A deck lives or dies on what’s underneath it. Get the frame right and it’ll see twenty years. Get it wrong and you’ll feel the bounce inside a season.
We build decking to your drawings, or fit it from one of our two main suppliers — whichever suits. Most of it goes down in treated softwood. It’s the sensible choice for the money and it’ll last a good fifteen to twenty years if you keep on top of it. Hardwood costs more. Iroko, balau, that sort of thing. It’ll outlast you, but you pay for it.
The frame. Joists at 400mm centres, sometimes tighter. Wider than that and the boards flex underfoot — people skimp here to save on timber, then wonder why the deck feels springy a year on. The whole thing sits on posts or pads, set level, with a slight fall built in so water runs off instead of sitting on it. A sloping garden’s no bother. We build up off posts and bring you out a level platform; the legs just get longer.
Boards go down with a 5 to 8mm gap. That’s on purpose. Water needs somewhere to go and timber moves with the weather, so fit it tight and it traps damp and rots from underneath. Fixings are stainless or properly galvanised, screwed not nailed, pre-drilled near the ends so the boards don’t split.
Steps and rails. If the deck’s raised you’ll want steps, and a rail to go with them once you’re up at any height. We build those into the frame, not bolt them on after.
Pergolas. Same timber. Posts concreted in, or bolted down to existing paving. Attached to the house over a patio, or freestanding out in the garden. Open overhead, or battened for a bit of shade.
Building regs. Anything over 300mm off the ground needs a balustrade, with rules on the gaps between the uprights. We build to those as a matter of course. If you’re near a boundary or in a conservation area it’s worth a quick check before we start — most decks don’t need planning, but it’s cheaper to ask than to take one down.
Composite. We don’t really touch it. Plenty of firms do and it has its place, but we work in timber. If composite’s what you’ve set your heart on, you’re better off with someone who fits it day in, day out.
Looking after it. Treated timber wants a coat of oil or preserver every year or two, depending how exposed it is. Sweep the leaves out from between the boards — that’s what rots a deck, debris sat in the gaps holding water. Do that and it keeps its colour and lasts. Leave it and you’ll be replacing boards in five years instead of twenty.