How to fit composite decking?

Fitting composite decking is similar to installing timber decking, but there are some small differences in terms of the gaps you need to leave between boards and the screws you use. We’ll go through a quick guide to show you the process involved in fitting composite decking so you can decide whether it’s something you want to do yourself. Prepare the area Prepare the area according to our instructions in the previous FAQs – or you can use an existing patio or concrete base if you have one. Measure and mark out the area using chalk (if using an existing base). Assemble the decking frame Build the outer frame as we show in our FAQs above; if the area you have planned is longer than your joists, you’ll need to join them together. When you’ve built the frame and it’s secure, ensure that it’s at the right level for water runoff and add risers, slabs or treated off-cuts of timber at 500mm intervals if you need to. Add joists The spacing of your joists will depend on the type of design you have chosen for your composite decking. If you’re laying arched boards horizontally, you’ll need to space the joists 300mm apart. Lay your composite decking boards If you’ve not got an overhang or it’s a fixed deck, fit starter clips along the outside edge of the frame and secure with screws provided with the composite decking. If you are working with an overhang, put the first board into position not exceeding 25mm. If you’re adding a fascia, put an off-cut of board under the overhang so you know it’ll be flush with the fascia. Pre-drill all fixing points, measuring in 30mm from the edge of the board. Secure the board to the joist below with composite decking screws. Slide a hidden fastener clip in so it sits within the groove of the deck board. It needs to be in the centre of the joist to keep the boards secure and ensure an expansion gap of 6mm. Tighten the clips until just tight, and repeat so there’s a clip at every joist. Add the next board, ensuring that the fastener clips sit within the groove – make sure you don’t force it. Repeat step 3. Continue steps 3 and 4 until you’re at the final board, which you should secure in the same way as you did the first. Add a fascia board If you’re adding a fascia, measure in 40mm from each end and add two guide marks: one at 40mm from the top and the other at 40mm from the bottom. Connect the marks, then mark at 300mm intervals down the board. Drill pilot holes, then put the fascia board into position. You need to make sure that there’s a 40mm ventilation gap between the bottom of the fascia and the ground. Ask someone to hold the board level until you’ve finished securing it with composite decking screws; you can get colour-matched ones so they don’t look unsightly at the end of your decking. Not so sure you want to carry out such a big project yourself? Get quotes from decking pros who will be able to fit composite decking much more quickly and easily.

Wooden Decking in Truro

Get Wooden Decking Prices in Truro

Wooden Decking in Truro

Wooden decking is an increasingly prevalent option for providing outdoor seating areas in gardens. Due to the natural beauty of wood, they can be very fashionable spaces that can be used year round by adding external heating and light. Wooden decking is typically installed in locations in front of patio or French doors where they can create a seamless transition between interior and exterior spaces. Wooden decking can come in virtually any size or shape to suit any area. Curved designs or large areas linked by pathways can produce an attractive effect. Wooden decking is fairly quick to install and causes minimal disruption, especially when compared to alternate options like patio or paving. It could even be installed over the top of an existing patio. It is essential however to make certain that your wooden decking is structurally sound and capable of taking the weight of any furniture or plants that you want to use on the decking. There is a choice of species of wood that can be used in wooden decking. Usually decking is made of hardwood, but there are softwoods available that fulfil the durability requirements. As hardwood decking will demand maintenance, which generally entails yearly cleaning and staining for weather proofing, composite woods are becoming popular for use in wooden decking as they are stronger and require much less maintenance.

Average Wooden decking cost in Truro

The typical cost of Wooden decking is £1500. Costs can change based upon the materials and the firm hired. The upper price range can be as high as £1725. The material costs are commonly approximately £375

Average price per Wooden decking job in 2025

Avg. price low	Avg. price low £1,125
Avg. price	Avg. price £1,500
Avg. price high	Avg. price high £1,725

£1900

£1425

£950

£475

£0

Prices based on actual Wooden decking costs for Truro, as reported by local LeadsDoWork members.

Wooden decking installation cost in Truro 2025

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

Time frame: 1-4 days

Wooden decking searches in January 2025

Choose your search type

No. of estimated projects Estimates by cities and towns

Wooden decking Projects in Truro in December 2024

2,514

Requests for quotations in Truro in December 2024

0

Requests for Wooden decking quotations in Truro in December 2024. 0% change from November 2024.

