Decking ideas

Decking Design

There are a number of aspects to take into consideration when deciding on a particular decking design. Sometime simply searching online for inspiration can help but also its worth bearing in mind that some of the factors which influence certain decking areas in one garden may not apply to you, your garden or even your budget.

A start point for many home owners will be that they see a decking area as an an outdoor extension of their kitchen. Indeed this also provides a very practical solution in terms of it being close to the fridge, food and toilets inside the house. However, you should also consider some other factors too, so that your avoid 'decking remorse' when you subsequently wish you did things differently once your decking project has been completed. Other important factors to consider will be the amount of sun your deck area will capture. Depending on the orientation of your garden your house may cast a shadow over the area immediately next to your kitchen so deciding to position your decking right next to your kitchen may result in a decking area constantly in the shadows.

Also depending on whether or not your garden has a slope, the level and direction of your slope may also mean your decking area can become a beautiful vantage point for the whole of your garden, or a focal point for curious neighbours. A decking area, especially a raised one will significantly change the look of your garden and since it will be a reasonable investment you need to make sure your fully considered all options and scenarios.


Decking Board Design

This is probably an area which doesn't get get discussed or thought of often. Whilst most decking is laid out horizontally from the back point of the deck area this doesn't have to be the case. The way the boards are laid out within your decking area diagonal means you can be a little more creative in your approach different laying options include laying them horizontally against each other or having a point from which to lay them in a chevron fashion. Another option is to use individual square deck boards, which themselves may be horizontally laid or in a patterns to form a complete square. These are additional aspects to consider however the main reason these decking board designs have limited popularity is that they will drive up costs. By laying in a non uniform manner you will inevitably be creating more cuts of the boards, so more boards will be required and there will be more boards waste. Deck squares are rarely used for a raised deck area, as these smaller sections will required many more supporting joists - they are best used on a flat section of ground which requires minimal structure to be created underneath the board squares.

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What will your decking be used for?

This may seem a rhetorical question but seriously have you paused and though what your decking will be used for and also who is likely to use it?

You probably thought it we want a decking where we can put our table and chairs out and use that as a place to chat and have drinks. Well if that's that case you'll certainly be in good company but will you be looking to cook out on your decking? Have you accounted enough space for a barbeque to be set up. Will you want to set up a sun shade/umbrella area and will this be free standing or come out from the side of your house?

To you have a large family where you children may want to play games or use the table an chairs to draw or play board games - if so have you let yourself enough space to set up a sun lounger to relax a little bit further way? If you plan on entertaining a larger number of people - how many chairs can you comfortable get on your decking area? Will older people also be expected to come onto the decking, or young children - if so what sort or balustrade or railing would be most suitable from a safety perspective?

Whilst we at Zest Decking can't answer these questions for you please spend a little time considering a few more scenarios before work commences so your decking specification is future and scenario proof!

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Raised Decking ideas

If you have a sloping garden decking provides a fantastic way of having a flat focal dining or entertaining area. However, depending on the steepness of your slope you may want to consider more than one level to provide some segmentation to your decking area which can really provide a creative entertaining and display are within your garden.

If you are on a large slope and you want your decking towards the top of the slope - which will generally be nearer to the house, you can have one flat area with one set of stairs as an access point but you can also have a couple or even several flat layers which can be accesses for both sides which can be very useful of you pan on entertaining larger groups which may have children going between the garden and decking area on a frequent basis.

A raised deck with multiple layers also provide a great place for pot plants to be included on the decking area which can also include ones, which can drape over the edge of the decking and downwards. choosing the right plants for this can create quite a stunning floral showcase to your garden.

One final aspect to consider with a raised deck is how exposed you want the underside to be and what you would or wouldn't want this space to be used for. Decking will have expansion and air gaps, so whilst obscured someone can look up through the floorboards of a deck - just bare that in mind. Similarly if you have deck lighting would you want young children able to access the underside of the deck easily? Access to the underside is useful from a maintenance check perspective but perhaps some sort of restricted access may be more suitable in certain circumstances. If you have had a large raised decking the space underneath can provide a useful as a storage area too - so plenty of aspects to consider!

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Garden Decking Ideas

We've already touched upon raised decking and some ideas related to that such as multiple layers and the use of pot plants which work well in any decking configuration. Other considerations will be the inclusion of railings or balustrades and whether these should be the same material as the decking, or whether metal and glass would also work well with your decking configuration. If you have layers you can also use balustrades to section off certain areas such as the barbeque are as an example. Whilst railings aren't really a safety feature in this example it can provide extra depth and interest to you area and they also provide a handy feature from which items can be hung from such as small pot plants, or even cooking utensils whilst the outdoor chef is in action.

Similarly the inclusion of deck light should also be considered as it clearly makes sense to have these installed when your decking is first installed rather than a retrospective addition


What size should your decked area be?

