If you have decking, is it slippery or a rat haven?

[lechatnoir]

I have a large patio round the side & rear of our house that is covered in old, cracked crazy paving with numerous awkward steps that I am desperate to cover over. I think decking is really the only solution given our budget and the different levels we want to try & eliminate but am concerned about it being slippery, not lasting long and most of all it becoming some sort of haven for rats!

Any thoughts or comments deck owners?
Thanks
LCN

We have a large decked area, have never noticed any rats though.

It does get a bit slippery, was lethal when it was icy, it's not too slippery when it's been raining but tbh we don't use it much in bad weather.

You can also deck the wood treated to make it last longer, we haven't done this and have had it for 2 years with no major fading or discolouration.

Its great in the summer as the garden is on a slope and it kind of sits at the top end so I can sit there drinking wine and supervising the dcs playing.

You will have to clean it every few years to stop it getting slippy, but so long as you're up for that it should be fine I did have one rat issue with our decking, in that one had tunnled through, but had nested in the neighbours garden under theirs! Your local council will sort out any rats if you do get them, so I wouldn't worry about that too much.

Most councils charge though! My garden is too small for decking so maybe I am just jealous!

Our decking got very slippery when wet this winter. I think my husband power-washed it a few weeks ago, and it has been better since then.

My next-door neighbour had rats under hers; I saw one stroll across my patio bold as anything one lunchtime !

Hello, Cupcakequeenie's DP here. I'm a landscaper by trade so I might be able to help.

Decking isn't really any more of a rat haven than any other sheltered part of the garden. Yes they might hide out under it from time to time but they are a common animal and are present in most gardens. Things like food waste / uneaten bird or pet food would be a much bigger problem in terms of attracting them.

Decks do get slippery and in our Irish/English climate they tend to grow a covering of green algae fairly readily.
Bleach is a good solution. Nice cheap Aldi/Lidl bleach mixed 50:50 with water and mopped on. Give it about 10 minutes and wash it off with loads of water (this dilutes it right down to the point where it won't harm your plants.
It kills the algae before you power wash. Otherwise the power washer will only spread the algae around and it will come back worse than before.

Decking oil applied every year or two to a clean dry deck also helps.

All in all, Decking is a decent solution to extend your living space. It requires a bit of maintenance (an afternoon or two each year) but it's warm and cost effective.

cupcakequeeniedp, thanks that is really useful info! I love our decking, no rats but yes slippy in deepest darkest winter.

Thanks Bluesky.

Just to add for lechatnoir, Always get a few quotes for the project and remember the cheapest is usually not the best.
Someone who understands your requirements and has pride in what they do is worth a few extra quid every time.
Check the specifications on your decking timber. The large chains offer good deals on price but their timber isn't as good as the stuff I get at the local sawmill (actually neither are their prices). They tend to sell the lightest stuff possible in a bid to win the price war.