0

Requests for Wooden decking quotations in Cornwall in December 2024. 0% change from November 2024.

Source: Numbers calculated based on the search volumes in major search engines

Wooden decking searches in cities and towns near Truro December 2024

Wooden decking near you

Choose locations

Towns and Cities near Truro Other locations within South West

Truro

The city of Truro is well known because of its cobbled streets and rich Georgian structures. Truro can be found in the county of Cornwall and is the UK's most southerly mainland city which includes a population of just 20,000, among the smallest in the country. The city pulls in tourism via its cathedral and port trading centre, in addition to a wonderful Georgian and Victorian heritage that also has a massive impact on the region. If you would like improve your Truro property, select a top rated tradesman in the area and get the job carried out to a quality standard.

Looking for Wooden decking in Truro?

Get free quotes from local carpenters

Get free quotes

Wooden decking pros in Truro

All types of domestic and garden and security fencing catered for free quotations no job too big or small

Latest review

Jeanne M., PL12

Garden | Decking in Saltash

Start Date: 1 to 3 months

Non slip/rot decking replacement. Approximate size 5.3 x 1.6 metres Are you the property owner: Owner of the property Property Type: Detached What level of service do you require: Supply and deck ...

Post a similar request >

Local & reliable carpenters near me

Tell us about your wooden decking project

Answer a few quick questions, so we can match you with local carpenters who can help.

Find up to 4 carpenters in Truro

Get free, no-obligation local wooden decking quotes from 4 verified carpenters working in Truro.

Hire with confidence

Compare customer reviews, services and prices, and choose the right tradesperson for you.

Our reviews

Average

Would highly recommend

Would highly recommend, they found me a firm which I was happy with a quote they give me and went ahead and had my job done within 2 days of enquiring.

Good easy way to find a selection of…

Good easy way to find a selection of trades you need all in one place.

Love LeadsDoWork it's a big part of my …

Love LeadsDoWork it's a big part of my Business I would recommend to anyone

FAQs

Usually, slipperiness is caused by algae or dirt on top of the deck or terrace. A full cleaning treatment should restore the natural grip of the wood or stone. If slipperiness is a persistent problem, consider installing grip mats in high traffic areas of the deck.

Fitting composite decking is similar to installing timber decking, but there are some small differences in terms of the gaps you need to leave between boards and the screws you use. We’ll go through a quick guide to show you the process involved in fitting composite decking so you can decide whether it’s something you want to do yourself. Prepare the area Prepare the area according to our instructions in the previous FAQs – or you can use an existing patio or concrete base if you have one. Measure and mark out the area using chalk (if using an existing base). Assemble the decking frame Build the outer frame as we show in our FAQs above; if the area you have planned is longer than your joists, you’ll need to join them together. When you’ve built the frame and it’s secure, ensure that it’s at the right level for water runoff and add risers, slabs or treated off-cuts of timber at 500mm intervals if you need to. Add joists The spacing of your joists will depend on the type of design you have chosen for your composite decking. If you’re laying arched boards horizontally, you’ll need to space the joists 300mm apart. Lay your composite decking boards

If you’ve not got an overhang or it’s a fixed deck, fit starter clips along the outside edge of the frame and secure with screws provided with the composite decking. If you are working with an overhang, put the first board into position not exceeding 25mm. If you’re adding a fascia, put an off-cut of board under the overhang so you know it’ll be flush with the fascia.
Pre-drill all fixing points, measuring in 30mm from the edge of the board. Secure the board to the joist below with composite decking screws.
Slide a hidden fastener clip in so it sits within the groove of the deck board. It needs to be in the centre of the joist to keep the boards secure and ensure an expansion gap of 6mm. Tighten the clips until just tight, and repeat so there’s a clip at every joist.
Add the next board, ensuring that the fastener clips sit within the groove – make sure you don’t force it. Repeat step 3.
Continue steps 3 and 4 until you’re at the final board, which you should secure in the same way as you did the first.

