Garden Decking FAQ

Got questions about garden decking? Are you considering or planning to have decking installed in your garden? We’ve put together this handy guide to answer some of the most common questions regarding garden decking. If you’re not sure about something, this guide should help to clear it up.

Will I need planning permission for garden decking?

If you are planning on having ‘simple’ and ‘standard’ garden decking installed you will probably not need planning permission. However, there are some circumstances in which you may need to apply for planning permission. The circumstances can include if you want your decking to be attached to a listed building, if it will cover more than half of your garden area, or if it is above 30 cm tall.

Talk to your local planning authority to make sure, and also discuss your intentions with your neighbours, as the most likely reason for you being refused planning permission is if one of them objects.

Can’t I just install my own decking?

DIY garden decking is possible, but it requires a fair amount of skill and expertise. Hiring a professional to install your garden decking is about far more than simply saving yourself time and effort. You’ll get access to better quality materials and finishes, as well as getting a professional design for your decking. It will be planned and installed to industry standards, so you will have the peace of mind of knowing that you have decking that is safe and will last for a long time.

Will decking attract rats?

A lot of people worry that garden decking will provide the perfect home for rats, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Nothing grows underneath decking if it is laid correctly with a sterile area as its foundations, and the gaps between the timber means that rain will still get in. This is not a dry, cosy home for a rat.

Does garden decking become slippery when wet?

Poorly designed, installed, or maintained garden decking can indeed become hazardous in wet conditions. However high-quality decking is designed with safety in mind, so as long as you look after it, and make sure it is clean of things such as moss and algae, your decking should remain safe. You should always take extra care in wet weather, though, regardless of what surface you are walking on.

Will my decking support a hot tub?

If it has been especially designed with this purpose in mind, then yes. A full hot tub weighs a significant amount, even before you all get in, so your decking will need to be designed by a structural engineer in order to ensure it is safe. It must be constructed with stress graded timber as well, in order to ensure that the structure can bear the weight of your hot tub.

Is garden decking environmentally friendly?

Any reputable decking supplier will use wood from sustainably sourced forests. This means that any trees that are cut down for timber will be replaced with new plantings. Therefore the impact of your garden decking upon the environment is minimal and the timber industry is becoming more and more responsible every year.

Still got questions about decking? Get in touch with us today.