Decking Ideas

If you do it right, it can increase the value and saleability of your property as well as increasing your use of your outdoor spaces.  However, if you do it wrong you can end up with a deck that is not suitable for you. Hopefully these decking ideas will help you to decide what features you want for your decking area and help you choose the ideal deck for your needs.

Size Matters

Your first thought might be that you should build your deck as large as possible. However this might not always be the best plan depending on the size and shape of your garden.

Modern Decking

Modern Decking

Consider the direction that your garden faces and which parts of it get sunlight in the afternoon and early evening when you are most likely to be using your new deck. You need to leave some space for planting around the edges and you need to think about how you will deal with rain water. Do you want to leave space for a pond or a small lawn?

Level Ground

If your garden is undulating then you do not need to clear or level it to lay a deck. You can simply lay your supports and place the decking on top. Suddenly your unusable area of garden is a nice flat deck. If your garden has a slope then you can use a deck to level it out. You can even use several connected decks at different heights to make your entire garden a great useable space.

Add Colour

We all like to have colourful flowers in our gardens, but when you build a deck you make a large area where you cannot grow plants. One way around this is to have some planters on your deck where you can grow flowers. You can build these onto the deck, but it might be easier to build some portable planters out of decking planks so you can move them around your deck.

Not only can you add colour with plants, but applying different finishes to the planks will change the colour of your deck to match your tastes. A wide range of natural wood colourings are available to stain your deck. Not only will it improve the appearance, but it will protect it from the elements too.

Add Shade

South-facing gardens are great for the amount of sunlight you get, but a sheltered spot can be a real suntrap. On a hot day it can get uncomfortable to sit out in strong sunlight for hours. To avoid this problem, consider adding shade so you can enjoy the deck for hours comfortably. You can do this with a patio umbrella, or one you attach to the house wall and pull out as needed. Another option is a pergola – a permanent structure that offers shade which can be integrated with your decking and railings. Extending the concept further you could consider an ‘orangery’ which is a grand and traditionally styled conservatory and not at all like a large dwarf wall greenhouse which they were in days gone by.

Take a Seat

Most people use their own patio furniture on their deck. This is the most flexible option, but you might wish to build a permanent seat. This might be on the main area of your deck, or on the edge facing onto the garden. With clever flip lid designs these seats can also offer waterproof storage.

Your new deck will be the centrepiece of your outdoor living space. If you want to get some great ideas then take a look at our site for more inspiration.