How to build the perfect garden deck

Unlike cheaper wood-plastic composite decking, timber decking brings a really natural, contemporary look and feel to a garden. It also lasts longer. Although timber decking has grown in popularity over recent years, it gets very slippery when it’s wet. As well as the rainwater itself, algae, fallen leaves and foliage all make traditional timber decking dangerously slippery. Opting for non slip decking means you can still have the beautiful, natural look of timber without compromising on safety. Gripsure deck boards, which are now available from Homebase, Jewson and Travis Perkins, have an innovative anti-slip finish, so you can enjoy your decking all year round.

Are you looking to build a deck on a balcony or terrace, where weight is an issue? Or do you just want a really quick and easy deck to install? If so, Gripsure decking tiles would be a great option.

In some circumstances, you need to secure planning permission before building a new deck. You should contact your local authority for advice on this. In most cases, planning permission will be needed if the deck will be higher than 30cm from the ground, is positioned within 20 metres of the nearest road, is set to occupy more than half of the garden, could affect your neighbours’ privacy, or if your house is classified or in the grounds of a National Park or conservation area.

There are no hard and fast rules about which way you should lay your decking boards. However, if the decked area is thin and narrow, it is a good idea to lay the boards across the short edge. This means that the end-to-end butting doesn’t cause a trip hazard.

Other than that, it depends on whether you want to emphasise the length or width of your garden. Boards placed at right angles to your house draw the eye away from the deck and into the empty space, making your garden look longer. Boards laid parallel to the wall of the house emphasise the width of the decking area.

Decking boards will expand and contract depending on the weather. This means you will need to allow for a suitable drainage gap – between 4 and 6mm should be fine.

How do you picture yourself making the most of your new decked area? Perhaps you’ll be enjoying a coffee and a good book with the sounds of nature around you, or maybe you’ll be making the most of a sunny day by inviting friends round for a barbecue and a few drinks. Are there any features that will make the space work even better for you? How about a fire pit with built in seating so you can enjoy evenings under the stars? For a family garden, what about storage boxes for outdoor toys? You could also build in planting boxes or boarders to introduce more greenery and create a really calm and restful space.

Are there any issues in your garden that you need to work around? If the decked area will be exposed to the prevailing wind, you could install protective screens – there are some stunning screens on Houzz, which should get your creative juices flowing. If you need to incorporate steps or ramps, non-slip decking can really come into its own. Pinterest has some great ideas for steps with decking.

We hope this helps you start planning your new deck. Enjoy!