Spring is the busiest season for outdoor home improvement in the UK. As soon as the weather turns, homeowners start planning gardens, patios, and outdoor entertaining spaces. For flooring retailers, this seasonal shift creates a real opportunity.
Two products sit at the heart of this demand: composite decking and artificial grass. Stocking both means you can serve a wider range of customers with a single supplier relationship. In this guide, we walk you through what to stock, how to advise customers, and how to prepare your range for peak spring demand.
Why Spring Is the Peak Season for Outdoor Flooring Products
According to the Royal Horticultural Society, over 27 million UK households have access to a garden. The majority of garden improvement projects in the UK take place between March and June, with spending peaking in April and May.
For retailers, this seasonal window is short but significant. Customers who decide to lay new decking or replace tired lawns want the job done before summer. That means buying decisions happen in March, with installation following in April and May.
If your range is not ready by early spring, you risk losing those sales to competitors who are already stocked and visible. Working with a wholesale supplier who holds stock and offers reliable delivery is essential to capturing this demand.
Composite Decking: What UK Retailers Need to Know
Composite decking has overtaken traditional softwood timber as the preferred choice for UK homeowners. It offers the warm, natural look of wood without the annual maintenance requirements. No sanding, no staining, and no rotting.
What Is Composite Decking Made From?
Composite decking boards are manufactured from a blend of recycled wood fibre and plastic polymer. The wood fibre content gives the boards their natural appearance, while the plastic binding makes them moisture-resistant, rot-proof, and dimensionally stable.
Most quality composite decking boards feature a co-extruded cap layer on the surface and sides. This cap layer protects the core from moisture ingress, UV fading, and staining. It is what sets premium composite boards apart from entry-level products.
Key Composite Decking Specifications to Know
| Specification | What It Means | Why It Matters to Customers |
| Co-extrusion capping | Protective layer bonded to the board surface and edges | Prevents moisture damage and surface staining |
| Board profile | Solid or hollow core construction | Hollow boards are lighter and more cost-effective; solid boards are denser and quieter underfoot |
| Surface texture | Embossed wood grain finish | Provides slip resistance and a realistic timber appearance |
| UV stability | Fade-resistant pigmentation | Ensures colour consistency over time, even in direct sunlight |
| Span rating | Maximum joist spacing for safe load-bearing | Critical for installation planning and safety compliance |
Which Applications Drive the Most Sales?
In our experience working with independent flooring retailers across the UK, these are the most common composite decking applications your customers will ask about:
- Domestic garden patios and terraces: The largest single application. Homeowners replacing concrete slabs or old timber decking with a low-maintenance alternative.
- Outdoor dining and entertaining areas: BBQ spaces and outdoor kitchen surrounds where slip resistance and durability are priorities.
- Commercial hospitality: Pub beer gardens, restaurant terraces, and hotel outdoor areas. These projects require a higher-grade board and often involve larger volumes.
- Walkways and pathways: Particularly popular in coastal and rural properties where grass pathways become impractical in wet conditions.
| Pro Tip: Selling Composite Decking When advising customers, always position composite decking as a long-term investment rather than a premium price point. A quality composite board with a 25-year manufacturer warranty costs less over its lifetime than timber decking that needs treating every 1 to 2 years. This reframe consistently improves conversion on higher-margin boards. |
Artificial Grass: The Low-Maintenance Lawn Your Customers Want
Artificial grass has shifted from a niche product to a mainstream garden staple. Sales have grown steadily across the UK over the past five years, driven by water restrictions, busy lifestyles, and improvements in product realism.
For retailers, artificial grass is a strong upsell alongside composite decking. Many customers who are refreshing their outdoor space want both products in a single project. Supplying both from one wholesale trade account simplifies your ordering and strengthens your customer proposition.
Understanding Artificial Grass Pile Heights
Pile height is the measurement of the grass blade length from the backing to the tip. It is the most important specification for matching the product to the application. Here is a quick guide:
| Pile Height | Appearance | Best Application |
| 10mm to 15mm | Short, dense, neat finish | Putting greens, commercial play areas, roof terraces |
| 20mm to 25mm | Natural short lawn appearance | Compact gardens, balconies, dog runs |
| 30mm to 35mm | Lush residential lawn look | Standard domestic gardens, most popular range |
| 40mm+ | Deep, realistic meadow appearance | Premium domestic lawns, large garden spaces |
We supply artificial grass up to 40mm pile height from our wholesale distribution centre in Accrington. Our range covers domestic gardens, commercial play areas, and pub outdoor spaces, giving your customers a realistic and durable solution all year round.
What Retailers Should Look for in a Quality Artificial Grass Product
- Thatch layer: A brown thatch fibre woven between the green blades adds natural depth and realism. Without it, artificial grass can look flat and uniform.
- Drainage rate: Quality artificial grass backing should allow a minimum of 30 litres per square metre per minute of drainage. This prevents waterlogging and keeps the surface usable after rain.
- UV resistance: Blades should be UV-stabilised to prevent colour fading. Cheaper products lose their colour within two to three seasons of outdoor exposure.
