Tell me about your decking?

[JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods]

What colour do you have?
Has it lasted?
Where did you get it from?
Why do you love it/hate it?

I hated ours at our previous house. We inherited it when we bought the house. It’s the wooden version which requires cleaning and oil staining each year - blooming hard work! It’s also useless in the winter when it rains or frost as walking on it is like being on an ice rink.

Inherited with the house. It was painted. Hard work, needed too much cleaning and care, slippy, slugs and rats under it. I would never have decking again.

I love mine. Hated the one that was here when I moved so I replaced it. It was painted last week - first time in 5 years. I wouldn't be without it - patio isn't an option

I loved mine... until it rotted. Turns out the person who installed it had left some of the frame resting on the ground, so it got wet and then the decking got wet. We didn't notice until it was too late to do anything (didn't walk on it over winter, and by spring it had had it). It was expensive to put in, looked absolutely lovely and made the garden look great. And then it was VERY time consuming to get rid of (we unscrewed every single screw ourselves and took the whole lot to the tip - it was a LARGE deck), and expensive to replace with a patio.

We have composite decking. The bill was frightening but it has been so worth it, no maintenance required!

We have wooden on top of a level concrete surface. We have replaced a few boards this year but otherwise its lasted about i years so far. We made the mistake of using cheap stain which comes off too easily. We are moving soon and will go for composite for longevity if the new house needs it.

Ours looks lovely but gives splinters, so I suggest avoiding wood if you like to go barefoot in the garden.

DH built ours. He bought a kit online. No splinters. No rats. It gets painted green every spring.

We inherited ours. Went slimy and green. Slippy to walk on. Rats underneath.
Very dated - Ripped it all up asap.

Rats!!

Hate it with a passion. Can't wait to get rid. Inherited with the house 15 years ago, replaced about 6 years ago. Repacked with decking as couldn't afford paving at the time. It's coming up next month.

Sorry!

Where did you get it from?

Why all the rats?

Op why are you going with decking rather than patio? Is there a reason? Is it cost?

Rats live under decking, it is hugely common.

They love decking. I would never have it for this reason. Also I have heard it often very slippy

A local supplier J&W Grant. I only got it painted this year because it was looking faded. It's still in great condition & looks like new now it's painted

Never had any rats

Love our decking although it is starting to look a bit tired. We were going to replace it this year but someone suggested turning the boards over and relaying which we are part way through doing. It looks great. It's been down for 15 years already and I think we might get another good few years out of it (if we look after it). No rats here.

We used to live next door to a bloke who fitted it, he said nearly all of the decking that he removed/repairs have rat nests under it. They love the dark damp wooden areas. It attracts them.

@JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods love mine. I built it myself, so all enclosed from rats. It's 3m x 10m so can easily get a 3x3 pop up gazebo on it. I built all the frame with wood from the local timber store, and bought the deck boards from wherever they were cheapest. It's the frame design that is important. Number of people per square meter it will carry etc.

We did our own with composite planks, mostly to combat damp cause by a patio against the house. It looks the same as it did five years ago and requires no upkeep.

Love my decking. Had it 4 years so far and looks the same. I've never painted it. It does go green and very slippy in Winter tho.

They like to live under it. It’s very common. I hate our decking, it’s slippery when wet, rotting in places and makes the garden uneven so is dangerous for kids. We’re getting it taken out and replacing with a patio.

I love the look of nice wood.
But this rat thing is putting me off!!

Rats will only go where there is food. Block off easy access and don't spill anything through the deck.