Garden Decking on a slope?

madmish00

I am currently trying to redesign my garden around some existing features. One area that I am stuck with is a large pergola which currently has flagging underneath it. These are cheap concrete flags and will not come up clean no matter what I try. I was considering decking the area but it is sloped and everyone seems to say the decking should be levelled. The area is 6m long and drops 25cm from top to bottom. I was surprised when I measured this as although there is a slight slope it did not feel that much.

My question is can I just put a timber frame over the flags and lay the decking on the slope or does it absolutely have to be levelled? I don't really want to have it raised by nearly a foot at the bottom as then I would have to put balustrades on and this would really close off the garden.

What are the problems with laying it on a slope?

I have uploaded a picture of the area here
http://imgur.com/SHyU1Fk

Thanks

wallbash

Looking at your photo , my advice , just enjoy what you have, looks great.

Babbawah

Decking looks great when it's new. Perhaps not as good as in the photo's or garden makeover programme, but Hey ! This is something that anyone can do.

Give it a few months to grow some slippery green snot and settle into it's foundations so that it 'creaks' everytime someone dares to walk on it and maybe it's not such a good idea.

Not to mention when the !!!!! timber begins to rot after only 2yrs !

There's more decking being ripped up & chucked in the skip than there is being loaded onto roof racks outside B&Q these days.

Don't do it, please don't do it.

From your photo, if you have a problem with your current flags, then replace them with sandstone flags. Sandstone flags will last your lifetime & look better as they age each year.

Decking will look good for approx 2mths, then it's all downhill from there.

cyclonebri1

I'm not even going to look at your pics.

A deck absolutely has to be level apart from the 1 degree run off to keep it dry. That will be imperceptible, unlike a sloping and slippy wooden floor.

tanith

If its not level someone will have a nasty accident when it gets wet and slippery... it looks nice as it is..

Errata

If you want the completely gone out of fashion look have some decking.

Carer

Those slabs will come up clean with a decent pressure washer. I do mine once a year as they are under trees and go really green and dirty and they come up like new.

cyclonebri1

Errata wrote: »

If you want the completely gone out of fashion look have some decking.

Well, I've never heard that said before, but I absolutely agree with you :T

Hoof_Hearted

If desperate to hide the flags, you could put a ridge all the way round and gravel it. Decking needs maintenance and provides a great hotel for rats. You can make it less slippery by putting a layer of chicken wire on top.

cyclonebri1

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

If desperate to hide the flags, you could put a ridge all the way round and gravel it. Decking needs maintenance and provides a great hotel for rats. You can make it less slippery by putting a layer of chicken wire on top.

Add chicken sheite and the whole thing comes together.,;);) of course,