If you’re thinking of having garden decking installed, then there’ll be certain things you need to consider. You want it to be the centre-piece of your garden, a place where your family and friends can relax and unwind, a place where you can entertain and where your guests feel comfortable.

You should think about planning permission before you come up with too many ideas. Your decking will have to be no nearer to the main road than 20mtrs and it can’t be greater than 3mtrs in height. If you do want it higher than that you’ll need permission.

Building Regulations For Garden Decking

To satisfy the regulations you’ll need to make sure your decking is strong and gives enough support. This can be done by making sure the posts you use are securely anchored with concrete. You’ll also have to make sure the joists and supports are secure so the decking is stable. There are minimum joist dimensions and these are around 150 x 50mm at around 400mm centres.

Type of Garden Decking

For your decking to work, it needs to be fairly robust, you can either have them treated or untreated. If your decking’s going to be in the shade, then non-slip decking might be better so no one slips in wet weather.

Garden Decking Board Arrangements

How you arrange the garden decking boards is something you need to factor in, you can have them either horizontal or vertical, or perhaps opt for a more complex arrangement such as herringbone. You’ll need concrete foundations for it to be stable, but if you use the house as the foundation, then you’ll definitely need to comply with the building regulations.

Sun and Garden Features

Will your garden decking be surrounded by garden features? You may need to build your decking around it. If you’re going to be using it for barbecues, consider an area in your garden where it gets sun into early evening.

Garden Decking Access From the House

Make sure the doors that lead onto the decking will still be accessible with proper access from the house. Consider anyone in your house with a disability or difficulty moving around.

Let Us Help With Your Decking Plans

If you’re unsure about anything, get in touch and we’ll be more than happy to help. We pride ourselves on our professionalism and have a great team of professionals who’ve all been trained and are qualified to work on garden decking.