To Deck or not to Deck?

Hi Faolteam,
I hope I'm not going to upset your decision.Decking can look great and be ideal in an ideal situation.Wet weather is not ideal for decking.It does require maintenance.It can be slippy when wet and does discolour.Some of the timbers used are supposed to look weathered and not stained.The type of timber used is very important.There are several available.Ask the supplier if it has been pressure treated, what type of timber it is, has it been stained etc.Is there a better one?Remember that the cost of laying the deck should not increase if you select a higher quality timber.If it is a small area why not invest a little extra.There is also a manufactured/ plastic board which is maintenance free and in different colours.It also gives a better wet grip but is not cheap.
A deck should be laid on a cleared area and totally enclosed/ sealed.Rodents etc should not be given any entry point but they should not be a major deterrent to getting a deck.Why not take some time to visit the providers to check out the materials your self.
I hope this helps.

Hi Goat,You have a point but not about rot.Pressure treated timber will not rot.Deck boards should all come treated though I would tell people to ask their supplier.All screws and fixings should be galvanized metal, no rust.The colour of the deck is down to personal choice.In the U.S most decks are left to the elements to colour.I was asked by a U.S timber supplier why people in the "U.K" want to stain the boards??The only secret here is to use a high quality product, which will be more expensive.It will not need to be done every year.You pay for what you get.Most deck layers will not know or want to know the difference.Never use a power hose on timber.A simple deck scrub brush will do.
Laying a patio involves work too.You do have a point about the practical side though.Each to his/her own I suppose.

secman wrote: »

I have some decking in Dublin, was seriously considering putting an extensive decked area in a country property. But when i saw the work involved in maintaining the small decked area in Dublin I quickly decided to opt for a non decked area in country prop. If I could turn clock back I would not have put in decked area in Dublin. Far too much maintenance required, our climate is not really suited for decked areas. Just my tuppence worth !


Secman

yes you are right about the climate, dampness would cause algae during winter months, we are now in july and look at the mist rain and dampness still,
also my neighbour has this top notch pressure treated stuff, now it is only two yrs since it was built, looking far shabbier than my cement patio which i wash with a bit of bleach in spring, and my beautiful box hedge, mine is 16 yrs old, look better as yrs go by, cost nothing ever, just a clip and a wash