Decking opinions
Hi, I am designing our blank canvas garden with little experience but lots of enthusiasm! I will be doing the work myself and saving budget for plants (including trees).
Please can what are peoples opinions on decking? We have some patio (enough for a seating area) but it loses the sun after 2/3pm. I would like another seating area but budget is limited. I assume that decking is cheaper but is the maintenance a pain and does it last long?
Any thoughts appreciated
Thank you
Please can what are peoples opinions on decking? We have some patio (enough for a seating area) but it loses the sun after 2/3pm. I would like another seating area but budget is limited. I assume that decking is cheaper but is the maintenance a pain and does it last long?
Any thoughts appreciated
Thank you
0
Posts
If you are tight on cash the easiest is to clear the area put down some geo textile, not cheap landscape fabric, put a wood or brick border around the area and cover with decorative slate or gravel.
Later on you can always install decking in its place.
As @k67 says gravel/slate on membrane makes a very cost effective surface. We have done that for a small seating area in our garden. To make it comfortable for sitting with tables and chairs, use a smaller size gravel and don’t lay too deeply.
I would suggest looking at sites like Freecycle and Nextdoor as you often see paving slabs going free.
I've seen the plastic decking it looks alright to me and haven't noticed it being slippery , I think it maybe made with recycled plastic which is better than going landfill but I am not entirely sure it is recycled though and again its expensive nearly twice the price of wood decking.
How big the area you want to cover ? If your budget can stretch and you can do it yourself I'd go with Indian stone or other naturel materials . its not going to rot away and you'll never need to replace it but for renewing pointing and cleaning it.