Add a fascia board If you’re adding a fascia, measure in 40mm from each end and add two guide marks: one at 40mm from the top and the other at 40mm from the bottom. Connect the marks, then mark at 300mm intervals down the board. Drill pilot holes, then put the fascia board into position. You need to make sure that there’s a 40mm ventilation gap between the bottom of the fascia and the ground. Ask someone to hold the board level until you’ve finished securing it with composite decking screws; you can get colour-matched ones so they don’t look unsightly at the end of your decking. Not so sure you want to carry out such a big project yourself? Get quotes from decking pros who will be able to fit composite decking much more quickly and easily.

There are two ways to lay decking on uneven ground. We’ve explained how to build a raised deck in our FAQ ‘How to build a raised deck’ above, and that’s great for uneven ground or sloped gardens. But there’s another way that you can lay decking on uneven ground if you don’t want a raised deck: you can create a level supporting base. We’ll go through the basics here. Materials you’ll need

Paving slabs – old or cheap ones are fine
Timber for the frame and legs
Type 1 MOT hardcore

How to lay decking on uneven ground

Mark out the area as we explain in ‘How to lay decking’. Then, dig to 200mm below where you want to surface of the decking to be.
Add a 50mm layer of hardcore and make sure it’s compact.
Build the decking sub-frame as we describe in ‘How to build a deck frame’.
Lay out paving slabs along the edges and in the centre of the area. This will help to spread the weight of the decking.
Set the decking frame on the slabs, checking for high or low points and adding off-cuts of timber where needed. Don’t forget to sand and seal these off-cuts with decking preservative.
Add your joists and then the deck boards, leaving the recommended gaps of expansion of between 5-8mm.

Building your decking on top of paving slabs is a good way to get it level, but you still may not be able to get as good a finish as if a professional did it. If you’re in any doubt, get in contact with some decking specialists and see what they would recommend.

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.

Other Top Projects in Truro

Customer Reviews

Overall rating:

Truro Wooden decking installers are rated 4.4 out of 5 based on 2 reviews of 19 pros.

The LeadsDoWork rating and review is an overall rating based on verified reviews and feedback from the customers with Wooden decking projects that have been connected with Wooden decking pros to help them. All Wooden decking contractors All Truro Wooden decking contractors

Need more help?

Urgent roof tile replacement after storm damage in Coleraine Published: 29/01/2025 A roof tile has gone missing due to a storm in Coleraine. With a replacement tile ready, learn how the repair is carried out, costs involved, and how to prevent further damage. Read this article

Corner soffit repair and rotten wood replacement in Castlederg Published: 29/01/2025 A storm has damaged the corner soffit on a home in Castlederg, exposing rotten wood beneath. Learn how to repair or replace soffits and protect your roofline from future weather damage. Read this article

Slate floor tile removal and bathroom subfloor inspection in Aberdeen Published: 29/01/2025 Removing 9m² of slate floor tiles in a bathroom in Aberdeen and inspecting the subfloor. Learn about the process, potential issues, and expert advice on retiling. Read this article

Are you a carpenter in Truro?

We can help you get more wooden decking work with our qualified job leads and boost your business.

Join today

Wooden Decking in Truro

Get Wooden Decking Prices in Truro

Wooden Decking in Truro

Average Wooden decking cost in Truro

Average price per Wooden decking job in 2025

Wooden decking installation cost in Truro 2025

Wooden decking searches in January 2025

Wooden decking Projects in Truro in December 2024

2,514

0

0

Wooden decking searches in cities and towns near Truro December 2024

Wooden decking near you

Truro

Looking for Wooden decking in Truro?

Get free quotes from local carpenters

Wooden decking pros in Truro

A1 FENCING & DECKING

Latest review

Jeanne M., PL12

Garden | Decking in Saltash

Similar Customer Enquiries for Wooden decking in Truro

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Garden | Decking

Local & reliable carpenters near me

Tell us about your wooden decking project

Find up to 4 carpenters in Truro

Hire with confidence

Our reviews

Average

Would highly recommend

Good easy way to find a selection of…

Love LeadsDoWork it's a big part of my …

FAQs

Other Top Projects in Truro

Need more help?

Are you a carpenter in Truro?