Garden Decking

Decking over the recent years has become rather popular being established as the hard surface of choice in warmer climates. One of the reasons its become so popular is due to its relative ease in laying and use making it attractive to the average ‘give it a go’ landscaper as a quicker way to a good looking outdoor area.

This has resulted in a large range of types available to choose from to suit the proposed garden or landscape design and although so many types are available the normal choice comes down to being Slatted or Parquet.

For traditional looks slatted decking is the choice with long lengths of timber being laid at 90 degrees to the supporting joists. A small gap between each slat will allow later movement in the wood and for drainage purposes.

Parquet decking was initially intended for paving purposes but has become rather popular for bigger landscape design and garden design projects – it is created in a square formation up to 1 metre. Styles can include checker-board, herringbone and parallel and generally they allow for a repeating pattern.

Laying the decking does take some preparation and care – laying the platform over a steep incline or even over water requires a professional approach and construction to ensure safety and durability over time.

Maintenance requires routine inspection for rusty or broken fixings, fungus and mould and obvious splits and cracks that could affect the timber used and thus appropriate treating agents and preservative should be at hand. It is however obvious in the initial design plan to choose sensible materials for longevity of the decking. Living in the UK for example the weather system will at some point mean that maintaining the decking become a directive – just ensure that you check the decking for early signs of problems that will be easier and cheaper to put right.