- Blade shape: C-shaped, S-shaped, and W-shaped blades each have different recovery properties. Blades with a memory curve spring back after foot traffic and resist flattening over time.
- Backing weight: A heavier latex or polyurethane backing holds the blades more securely and extends the product lifespan significantly.
How to Build Your Spring Outdoor Product Range
Stocking outdoor living products does not require a complete overhaul of your existing range. A focused selection of composite decking boards and artificial grass rolls allows you to capture the majority of seasonal demand without overcommitting to slow-moving stock.
Composite Decking: What to Stock
- Two to three board colours: Charcoal grey, warm oak, and a natural brown tone cover the widest range of customer preferences. Grey remains the most popular colour choice for contemporary UK gardens.
- Matching trims and fixings: Fascia boards, starter clips, and hidden fixing systems are essential add-ons. Customers who buy boards from you will expect to source fixings from the same place.
- Sample boards: Physical samples convert browsers into buyers. A small display area in your showroom or trade counter demonstrating the wood grain texture and colour range makes a significant difference to conversion rates.
Artificial Grass: What to Stock
- A standard residential roll (30mm to 35mm): This covers the majority of domestic enquiries and is the easiest product to recommend across a wide range of garden sizes.
- A premium range (40mm): For customers who want the most realistic finish and are prepared to invest in quality.
- A commercial or play area grade: Shorter pile, higher durability, suitable for schools, nurseries, and commercial outdoor spaces.
| Insight: Ordering Ahead Saves Lost Sales Spring demand for outdoor products comes in sharp bursts. A period of warm weather in late March or early April can clear stock within days. We recommend that retailers place pre-allocation orders with us by late February to guarantee availability through the peak selling window. Our pre-allocation stock guarantee service reserves your stock before the season starts. |
How to Sell Composite Decking and Artificial Grass as a Bundle
The most effective retailers we work with treat composite decking and artificial grass as a natural pair rather than separate product lines. Many outdoor renovation projects involve both a hard surface area for dining or entertaining and a soft grass area for the rest of the garden.
Presenting both products together in your showroom or product catalogue helps customers visualise the complete outdoor space. It also increases your average order value and positions you as a specialist in outdoor living rather than just a flooring supplier.
Consider creating a simple project guide or mood board showing a composite deck adjacent to a laid artificial grass area. This gives customers a clear visual reference and makes the buying decision easier.
Why Retailers Source Outdoor Products From Witch Group
As a wholesale distributor of outdoor living products across the UK, we supply both composite decking and artificial grass to independent retailers, flooring trade counters, and landscaping businesses from our 100,000 sq ft warehouse in Accrington, Lancashire.
| What We Offer | Detail |
| Stock depth | Large volume holdings on core decking and grass lines |
| Pre-allocation | Reserve your spring stock in advance before it sells through |
| Next-day delivery | Available across the North West with regular runs |
| National delivery | Bi-weekly routes to London and Scottish Highlands |
| Trade counter | Same-day collection from our Accrington site |
| Trade pricing | Wholesale rates with an approved trade account |
We also stock all the accessories you need alongside the main products — fixing clips, fascia boards, weed membrane, and sand infill for artificial grass installations. This means you can fulfil a complete outdoor project from one wholesale supplier.
Our range also includes indoor flooring categories such as LVT, laminate, acoustic wall panels, and sheet vinyl — so your spring outdoor order sits alongside your year-round flooring supply in a single trade account.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between hollow and solid composite decking boards?
Hollow composite decking boards have a cellular core construction which makes them lighter and easier to handle on site. They are also more cost-effective to manufacture, which means they tend to be priced lower than solid alternatives. Solid composite boards are denser and heavier, which gives them a quieter, more stable feel underfoot and makes them better suited to high-traffic commercial applications. Both hollow and solid boards are available with co-extruded capping for moisture and UV protection.
How much artificial grass do retailers typically hold in stock?
Most independent retailers we work with hold between two and four rolls of artificial grass in their most popular pile heights, typically 30mm to 35mm. This covers standard domestic enquiries without creating excessive storage demands. For the spring season, we recommend increasing your stock allocation in February to ensure you can fulfil demand during the peak April and May window. Our pre-allocation service allows you to reserve specific quantities ahead of the season.
Can composite decking be installed over an existing concrete base?
Yes, composite decking can be installed over a concrete base using a subframe of aluminium or composite joists fixed to the concrete with anchor bolts. The subframe creates a level surface for the boards and allows water to drain away beneath. The concrete base must be structurally sound and free from significant cracking or movement before installation. Always follow the manufacturer’s technical installation guide for specific fixing and joist spacing requirements.
What infill does artificial grass need and why?
Most artificial grass installations benefit from a sand infill, typically kiln-dried silica sand, which is brushed into the grass fibres after laying. The infill weighs down the backing to keep the grass in position, helps the blades stand upright, and adds drainage capacity. For domestic pet areas, a specialist zeolite infill is often recommended alongside sand, as it neutralises odours and provides additional hygiene benefits. The amount of infill required varies by product, so always refer to the manufacturer’s installation specification.