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Gardens - choosing the decking |
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Back to index page Why have decking in your garden Decking is an excellent alternative to using paving in the garden as it is durable, light and gives the garden a modern, contemporary feel. It can be built in almost any shape, colour and size, which means that it can be designed to suit personal tastes and budgets. It also enables a level seating area to be constructed in a sloping garden. What Type of Decking to Use Decking can be made out of either softwood or hardwood. The most popular type of timber used in the UK is softwood that has been pressure treated with a suitable preservative. Standard components and decking boards are readily available in DIY stores and timber merchants and should last about 25 years. Ready prepared decking kits are also available. Soft Wood Decking 1.When using softwood, check that it has been pressure treated to avoid rotting. 2.North American western red cedar: straight grained, few knots but a tendency to split and dent. 3.British spruce/European white wood: straight grained and few knots. Use for out of ground components only. 4.British pine/European redwood: clearly visible grain. Lower grades can have lots of knots. 5.British/North American Douglas fir: a prominent, wavy grain, the heartwood is naturally durable. 6.British/European larch: a prominent grain, sometimes knotty. 7.Southern pine: visible grain with few knots. Hard Wood Decking 1.Hardwoods are generally more expensive, have a tighter grain and will not have been pressure treated with preservative because they have natural durability sufficient for decking applications. They can be more colourful than the beige colours of the pressure-treated softwood, although colour will fade when exposed to sunlight. 2.Always use wood carrying the Forestry Stewardship Label, which means that it is from well-managed forests that meet the FSC principles. 3.Teak: very durable with high strength, mid-brown. 4.Iroko: coarse grain, but not very visible, durable, browny beige. 5.European oak: broad, straight to wavy grains, durable, pale beige. 6.Opepe: an insignificant grain but the wood can have an irregular coarse texture, very durable. 7.Jarrah: straight grain but not strongly marked, dark brown. 8.Karri: stripped grain and very durable. 9.Balau: fine even texture, very durable and strong, beige. |
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