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The increasing desire to create the ultimate outdoor room has helped to drive timber decking to the fore and with its year round appeal, it looks like this contemporary garden feature is here to stay. Few garden ‘accessories’ boast a wooden decks' immediate ability to so effectively extend a home’s living area, quite literally creating an outdoor room which often seamlessly connects to the home’s interior.
The appeal of decking lies in its flexibility to blend with a variety of garden types and designs - and at a budget to suit. From expansive elevated decks to the more intimate free standing island deck, there’s a whole host of decking options to choose from, each one providing a dramatic, stylish feature for your outdoor space that will last for years and years.
Choose your decking material carefully. Wood is the option of choice largely due to its natural fit with a garden habitat and the practical advantages associated with a wooden deck installation (reduced groundwork, foundations and retaining walls, limited wet construction other than for the post foundations, versatility and ability to allow for simple changes like incorporating ramps or steps).
Look for sustainable timber with FSC or PEFC certifications.
Make sure the deck is laid to encourage water to run off, this helps to prevent the creation of a slippery surface and impacts on the general wear and tear of the deck.
Install a balustrade that is not only in keeping with the design of the deck but one that also offers an equally long service life.
All Jacksons’ garden decking boards carry the unique 25-year Jakcure® guarantee which means they are protected from rot and insect attack
Take care to ensure you create a safe slip resistant surface. All Jacksons decking boards are supplied grooved for added safety.
Make sure you select the appropriate decking board according to the anticipated amount of usage. Jacksons supplies a Standard and Heavy Duty board – the latter is intended for installations where the decking will have heavy footfall.
Although generally deck structures are exempt from planning regulations there are circumstances where consent is required:
If the deck is situated within 20 metres of a highway
If the deck platform is more than 300 mm (1 ft) from the ground
If the deck structure can be deemed to affect the amenity value or privacy of neighbours
If the deck is attached to a listed building or sited within a conservation area / National Park
If the deck will cover more than 50% of a property’s garden
Aside from the aesthetic attraction, decking can be installed to overcome problems associated with uneven surfaces in your garden, or can be artfully employed to create different levels which offer an interesting perspective to your external living area. A deck dispenses with the need for mowing and as long as a weed suppressant membrane is installed to prevent weeds from growing through the gaps between the boards, it requires minimal maintenance (especially when compared with grass).
A wooden deck provides a natural surface that is comfortable to walk, sit or even lie on. For babies and young children, nothing quite beats a wooden deck linked to the kitchen or living room, providing a safe sanctuary where little ones can play and enjoy the great outdoors - but within easy sight of mum and dad. Better still, all with the added benefit of providing a mud free zone!
Decking originally hails from our American cousins. It was around 1801 that one of the first decks was created, for Thomas Jefferson, the third American President who had a deck built on his Monticello Mansion in Virginia.
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