How hard is decking?

Letsgetmoving

We have moved to our new house and want to put decking down as there is a slight slope away from the house and a patio would need two stages/a retaining wall. Total area of 8m x 4m

My husband reckons he can do it himself/ with help from friends based on what he has researched. He is handy and has done fences etc… but to me this is a big job. Plus it’s our forever home so I want it done right.

Advice?

Mr.Generous

It's not very difficult ... but ... I'd either go composite or hardwood. Softwood decking doesn't age well.

Section62

Letsgetmoving said:

Advice?

Make sure what you want doesn't need planning consent.

Sloping ground and decking commonly comes up as an issue with planning enforcement.  If a patio would require a retaining wall then there is a good chance the decking would need planning consent.

Simonon77

If he is reasonably handy then it's not a tough job. After all it is only screwing some bits of wood together. The main thing is to make sure it has a good solid level base, but as others said, check with planning before starting 

ThisIsWeird

LGM, yes, it's a big job, but one of the more straight-forward of construction jobs, and there's an absolute ton of info and guidance available to help; YouTube has plenty for a start.

Plan it all out before starting - every support post, how joists will be supported on, or hung, from these, joist sizes, position of newel posts, etc.

Mr G's advice is good. This is going to cost a fair bit, so it'll be heartbreaking if it starts to rot in 10 years or so. If you cannot stretch to full composite, then I'd suggest at least make the framing structure for this. The decking boards can remain timber as it'll be easy to maintain, or even replace if rot sets in. But very often, it's the support structure - the joists and posts - that rot first due to being close or in contact with the ground and lack of access. Once the frame rots, the whole thing is compromised.

You can maintain timber decking boards by spraying them every few years with something like Everbuild Lumberjack when it's bone dry in summer. Nice to use (water based), apply using a garden sprayer and focus especially on board ends and screw fixings. When dry, apply decking oil or similar.

Certainly, no timber posts directly or close to the ground. So, at the very least, make sure the vertical posts or pillars are concrete or composite or brick and you should then be ok using timber for the actual joists if this is preferred. But ensure the timber joists are fully damp isolated from the posts, and well preserved. 

And design in a slight slope so the decking boards drain. 

casper_gutman

It's not difficult as such. It just needs plenty of time and a sound understanding of how the structure should work.

Stick to robust tried and tested connection details and avoid relying too much on the strength of screws. Much better to have beams resting on top of posts or in notches cut into the posts and just use screws to hold everything in place.

Use heavy duty fixings like carriage bolts for important connections rather than relying on decking screws everywhere, especially if the decking has any height to it. The last thing you want is for the whole thing to collapse a few years from now after a screw snaps or rusts through, when there are twelve people and a lit barbecue on top of it....

ashe

It makes a fantastic home for mice and rats, and you will rapidly come to hate the sanding / re-staining. 

Grenage

To echo the thoughts of others, strongly consider composite.

Letsgetmoving

Thanks for all the comments, lots to consider. We need to get prices but I would rather the composite if possible.

i Think we’re ok for planning, the whole garden is 18m x 8m so it’s not more than half. The bit closest to the house is the highest and that bit wouldn’t be more than 30cm off the ground level. The lowest end wouldn’t be more than 1ft lower. 

ThisIsWeird

If you need to compromise with composite vs cost, then I'd emphasise that everything hidden, or in even near contact with the ground, should be composite or another rot-proof material.

Section62

Letsgetmoving said:

i Think we’re ok for planning, the whole garden is 18m x 8m so it’s not more than half. The bit closest to the house is the highest and that bit wouldn’t be more than 30cm off the ground level. The lowest end wouldn’t be more than 1ft lower. 

So the end furthest away from the house could have a height approaching 600mm?

Just be aware that different authorities are taking different approaches to measuring height.  In some instances height is measured from the highest point of the original ground level.  In other cases the LPA measures height where it is the highest.  There are conflicting views on which is the right approach in relation to 'raised platforms'.

Once you get into the planning enforcement system it is hassle to get back out, even if you are in the right.  So if there is any doubt about what you are doing it is better to play it safe and ask the authority to clarify whether you need consent or not.  If you ask them and they tell you to look it up on the internet (a common response) you will probably be in a better position if you end up having to appeal an enforcement notice - because your interpretation of the rules is not unreasonable in the circumstances.