Question 1

How to build decking on a slope?

Accepted Answer

You might think that building decking on a slope is a no-go, but it’s actually a great way to help you make use of your garden when the ground is sloping. It will provide you with a level surface that you can BBQ on as well as dine alfresco without finding that your meal is rolling down the table. But how do you build decking on a slope? Our guide in the FAQ above, ‘How to build a raised deck’, is the perfect solution – but we’ll break it down here if you just want to get an idea of what’s involved. Dig out the area If you’re laying on soil or turf, you’ll need to dig it out. Dig down and remove all the turf from the area and ensure that there are no weeds or stones in the area you’re going to build your decking on. Since you’re building on a slope, it will be hard to get it level, but dig out to a depth of 50mm and lay weed-control fabric with gravel over the top. Add posts and set with concrete Make holes for posts and add them in, ensuring they’re longer than you need. Make sure they’re level, then fill the holes with a concrete mix to set them in place. Build the outer frame Make sure you always work at the top of the slope when you’re building your decking, and measure where the highest point of the decking will be. Secure the 4 sides of the outer frame and factor in a 2mm fall for every metre of decking so rainwater can run off. Add joists Secure joists along your frame at 400mm intervals. If you get to the last joist and there will be more than a 400mm gap left at the end, add in an extra one for support. Lay your deck boards Screw your deck boards to the joists, ensuring that the deck boards are running in the opposite direction to the joists. For timber boards, you need to make sure you leave an expansion gap of 5-8mm. These steps should give you an idea of whether you want to have a go at building decking on a slope, or whether you want to leave it to the pros.

Question 2

How to lay decking?

Accepted Answer

Laying simple, ground-level decking may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. With careful planning and preparation, you can lay decking that you’ll be proud to show off to neighbours, family and friends. Here are a few tips to get you started. Plan carefully Draw out a plan, to scale, on paper. This will help you to know how many boards you’ll need and ensure that you don’t end up having to cut anything to fit. Prepare the area Measure out the site according to your plan and hammer a peg into each corner, then tie string around each peg to help you see what you’re working with. If you’re not laying on existing slabs, dig into the ground, lifting out turf if it’s there, and check that the site is level. Then add concrete slabs for more stability or lay weed-control fabric over the ground and cover with gravel to further prevent weed growth. Build your sub-frame Since a lot of people ask this, we’ve got a more detailed guide in the FAQ below. Lay your deck boards Start in one corner of the sub-frame and position the first board across the inner joists. You want the deck board in the opposite direction to the inner joists, ensuring that it’s flush with the frame. Position any end-to-end joins between the deck boards halfway across an inner joist so you can screw both boards into the joist for stability. Make sure you keep a gap of between 5-8mm to allow for expansion of the wood. Begin to screw your deck boards to the joists. You’ll need to secure the deck board to every joist is covers along your deck frame. Use two screws for every joist. Mark where you’re going to add your screws, ensuring that they are at least 15mm from the end of the board and 20mm from the outside edges. Drill pilot holes for the screws, being careful to only drill through the deck board and not the joist. Then screw the decking screws into the holes. Continue to screw in the deck boards, ensuring you leave the correct expansion gap. You can stagger the deck board joins across the deck for more strength. Sand down any cut ends if you need to before applying decking preserver to protect the timber from rotting. Although this is a simplified set of instructions, it’s enough for you to see whether you want to attempt to lay decking yourself – and if you don’t, you can get in touch with professionals who will be happy to give you a quote.

Question 3

How much is decking?

Accepted Answer

How much decking costs depends on the type of material you go for, how big you want your decking to be and where you live in the country. But typically, the cost of decking is between £1,200 - £1,800. The most popular material for decking is pre-treated softwood, which will set you back around £1,000 for 15m2. Hardwood is more expensive but is more durable, and will cost approximately £2,000 for the same amount. Homeowners are also beginning to choose composite decking, which is made from recycled plastic and wood fibres, and is low-maintenance and eco-friendly. This will cost around £1,600 for 15m2, while uPVC which is also a low-maintenance option costs around £600. People tend to choose composite over uPVC because it looks more like natural timber. If you’re a competent DIYer, you might want to have a go at laying decking yourself which will set you back around £1,000 for a standard softwood timber deck. We think it’s worth paying the extra £600 for a professional to lay your decking, since they will be able to do it much more quickly. If you do want to try it yourself, we recommend leaving at least a whole weekend open to do it, but it’s likely to take you longer. Factor in the possibility of having to take time off work to complete it and it might be more cost-effective to leave it to the pros.

Question 4

How to make steps for a deck?

Accepted Answer

Unless you built a ground-level deck, you’re going to need steps to go with it. Check Building Regulations to see if you need to install handrails as well. It’s good practice to: Have a step tread width of 900mm – if you don’t want them that wide, they should be no less than 760mm Add a central step riser to stairs wider than 900mm to prevent them buckling Add a step depth (the vertical distance between each step) of between 150 and 180mm if building your own riser, so the steps are at a comfortable depth Getting started To build your steps for the deck, you’ll need: Step treads (the actual step themselves) Step risers Coach screws Deck screws Saw Drill Make the steps for your deck Make sure the ground where you want to put your steps is level and firm. If it’s not, consider laying concrete or paving slabs to provide a secure surface for your steps to sit so they don’t sink. Grab some joist off-cuts and cut them to the same width as your step treads. Attach them to the step risers at the top and bottom using countersunk coach screws. Place the steps against the sub-frame of the deck; if you’ve put slabs down for support, make sure the steps sit in the middle of them. The longest edge of the stair riser should be on the slabs, and the short edge against the deck. Drill pilot holes through the step and sub-frame joist, then screw the step to the sub-frame with more coach screws. After drilling pilot holes, screw the treads into the risers at each end with deck screws. If you don’t want gaps between each stair, you can add joist off-cuts or deck boards. Measure the height and depth of the gap, then screw the off-cut or board into the step riser with two screws at each end.

Avg. price low	Avg. price low £613
Avg. price	Avg. price £1,025
Avg. price high	Avg. price high £1,363

	Labour cost	£1,050
	Material cost	£375
	Waste removal	£75

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