the costs of materials upfront and include any maintenance expenses in the long-term.
First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions
The exterior of your property is the first thing you or your guests will see. Unfortunately, coastal climates can be quite brutal on facades and fences, requiring regular upkeep and maintenance to create a good impression. This is where composite cladding such as Eva-Last’s VistaClad and fencing really come into their own.
The gorgeous, weatherproof wood-look exterior created for this Kenton-on-Sea holiday home ensures a durable, low maintenance façade guaranteed for 25 years! The convenient VistaClad cladding boards in Cape Town Grey were simply installed using innovative clip-strips mounted straight onto the walls. No need to paint or plaster after years of exposure to sun and sea air, the homeowners can simply relax and enjoy their vacation, safe in the knowledge that their façade is designed to withstand the coastal conditions and still look as good as the day it was installed. In fact, VistaClad has been hurricane tested against 100kph winds!
Eva-Last VistaClad Infinity in Cape Town Grey (cladding) and Eva-Last Infinity decking in Caribbean Coral, Kenton-On-Sea, Eastern Cape, South Africa
SUNSHINE OR SHADE ON A SUNDECK
Seaside summers and beachy weather beckon you outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and fresh sea air. But just as you would apply sunblock to protect your skin, your outdoor areas also need to be UV-resistant to prevent discolouration, from damaging UV-rays. Eva-Last products are produced to be face resistant in all weather conditions.
This gorgeous sundeck, complete with high-rise hot tub was installed over a previously slippery tiled surface, at Sabuthi Simbithi Eco Estate in Ballito, South Africa. Guaranteed to withstand the harsh UV-rays and high humidity typical of Durban’s North Coast, Eva-Last’s capped bamboo composite decking range, Infinity in Caribbean Coral, was selected to enhance the lush tropical surrounds in cool wood-look tones.
Eva-Last Infinity decking in Caribbean Coral – Sabuthi Simbithi Eco Estate, Ballito, South Africa
With a slip resistant, scratch-proof protective polymer capping, this low-maintenance deck, there is no need for hours of laborious maintenance to keep its good looks. What’s more, it’s not appealing to insects such as white ants or termites which often damage wooden decks.
Importantly, PVC-composite joists/battens were used for the sub-structure below this deck to prevent damage from possible water or damp from the previously tiled surface. The cladded stairs around the jacuzzi complete the look with a waterproof, stain-resistant surface.
Weather Every Storm
Proximity to the ocean means high humidity where the weather can be quite temperamental and suddenly change into high winds, heavy rainfall and stormy seas.
The outdoor dining deck of the Walskipper Restaurant in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa was designed to weather any storm. The light, natural tones and textures of Eva-Last’s Infinity Swiss Oak decking lets you step straight off the beach onto a safe and sturdy surface to enjoy a meal right next to the ocean. In fact, this deck is so strong and sturdy it survived the October 2023 storms which saw cars washed offshore and neighbouring structures demolished! Only eight replacement planks were necessary to restore the deck to its former glory after being smashed by large rocks thrown onto it during the high seas.
Eva-Last Infinity Decking in Swiss Oak – Die Walskipper Restaurant, Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa
Aside from the appealing wood-look aesthetic of the durable Eva-Last deck boards, this Infinity deck provides a splinter-free, sun- and water-proof surface that’s ideal for beachgoers.
Installed on top of the unstable, sinking sand surface, with regular exposure to seawater, a solid foundation for the sub-structure was laid using higher-spec H5 CCA-treated gum-poles, drilled into a 2-meter-deep concrete foundation. The decking boards were neatly fastened into place using the CHAIN collated clips pre-fitted with galvanised screws to ensure a sturdy, seamless installation.
Thomas Marais, Eva-Last’s sales representative for the Eastern Cape, South Africa credits the deck’s survival of the storm to this important step. He cautions customers to check the preparation and material quality used for their decking sub-structure, to ensure stability and durability. Often cheaper H3 or untreated pine gum-poles or low-quality screws and fittings which are only suitable for inland applications will be used to shave costs. These cheaper alternatives are inadequate for the coast’s extreme environmental stressors and are a common reason for deck failure or damage in coastal installations (aside from stormy weather!)
Make A Splash
Swimming, surfing, waterskiing and boating are synonymous with seaside living but increase the risk of water damage. Pool decks, docks, piers and promenades should not only withstand wet feet on the surface, but also withstand wet foundations when water levels rise in tidal pools, lagoons or river mouths. Eva-Last bamboo composites provide a water-resistant, impervious surface that prevents the growth of moss or mould and will not rot or decay when wet.
This walkway at Zimbali Coastal Estate in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa was literally built on the sand using Infinity decking in Tiger Cover. The inorganic Eva-Last bamboo-plastic compound prevents water ingress into the planks while providing a slip resistant, scratchproof surface that literally survives floods! The Eva-tech railing and posts in Rusteak provides a safe, secure handrail with matching stair treads leading beachgoers through the coastal forest to the ocean.
Eva-Last Infinity Decking in Tiger Cove and Eva-tech railing and posts in Rusteak – Zimbali Walkways, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
Infinity decking in Spanish Saffron was also installed as the pool deck of this coastal estate home. Situated in a famous forest portion of the estate, this deck is exposed to extreme sun and shady conditions, high humidity and water from the pool. These types of installations demand correct specification of composite decking as well as careful calculation and construction by experienced contactors to allow for expansion and contraction at different
times of the day. Adequate marine-grade stainless steel fasteners and CCA-treated timber should be used for the sub-structure for ultimate durability.
Eva-Last Infinity decking in Spanish Saffron – Zimbali Estate, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
Conclusion
Whether it’s a winding walkway down to the pier, a splash pool or jacuzzi on your patio, or a feature wall for a stunning façade; modern building materials such as Eva-Last’s advanced bamboo composites let you to enjoy the coastal climate and lifestyle without concerns for the elements. Made from eco-friendly bamboo fibres blended with recycled plastic, Eva-Last’s extensive range of composite decks, rails, cladding, beams and balustrades are the perfect solution to construct your coastal dream with the minimum of maintenance.
