Garden decking can be a brilliant way to improve your backyard and create a space where you can relax or socialise during the warmer months of the year. While you certainly can get a professional to install decking, it is also a job that you can do yourself which will be highly rewarding and good fun (as well as much more affordable).
Find the full guide here – How to build your own decking area
Here are the things you must consider if you want to DIY your garden decking:
Research
First, you should spend some time researching garden decking and the internet is a fantastic resource for this. While looking for inspiration, you must also keep your own garden in mind and there is no point in getting excited by a huge garden decking if you do not have much space to work with. Even small gardens can have decking installed, so do not worry if space is limited. When thinking about your own space, you will need to consider important factors such as sunlight, privacy and dampness.
Planning
Once you have researched and considered the space that you have to work with, you can then start making plans. This should include the style that you want, whether you want a trellis, any plants or flowers, steps down to the garden, a fire pit and space for garden furniture. You should also consider the colour and stain of wood that you want to use as you will want something attractive that suits your home and garden.
Preparing the ground
Next, you can begin marking out the space in the backyard and preparing the ground. An existing patio or concrete base is perfect for decking, but if you are laying the deck over the lawn then be sure to dig out to a depth of 50mm and cover the ground with landscaping fabric and gravel. If the ground is soft, you will need to place paving stones on top of the gravel in order to support the joists and preserve the timber.
Tools
Before you get started building the deck, you will need to make sure that you have all the right tools for the job. There are a few key items that you may need to buy for this, including impact wrenches which are battery-powered and will make the fastening of joints much easier and more secure. Other items needed include a saw, drill and driver, garden spade, a carpenter’s try square and a workbench along with a few other typical toolbox items.
Safety
As with any DIY project, safety needs to be a priority which means wearing PPE, having someone nearby, having a fully-stocked first-aid kit and following the instructions to a T whilst avoiding distractions.
Decking is a great addition to the garden which will improve your backyard, add value to your home and give you a nice space for enjoying time during the warmer months. As it’s also a fun task that you can do yourself, this post should help you to get started.
Fancy having a go at building your own decking? Read how my husband built our own decking in his blog post here: How to build your own decking area
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