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Property/DIY

Is decking really horrendous?

30 replies

MsSampson · 13/03/2017 13:49

We have just had some quotes for a raised patio of approx 4.5 x 5m to go across the back of our house. The quotes are way higher than we had (naively!) expected, so we have just been considering getting a cost for decking instead. A quick search has brought up one thread from 2012 where everyone says decking is horrendous for many reasons, and all the others seem to be from 2007.
So, I'm guessing as well as being practically not great it's also really dated? Does anyone have anything good to say about decking?

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shirleycartersaidso · 13/03/2017 13:54

Its a pain - I can't wait to get rid of ours. It's slippy when it's wet and we have some kind of rodents living under there at the moment!

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OhIfIMust · 13/03/2017 13:55

Composite decking is non slip and apparently much better... we're currently looking at options and I think that's what we are leaning towards.

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zzzzz · 13/03/2017 13:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

witwootoodleoo · 13/03/2017 13:58

We've had wooden decking in previous houses and it's been a right pain - slippery, prone to rotting and a general nuisance. Our new house has composite decking put down by the previous owners and it is surprisingly nice and very practical. Appears to require no maintenance and is never slippery.

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MsSampson · 13/03/2017 13:58

Thanks both. The rodents thing would bother me, definitely. We've had a big mouse problem in the past, although the rear extension is solid floor, so there wouldn't be any way for them to get into the house.
I've head about composite decking, although I know it's also more expensive, so it may work out better to just do the patio if that's the case.
We've just had loads of building work done, so i don't know why I am consistently surprised by how much stuff costs - you'd think I'd have learnt by now!!

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witwootoodleoo · 13/03/2017 14:00

Oh yes we had rats under ours in a previous house. None in the new house as far as we can tell but I'm not sure the composite can take credit for the lack of rats.

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oldestmumaintheworld · 13/03/2017 14:01

Don't ever put down decking. It is slippery when wet or frosted, needs maintenance to remain algae and to stay slime free and can encourage vermin to nest underneath.

Since it's often used to cover up cracked or worn paving I also see it as a red flag in a garden when viewing a property.

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BakiniAtoll · 13/03/2017 14:02

Last year we put in a 10x40ft deck along the back of our house. It's 5ft above the ground, we love it, it's the best $2000 we ever spent

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namechangedtoday15 · 13/03/2017 14:26

Another vote for composite. Completely different to normal wooden decking.

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MsSampson · 13/03/2017 15:07

I might investigate composite decking a bit more then. Is there anything that can be done to reduce the rodent issue?

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Ifailed · 13/03/2017 15:12

I am in the process of taking up 40 sq metres of decking in my new garden (ignoring the astro-turf covering the remaining section Shock ), and I what I've found underneath it is not pleasant. The remains of many rodents and all sorts of crap that has either fallen through, or was just covered up - including rotting clothes, trainers etc.

I can understand having a seating area that is level and safe, but raised decking in the spawn of the devil, IMHO.

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JumpingJellybeanz · 13/03/2017 15:15

Decking is only slippery when wet if you don't clean it properly. You have to use a special slime destroying detergent, then it's fine. We've had to clean ours twice in the 10 years we've had it.

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specialsubject · 13/03/2017 16:00

The person who loves it is probably not in the UK. Wooden decking is stupid in the UK climate.

Composite may not be.

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Mrsladybirdface · 13/03/2017 16:28

We have decking as a walkway..needed to have it due to damp proof course and love it! It's not at all slippery when wet and seems maintenance free. It's so nice to walk on barefoot...doesn't get too hot unlike out patio area. We have a pressure washer but haven't needed to use it on the decking (unlike the patio). Haven't had a problem with rats but I have a dog so maybe that puts them off! I'm actually a decking convert!

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TeddyBee · 13/03/2017 19:48

Ours is lovely. The kids really enjoy riding their bikes across it and it covered the rubble hell hole the builders left. We also had a sandpit built in, which is very popular every summer.

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oneplus2is3 · 13/03/2017 20:29

I love mine (normal bog standard stuff) It covers up a huge concrete slab that was otherwise and eye sore (and a hazard for toddlers). Ours is a sunny position though, so no build up of scum- I can imagine in a shady corner it could be just as hazardous as the concrete was.

(I am a bit nervous of rodents taking up residence though!)

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Ohyesiam · 13/03/2017 22:11

We have some in a sunny area, so no slime, and because it s purpose was to level a slope( it was get decking, or build a retaining wall and back fill), it does not harbour rats, just our bikes, which we keep under there.
I wouldn't have it on the flat though, for rat reasons.

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buckeejit · 13/03/2017 22:15

We got composite & it's great. Petrified of vermin so haven't RTFT when I saw that but don't think that should be an issue. I opted for grey & it looks great against our white walls but wood colour is nice too.

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Want2bSupermum · 13/03/2017 22:21

We live in the NYC area of America and they work well. In the UK forget it. Composite is expensive. Don't mess about. Use paving and make a patio. If you want to build a deck, do so but raise it 4-5ft off the ground so you can get in and easily clean it out.

We had ours in our old home for 5 years. We painted it twice a year, using a dark chocolate external paint, and it looked great. In our new home we have paving and it isn't maintenance free. I have to get the power washer out every 6 months to clean it off. It is very annoying.

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Want2bSupermum · 13/03/2017 22:23

Also, composite decking sucks in the NYC area. In summer it gets boiling hot. My kids have burned their feet on the composite decking in the summer.

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TheTurnOfTheScrew · 13/03/2017 22:26

re: slippiness

I painted ours last year with some kind of non-slip stuff from B&Q. Quick, easy, and worked. It will probably need re-doing this year, but then most wood treatments do.

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scrivette · 13/03/2017 22:27

I love our decking, it did get a bit slippery in a couple of places this winter but I scrubbed it with a wire brush and jet washed it (took about half an hour) and it is fine again.

We did have a mouse in the house shortly after we put it in but blaming DH for leaving a huge hole in the wall when he put wires through and forgot to block it back up.

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TurquoiseDress · 14/03/2017 06:21

We viewed a property last summer with a small garden tiny patio area at the back.

The owners had recently put in decking to cover the patio, but I found it all a bit too much decking!

Plus as it was raised up, you could see over the back fence and likewise everyone else from the street could see you.

Me & OH discussed ripping it all out, in the end decided not to offer on the property.

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MsSampson · 15/03/2017 05:46

Thanks all. I've gone back over more old threads and the threat of rats by itself is enough to convince me to shell out for the patio. My neighbour's garden is almost certainly rat infested (her paddling pool is still up from last summer, and the garden is full of dog turds), so I'm not keen on providing them a home outside my back door.
And we got a second quote that was so much higher than the first quote (which was already twice what I was expecting), so now the first quote seems reasonable. All about perspective Grin

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Groovee · 15/03/2017 06:26

Our decking is fab. We did it ourselves as DH and FIL are pretty handy. Shame is it's where the electric supply is and we're going to have to lift it.

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