Garden decking, anyone?

[Lindyboo]

Any forum members got decking in their garden? Currently looking at options for more landscaping here and am wondering how much maintenance is involved in keeping decking looking good. I’m assuming it’s no cheaper to buy and have laid per sq.m than gravel or flags. Am I correct?

 

[Roger H]

I have some, installed by the previous owner. Ideal if you have rats wanting a dry nest, or you need somewhere to slip over on, whenever it rains.

 

[mivec]

I've just removed decking installed by a previous owner, it smelt something rotten and is so sodden I can't even burn it.
I found perfectly laid flagstones underneath, Alan Tichmarsh has a lot to answer for!

 

[88v8]

I believe it's useful for Guy Fawkes night, provided it's been kept dry

Ivor

 

[vicky whitworth]

Decking in a garden is the devil's own invention. The only place for decking is on a yacht. My neighbour has it, never uses it as she's discovered it's way too slippey to let her toddler near. My neighbour also has plastic windows and themes her downstairs lane side window according to the celebration day - we have had Valentine's day, Mother's Day, Easter and we're looking forward to the usual beach theme for the Summer. My husband is threatening to theme our lane side window. His first suggestion is suspended dead mouse day

 

[Lindyboo]

Hm, a consensus is emerging here methinks, so I'll avoid the decking. Vicky, if you need any extra dead mice for your special day I can let you have a few ...

Thanks all for your input.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Hm, a consensus is emerging here methinks, so I'll avoid the decking

There you go, money saved towards something else :!: :!:

 

[LadyArowana]

My neighbour also has plastic windows and themes her downstairs lane side window according to the celebration day - we have had Valentine's day, Mother's Day, Easter and we're looking forward to the usual beach theme for the Summer. My husband is threatening to theme our lane side window. His first suggestion is suspended dead mouse day

:lol: I do that too! Started because we have collected quite a few scrolls and the tradition, particularly in Japan, is that you follow the seasons. It is also good for the artwork as it isn't framed in glass and protected, but made of rice paper and silk brocade, so deteriorates if hung continuously. Even though we really only have Summer in our tropical climate I still follow N. Hemisphere patterns and because of the cold Winter in UK I left a snowy one up for ages. That meant I missed cherry blossom season, and have gone straight into the celebration of "Boys Day" ( May 5th ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children's_Day_(Japan) I shall have to keep my eye out for mousie artwork, when were you thinking of celebrating "Dead Mouse Day" exactly!

 

[Nigel Watts]

I have a small area of decking outside my summerhouse/shed. It was installed about 8 or nine years ago. The substructure and decking is treated pine which has started to rot quite badly. The problem started when I left some plastic compost bags on it. Dry rot then developed underneath and the whole thing now needs to be replaced.

My decking is rather complicated because it is all structurally connected to the summerhouse which is suspended above the ground level, but I think I have now worked out a way to cut out the rot before I lose the main structure. I am thinking of replacing it with new decking and supporting members in Iroko, a teak substitute which is more rot resistant. The cost, in labour and materials, is likely to be high.

My conclusion is that decking, if you want it to last and look good, is an expensive luxury which should be used judiciously.

 

[Matt Green]

Dry rot then developed underneath and the whole thing now needs to be replaced.

Dry rot? Outside? Really?.

The only times I have ever seen decking used well is as a platform over a large pond or out over a steeply dropping garden. By which I suppose I mean: if there is no purpose for the structure, it doesn't seem to add much.

 

[Lindyboo]

Lady Arowana, I note you're interested in Japan - me too. Do you watch NHK?

 

[michael]

Treated timber rotting! Are you talking about the pressure treated stuff ? If so, that’s a bit of a worry.

 

[Nigel Watts]

Dry rot? Outside? Really?

I admit I am no mycologist so I might be wrong. When I removed the bag there were lots of white tendrils and a very strong mushroom smell.

 

[Nigel Watts]

Treated timber rotting! Are you talking about the pressure treated stuff ? If so, that’s a bit of a worry.

I don't know how the timber was treated. My structure was made by Guy Bagshaw of the English Garden Carpentry Company. I tried emailing him recently but received no reply. It is a very interesting bespoke structure and creatively done, but there were some faults in its design and execution. The roof started letting in rain after only a few years and I now have this problem with the decking.

 

[CliffordPope]

The only times I have ever seen decking used well is as a platform over a large pond or out over a steeply dropping garden. By which I suppose I mean: if there is no purpose for the structure, it doesn't seem to add much.

I agree. It looks nice as a sort of landing stage if you happen to own a lake, or as a verandah to a timber summerhouse.

Another use is to make a winding pathway across a swampy area, like in a wildlife reserve.

 

[LadyArowana]

Lady Arowana, I note you're interested in Japan - me too. Do you watch NHK?

I think we could get NHKJapan through our one of our cable companies, but I would only want it for the Sumo, so it seems a little extravagant as we already have 2 different packages to get most of the things we want in terms of BBC and Sport. I spent almost 8 years in Japan and was back visiting for hols only in March, so I'm lucky to have been able to do a lot of things there.

 

[Nigel Watts]

My designer summerhouse/shed:

Its decking:

Supporting beams with rotten ends:

More rot:

 

[MatthewC]

Dry rot? Outside? Really?

I admit I am no mycologist so I might be wrong. When I removed the bag there were lots of white tendrils and a very strong mushroom smell.

Are you sure your bags of compost weren't actually from a mushroom grower?

 

[Nigel Watts]

The wood was definitely rotten.

 

[MdB]

I have need to put something underneath our new veranda. Decking fits the bill wonderfully and as it is covered it shouldn't get too slippery. I hope. I can't think of anything else that would work well as whatever we put down needs to have an air gap underneath it as we are trying to keep as much water away from the house as possible and the level I want is above the DPM anyway. I hear all the points you make against decking and I can't disagree with any of it. All your points are valid. I just can't work out what else we can put down that would work better. Train sleepers maybe?