This really depends on how you intend to use your decking, as discussed earlier however, creating a decking area is relatively straight forward for professional decking installers so there is no written rule which says you can't have more than one decking area in your garden.

Since decking provides a feature aspect to a garden they are a great way to add extra depth and design - especially within a large garden. Another decking area with a bench and possibly a pergola at the other end of the garden can provide another relaxation spot away from the entertainment decking.


Positioning your decking?

We've already covered some aspects but clearly the position of the sun in your garden and how and when this sweeps over your decking area should be a consideration. You should also think about its position relative to other plants and in particular trees, which may cast shadows over your decking or worse hang over your decking providing a location for bids to perch and leave their droppings on your decking. So combining some garden or tree surgeon work may also help bring out the best for your decking.


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Frequently Asked Questions

Decking Tips

  • How long should timber decking last?

    Clearly, a major factor in how long timber decking will last will depend on the level and frequency of wood treatment. Using good quality decking protective treatment applied at the very least every three years should mean that your softwood decking lasts about 15 years. If you’ve inherited decking by moving house the telltale signs mentioned earlier such as cracking and shrinkage may mean that your decking has gone beyond retrospective treatment and you’ll need to look at full deck replacement. If your structural timber is in good condition it may mean a simpler and less costly task of simply replacing the deck boards. Even with a timber structure, composite decking can be still be fitted onto this base to provide a low maintenance alternative to timber deck boards. Otherwise, prepare yourself for deck treatment work every couple of years to make your new softwood timber decking last at least 15 years!

  • When does decking need replacing?

    There will be a number of indicators that your decking is past its prime. Clearly, the final decision will rest with you in terms of how long you leave it and of course whether your finances will allow for a new decking this year rather than next. 

    That said, we’ll try and provide you with some points to review and hope that when the time comes you will give us at Zest Decking a call.

    If you have boards where gaps are growing between them, or there is deck board movement, this can be an indicator that there may be an issue with the supporting structural timber below as well as the deck boards on top. A good way to check is to remove at least one of the boards to decide if the issue is with the decking boards, the structural timbers or both. If you have balustrades and handrails which also have a lot of play in them it’s a good indication that your decking structure has pretty much had its day.

    If the structure has been checked and given the thumbs up but deck boards have extensive cracks, splinters, colour variations or other damage you can simply replace the boards.

    Ideally, if you are having new or replacement timber deck boards it is prudent to have these fitted with a slight slope to allow rainwater to run off and not stagnate or puddle in the deck grooves.  Therefore the decking should be laid so that the slope runs along the length of the grooves to allow water to run off the wooden decking helping it to last longer.

    If you have movement of the total structure or it looks like it is leaning, then there is an issue with the structure, most likely around the structural deck posts. Clearly, this poses a potentially serious hazard and replacing your decking completely, should be recommended.


  • Which decking boards are best?

    Well, that depends on what you’re looking for. Best for the price will be softwood decking as this will be the cheapest decking board option but the downside is that they will require by far the most maintenance so long term may not be the cheapest if you were to add up the time, effort and treatment materials for over 15 or so years. However, if your initial budget is limited this is a great way to finally getting yourself a decking area for your garden. The better wood-alternative is hardwood decking but this can end up being one of the most expensive decking materials. It is expensive as hardwoods such as walnut and balau are much slower growing than softwoods so are not as widely available. They will generally have a natural darker appearance and will look like an expensive interior floor and will require quite little maintenance. If looked after well, they can last almost as long as composite boards, so will have a lower cost if the total cost of your decking is divided over the number of years it lasts. 

    Finally, composite and plastic boards are the lowest maintenance options by far. For the general look and feel composite will provide a more authentic wood effect due to the natural wood fibres also since the production process is slightly simpler the cost of plastic should be slightly less than composite. Plastic decking will typically ‘look more plastic’ than composite decking and there have been instances where if plastic decking has not been laid with appropriate expansion gaps warping may occur. For the smaller additional cost of composite decking to have a great looking virtually maintenance-free decking which should last at least 30 years composite will generally be the best long term decking both in terms of overall lifetime costs and aesthetics.


  • Where’s the best place for deck lights?

    Adding lights to your decking can make your decking a real showpiece as darkness starts to decent on your garden in later summer. However, too few and they provide little practical use and you would still need to provide additional lighting for your decking. Too many and the aura will be overbearing and unpleasant for most people. 

    Since deck lights can be placed in a number of locations getting the correct balance between them will make a big difference to the overall look of your decking at night.

    Incorporating decking in the centre of a deck board, avoiding joints and between 1.2m and 1.8m apart is a good rule of thumb. Where you have stairs leading to your deck, aim for the lights per step being a similar distance apart. Where you have wall lights at the side of your decking, since these serve a more decorative purpose, extending the space 2-3m apart should work fine whilst lights on balustrades should be 1.8m-2.5m apart.


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