can anyone suggest a cheaper alternative to decking?

HugoSP

If you go for gravel go for the Golden flint that is quite large - around 25mm. Travis Perkins do this at around £45 a tonne bag plus VAT. They will usually deliver FOC.

This is relitively cat proof. None of our 4 cats like leaving messages in it. One uses 20mm to dust and they all like fine sand.

Flatten the surface and use a good quality weed membrane from a garden centre, after killing off or digging up the weeds, coverage will be between 2 to 4 inches deep. If you can optimise ground drainage at the same time all the better.

H

hex2

You can use gravel boards to make a deck if your heart is set on it. We did it as a stop gap (using half of the wood destined for the fence) and liked the result so much we have kept it.

suziewuzie

Beware of bark chippings - in my experience some cats think you've put it there for them to poo in. I work at a school, and in the Nursery every morning staff had to de-poo the barked area around our balance beam. We had to have it replaced with that rubberised stuff. I'm sure bark is ok in borders to supress weeds, but that's about it.

stuzhunter

meerustar wrote:

I am thinking of a cheap way to do the back garden as it's bobbins. Gravel is no good for me with 2 kids though, I'd be forever sweeping it up and replasing windows, lol. I'm thinking of paving it and B&Q do nice flags, but someone said 'ooh, you don't want to get them from there, they are so expensive, try a cheaper place' ...any ideas of a 'cheaper place' anyone?

I find Darlaston Merchants to be the cheapest when it comes to Pavings, slabs & bricks. I think they also offered the cheapest delivery.