Want to give your garden a simple upgrade? Add some decking! Decking gives you space to create seating or lounging areas, helping you make the most of your outdoor space. Decking is also an affordable option, with many people choosing to add decking over a patio area.
*Collaborative Post
It’s no secret that landscaping costs have increased in recent years, along with everything else. So you might be pleased to know that adding some garden decking is one of the jobs you can tackle yourself. All you need is the right materials, a plan and some elbow grease! Learn how to enjoy garden decking made simple with the tips below.
Create a plan
Decking isn’t a home project you want to do off the cuff. Instead, create a detailed plan that will help you choose the perfect place to add your decking. You’ll need to think about access, where the sun will hit it and any other considerations like drainage. Map out your area to make it easier to visualise – use a rope to plot it out until you’re happy with the location.
Do your measurements
Measurements are important for your decking. Taking accurate measurements will ensure you don’t over- or under-order on materials, ensuring you have everything you need. Double or triple-check your measurements, ensuring your numbers are correct. This will make the process much smoother. Some retailers will cut the pieces to size for you, which can help you avoid some work further down the line.
Buy your materials
Once you’ve got your measurements, you can look at buying your materials. Some of the things you’ll need include:
- Decking boards – timber boards are particularly popular due to their affordability and versatility, and you can either get them in your chosen colour or paint them yourself.
- Joists for the frame
- Concrete pads, paving slabs or post supports.
- Weed membrane
- Decking screws
- Wood preservative
- Additional details like railings, balustrades, etc.
Get to work
Now comes the fun bit! Building a deck yourself can be an enjoyable process, teaching you a lot about woodwork. It’ll help to have a few hands available to make the process faster, and to ensure any heavy materials are carried safely.
Try to pick a dry day to lay your decking, this will make it much safer, and will help protect your materials too.
Protect your decking from the elements
Once your decking is installed, you’ll want to protect it from the elements. While wood has excellent durability against the weather, it helps to treat the wood with an appropriate treatment to avoid it becoming slippery or worn quickly. Depending on the size of your decking area, you could also consider some kind of cover to keep it looking its best over the winter months.
Style your new outdoor space
With your decking area complete, you can start putting it to good use. You can create an inviting outdoor space on a budget using affordable furniture and decorative items to dress it up. Adding lights can also elevate your space, giving it a modern and attractive look. Think about when and how you’ll use your space to decide what you need to make it your own.
Adding decking to your garden gives you a stylish and functional outdoor space, ready for relaxing, hosting, or however else you plan to use it. With the right planning and materials, you can create a DIY decking area to be proud of, ready to enjoy during the warmer months.