Deckorators Decking in London
Deckorators Excursion Oslo in London – a new benchmark for highbrow decks
Decorators Decking in London for when you demand the best, most homeowners assume they must compromise the second time around.
This London project proves the opposite. With Deckorators Excursion Oslo and design by Karl Harrison, the new deck is stronger, smarter and calmer to live with than the original – while keeping the same footprint the clients loved.
This installation is now a reference project on the Decking Network and a blueprint for anyone considering a premium replacement deck. Deckorators decking in London, then title be everywhere I am sure.
Why the old deck had to go
The previous deck wrapped neatly around the rear of the house, but years of weather and poor detailing caught up with it.
-
Boards had distorted and lost their shape
-
Water collected in awkward junctions
-
The frame showed signs of fatigue and decay
The clients still liked the overall shape, so the brief was clear:
“Keep the geometry, keep the flow to the garden – but build it properly and make it last.”
That is where Karl stepped in. Deckorators Decking in London, I wonder what’s next…
Karl Harrison – design-led deck specialist
Karl is known across the UK decking community as “the guy in the hat” – and as a designer who always starts with function before finishes.
“Decorators Decking installer near me in Amersham … or simply contact decking installer Karl Harrison here”
For this project he:
-
Surveyed the existing structure and levels
-
Checked the interface with the interior floor to keep the minimal step
-
Re-set the layout so that full-length boards could be used wherever possible
This approach reduced cut wastage and created a calmer pattern underfoot. The eye reads long, uninterrupted lines rather than a patchwork of short pieces.
Why Deckorators Excursion Oslo?
The clients wanted something contemporary without feeling cold. Oslo, a deep charcoal-grey tone in the Excursion range, hit the mark perfectly.
Key reasons it was chosen:
-
Modern colour – dark enough to feel architectural, yet soft enough to sit alongside brick, render and planting.
-
Mineral-based core – highly stable, with minimal movement through the seasons.
-
Textured surface – subtle grain that catches the light but is easy to clean and comfortable underfoot.
For busy London families, stability and low maintenance matter as much as style. Excursion delivers both.
Re-thinking the structure beneath
Although the new deck follows the original outline, the structure underneath is entirely new.
Karl designed the frame to follow current Eurocode 5 principles for domestic loading, with:
-
Joist centres aligned to suit Excursion’s spanning capability
-
Careful blocking to support board ends and edge detailing
-
Ventilation gaps to keep the substructure dry
The result is a frame that works with the boards, not against them. Movement is controlled, fixings are correctly supported and the whole platform feels solid underfoot.
Full boards, clean lines, designer deck wins
One of the most striking differences between old and new is the way the surface reads.
On the old deck, short offcuts and awkward joints broke up the flow. For the replacement, Karl re-set dimensions so that full boards run the maximum distance. Where cuts are necessary, they are planned and mirrored, forming deliberate design lines.
This gives:
-
A visually longer terrace
-
Fewer joints to maintain
-
A sense of order that makes the garden feel larger and calmer
The dark Oslo tone emphasises these long lines, especially when the light skims across the surface in the evening.
A London garden that works all year
The deck sits flush with the interior threshold, so sliding doors open directly onto the terrace. Morning coffee happens outside without thinking about steps.
During the day, the space works as:
-
A safe play surface for children
-
A simple, wipe-down zone for outdoor dining
-
A generous route from house to lawn
In the evening the same deck becomes an entertaining platform. Lanterns or low-level lighting bounce softly off the Oslo boards, and the dark grey recedes to let the interior glow take centre stage.
Why this project matters for UK homeowners
This London installation shows what can be achieved when you:
-
Respect the original idea – the clients still liked the shape of their old deck.
-
Upgrade the materials – switching to Deckorators Excursion Oslo gives long-term stability and a premium look.
-
Invest in design and detailing – full boards, considered edges and a correctly engineered frame make the difference between “just replaced” and “properly re-designed”.
For homeowners, it means:
-
Less maintenance
-
A deck that feels solid and safe
-
A modern colour that will still look current in ten years’ time
Deckorators and the Decking Network
Deckorators Excursion is still relatively new to the UK, and projects like this help installers and designers see what is possible. Through the Decking Network, Karl shares:
-
Technical insights from this London build
-
Real-world feedback on working with mineral decking
-
Guidance on subframe design, fixings and detailing
If you are a contractor, designer or supplier looking to specify Excursion, this project is a strong case study for how Oslo performs in a demanding urban setting. Deckorators Decking in London certainly won’t be the only project. There are more designs on the drawing board, there’s much more to come.
Thinking about replacing your own deck?
If your existing deck is tired, soft underfoot or simply dated in appearance, a like-for-like swap with the same material is rarely the best answer.
A design-led replacement using Deckorators Excursion Oslo can give you:
-
A contemporary terrace that complements modern architecture
-
A robust structure designed to current standards
-
A surface that stays true and stable season after season
To explore what Excursion could do for your own garden, connect with Karl Harrison via the Decking Network and discover why this mineral decking is becoming the go-to choice for serious, long-life projects in the UK.
Excursion decking is built around Deckorators’ mineral-based composite core, powered by its advanced Surestone® technology. The result is a structurally refined board with remarkable dimensional stability – it shrugs off warping, swelling, heat and moisture in a way that traditional timber and standard composite simply can’t match.
Available in a curated palette of sophisticated tones and textures, Excursion lets you compose a terrace with real architectural presence. It’s backed by reassuring long-term warranties and, crucially, it’s the material of choice for discerning decking designers and installers who demand elegance, endurance and engineering precision in equal measure.
