Arbordeck Awards: How to impress the judges

With the Arbordeck Awards back for 2020, now’s the time to enter your stand-out decking project to be in with the chance of taking home one of the titles from the five categories – and even the prestigious ‘Deck of the Year’ award, which will be decided on by our panel of expert judges.

We’re pleased to have already received some fantastic entries, and we’re looking forward to seeing more decking project submissions coming through until the deadline of Friday 2nd October. The Arbordeck Awards allow us to celebrate the best in Arbordeck and Trex decking installations, but who are the judges this year and what exactly are they looking for?

Meet the judges

Our panel for 2020 comprises three judges, who are experts in their roles and together make up a well-rounded team to choose the winners of each category.

Lee Heitzman is the Trex regional sales manager at Arbor Forest Products and is new to the judging panel this year. His extensive knowledge of Trex means he’ll be focussing more on the technical aspects of decking projects, particularly the technical skills demonstrated in the installations. 

Alan Hodkinson, Trex market manager for Trex Company Ltd., is returning to the panel for 2020. Through his work helping merchants become Trex stockists and supporting the TrexPRO scheme in the UK, Alan is an expert in what makes a great Trex deck.

Also returning to the panel this year is Andy Tudbury, owner and founder of Halcyon Days Garden Design. Andy also founded The Belvoir Flower and Garden Festival and is a regular on BBC Gardener’s World Live – and as a professional garden designer, he’ll be looking out for creativity and originality in decking designs. 

Making your deck stand out

With each member of the judging panel looking out for different aspects of a decking installation, it’s important to ensure your entry is well-rounded. Here are our top four tips for putting together a standout entry:

1. Detail, detail, detail: a well thought-out entry will go a long way – make sure you include at least one clear photo as well as plenty of detail. Include as much information about the deck itself, the installation techniques you used and any obstacles you may have faced in the process, and even the story behind the deck if it’s interesting. Detail can really bring an entry to life, and will give the judges a well-rounded view of the project.
2. Demonstrate your creativity: a unique, creative deck which stands out from the crowd will make your entry shine. Did you use a current or up-and-coming trend such as a deck featuring lighting or the use of more than one colour? Or were you able to create a curved deck to fit around the existing space through the use of a Trex CustomCurve^™ oven? Any unusual features within your project will help your entry stand out – so don’t forget to tell us about them!
3. Skill: it goes without saying that our expert panel of judges will be looking for entries which demonstrate a high level of skill. We want to see how well the deck has been installed according to requirements such as space and customer needs, as well as being fitted to high technical standards.
4. Passion: at Arbordeck, we’re passionate about decking – so we want to see yours shining through in your projects. Customers can see when an installer is passionate about what they do, so why not ask customers if they’re able to give a testimonial to include in your entry?

If you’ve installed a deck you think will impress our judges, don’t delay – submit your entry by Friday 2^nd October to be in with the chance of taking home a title from the 2020 Arbordeck Awards. Good luck!