Decking or Patio?

Weeyin

Hello All

With the summer hopefully on it's way, i'm looking to add a little patio area to my garden. Originally i wanted decking, but i've seen some nice patio-slab sets as well. I'm now torn between the two - any recommendations?

savemoney

If it was me I would go for patio, as it would take less maintenance, ie a good clean every year and a odd sweep. Decking require more maintenance, a good clean/sweep as above and also need treatment to look nice, oiling/stain etc

jcr16

tough one.

we have both. i love the look of decking. but our's in one patch has rotted out already and hubby fell through it. was about 5 years old. we do treat it but guess one of those things. patio has been down for around 40 years ( was put down by first people in this house( our old neighbour told us her hubby helped ) and apart from needing a small repointing job last year it is still going really strong. but it just not as attractive as decking.

Fern_Merkin

I too would go for patio. Mainly because decked areas can become rat hotels. If you do go for decking you need inspection hatches so that you can, if necessary, remove stinking corpses or young families to their death. :eek:

Don't like decking due to bad rat experience. Does it show? :rotfl:

Fx

Weeyin

I think that's the decking idea out the window, patio it is!!

BargainGalore

Some of the patio slabs I have seen are quite nice, whatever you do dont go for those slabs that have dips in them and aren't quite level as they fill up with muck and a pain to clean up all time. My neighbour had these and it was a weekly task cleaning them

wrinkled_english_rose

Just to add to the debate.
We had decking at our static caravan and it got very slippy in the winter. My elderly MIL hated walking on it because of the grooves and gaps.
We are about to put in a seating area in our new house and we are definately going down the paved route.
WER

wallbash

Another vote for Slabs.
But I would advise against the idea of 'sweeping' sand /cement into the cracks :mad:

I make a very dry mix ( BUT NOT totally dry ). use a small pointing trowel.
with a 'chopping' action force into grot line.

Did mine a couple of weeks ago. Will now withstand a pressure wash.

Vibrant

Yet another vote for slabs. Good quality decking is okay, but only if you are prepared to spend the time and money to keep it well treated.

If I was having slabs laid, I would choose the butt together method, with no mortar, easier to pressure wash and no need to repoint.

Bitsy_Beans

I've got both. My decking looks old and tired (and it's not that old) and it gets terribly slippy after the winter months of wet and mud whereas my patio is more robust, less maintenance and can be pressure washed.
Decking looks the part but it much harder work and really doesn't last.

pollyskettle

Another vote for slabs as I dislike decking immensely. I must be in a minority, but I really don't like the look of decking and we moved to a house which had decking once (only for a short while) and it was a nightmare.