On the continuing theme of re-designing my garden :D

Anyone got decking? Is it any good? and is it somfortable under foot? I am thinking of using decking from the conservatoryso I can extend a "usable area" that is not paving. Almost making it another room/sitting area.

Pro's and con's please.

Karen

Had our decking 3 years now and very happy with it! smooth on the pathway and grooved on the raised bbq area.We hose it down occasionally and treat it once a year,it's preserved anyhow,but it looks better I think with colour treatment.It's warm underfoot!and has not become either slippery or slimy,so I am glad we chose to use it.We also used railway sleepers to edge the border of the path as most of the garden is maintenance free shrubs etc.NO GRASS so no arguments as to who's turn it is to mow it ;)
Jacqueline.

Thanks Jacqueline,

Thats just what I wanted to hear.
I hadn't comsidered sleepers, but I like the idea and will bear it in mind:D

Thanks again Karen

Hi Karen,

As an American I qualify as an expert on decking! :-) Last thing I would want now, but that's only because to me it's the downmarket alternative to bricks or stone (or stonelike cement). Wood is cheap in the States, stone much more expensive. However, decking is very useful if you need a raised patio - which was the case in the homes I had in the States.

My advice:

-- never, ever paint it! It is a maintenance nightmare
-- never stain it, slightly less of a nightmare, but still a nightmare
-- always put a weed suppressing permeable membrane underneath the deck
-- buy the best quality wood you can afford - in this climate it will rot sooner than the estimated lifespan suggested

Railroad sleepers are very nice - but you need to look at for the type that will not ooze tar.

Oh yes - never attach the lead of a large dog to any part of the deck. It might seem like an ideal way to keep them in place while you hose off the muck, but believe me .. you may come to regret it. :-)

Stacey

we have decking. only place the dogs arent allowed. got my water fountain an potted shrubs on there. its lovely in summer.

The previous people in our house had put in a so called patio, using reinforced concrete!!!  The ground at the back of the house slopes away and at some points this "patio" was about 8 inches thick, lumpy and uneven and as ugly as sin!  We got someone in and he advised that to break it all up would be a monumental task, so he "boxed" it in with decking.  The result is a really nice platform decking area and hubby has bought a book about plants in containers, so with any luck and a bit of monumental nagging, we should have a host of pots and tubs filled with lovely flowers, herbs etc on it by next summer :D  It does take maintenance though, we will have to restain it every year, and unfortunately the dogs have to go on it to get to the rest of the garden :(  I'd recommend having it though, and if you can keep your dogs off, so much the better.

Lesley

we got decking off the convservtory,it just like having another room,in summer all the doors were open the house just when on and on,the dog are not allow on it,it us for us human the dog have their area.we did use it alot this year with the good weather we had,plus if you got a patio heater on a nice crisp day like today with that on it must be great we have not got one yet,

as any one elis got one and are they good.

We haven't got a patio heater as such,but we use a chimenea and fill it with wood to heat our bbq area,it cooks really fast too! Luckily hubby gets lots of logs from work for free,so we have a never ending supply of them!Chimineas are obtainable anywhere and they are so cheap to buy now that they have become very popular and if you throw some herbs onto the wood it seasons the food as it cooks!mmmm bbq's summer,such a long time ago:)

Thats the effect I want almost like another room off the house, coming off the consevatory I may even add spindles to make it seperate so to speak. Wouldn't mind the maintanance, once year staining is better than twice weekly grass cutting ;)

So far have Conservatory with decking (fenced off with spindles) then block paving (not standard but small/medium setts) with the top of the garden still planted (trees and shrubs etc already in situ) which will be divided from the main garden with either (sleepers or small retaining wall)

Just trying to work out cost (deep breathes) now :D

Karen

my decking has spindles,so the dog donot go on the decking and gate to the garden,make saw that the spindles are closet together so that the dog cannot get through,we did to the size of the flatcoats head but cannot get they shouders through,but we forgot about gollie the swd she get her hole body through,and runs around saying you cannot catch me.

in one corner a bench to sit on.our cost £3000,00,but it is 28ft by 28ft sqaure,it was worth very penny and we had waited 20 years for the conservatory/decking.

We,ve got raised decking at the bottom of our garden, quite a big amount with a couple of steps up to it.
One side has a summer house on it. It's got spinndles all round the back and sides. I love it. We only just got it finnished the begining of Sept, so we haven't had a lot time to use it before it got too chilly. Roll on next summer. At the moment all I can do is look at it, It really makes the garden look nice.
I'd go for it Karen.

Michelle.

We have got  a patio heater but it is only good enough for chilly summer evenings really. If you want one for all year round it is best to get one like the ones you see in Pub gardens.They will be a lot more expensive but worth it I would have thought !

Lucy