Choosing between timber or composite decking is one of the first major decisions homeowners face when planning a garden deck. This is an independent comparison of smooth pine, Kebony, hardwood and premium composite decking for UK homeowners. However, advertising often makes that decision appear much simpler than it is. Some suppliers describe timber as outdated, … Read more
Ipe is one of the densest and most durable hardwoods used for exterior decking. When it has been correctly specified, installed and maintained, it can provide a particularly attractive and long-lasting deck surface. White blotches on Ipe decking can be particularly alarming, especially where the deck is new, recently restored or has only just been … Read more
A homeowner asks a simple question: “Can you replace just the rotten elements?” It sounds reasonable. However, sometimes a few rotten boards are only the visible part of a much larger failure. That was the starting point for this substantial Deckorators Excursion deck in Capel-le-Ferne, Kent. The existing timber deck had reached the end of its natural … Read more
Decking can work in almost any garden, but the same decking design will not work everywhere. A level garden beside a modern extension requires a different response from a steep site, a shaded courtyard or a garden surrounded by mature trees. Each may suit decking exceptionally well, provided the design responds to the conditions. Choosing … Read more
Before you buy composite decking, it is worth looking beyond the colour, price and headline warranty. Manufacturers and suppliers often make strong claims about British production, low maintenance, fading, durability and long-term protection. These claims may be accurate; they may not be! Homeowners should still ask what published information supports them. Where is the decking … Read more
The first Decking Day was created to do far more than fill a room with products, banners and familiar industry faces. It was created to start a conversation that the UK decking industry has needed for many years. From the moment people arrived at Horticulture House, it was clear that this was not going to … Read more
Pro’s Say NO to junk decking Bad decking damages good decking because clients judge the whole category by the failures they experience. That may sound uncomfortable, although most people in the industry know it already. Proper decking has never offered more to garden design, landscape construction and outdoor living. Yet poor products, weak specification and … Read more
Decking still divides opinion. Some garden designers avoid decking completely. Some garden designers love it. few will only use it when the site gives them no better option. That reaction did not come from nowhere. Over the years, many designers have seen poor decking. They have seen rotten timber frames, slippery boards, badly fixed composites, … Read more
Decking and Landscaping flowchart to help you decide what to do Landscaping Dispute Homeowner Guide and should you do when a landscaping or decking project no longer feels right? That is the question many homeowners face. Often, it starts quietly. The levels look wrong. The paving looks too high. The deck frame does not look … Read more
Decking business overhead costs are much more than you can possibly imagine. Until you calculate them thoroughy that is. Many decking contractors know the price of boards, subframes, screws, and labour. Far fewer know the true cost of keeping the business alive. That is where problems begin. A company can stay busy, turn over respectable … Read more