Decks and Patios

The Essential Garden Design Workbook Rosemary Alexander

Brickwork and Paving for House and Garden Michael Hammett

The Garden D.I.Y. Expert D.G. Hessayon

The Complete Guide to Decks Paul Currie

Decks and Decking: 15 Step-by-step Projects

Sun, shade, shelter from wind & privacy

 These are the other major considerations. It’s better to have a sunny patio than one in the shade as you can always make shade but you can’t make sun! 

Remember that sitting in direct sunshine in summer can be uncomfortably hot. Parasols can provide an elegant solution and have the advantage of being removable when the sun doesn’t shine. Another solution is something to give dappled shade, a pergola with trellis as a roof, or my preference - climbers supported with wires, give a nice effect. Ideally, to extend the season of use there should be some possibility of shade in mid-summer, but not in spring and autumn when the sun is warm without being overpowering, deciduous climbers can help here. 

Avoid most trees near your patio or deck, exceptions are those with a light open canopy such as birches (Betula spp.) and Robinia pseudoacacia “frisia”, though be wary of these being too close to the house. Most other trees would give too dense a shade. Almost any tree planted within 1-2m will in time begin to lift your patio with its roots, decks are not affected in the same way and can be constructed around the base of existing trees.

Shelter from wind is also very important when sitting your deck / patio, if everywhere seems to be windy, consider erecting a pergola screen for protection. 6ft x 6ft trellis panels held up by 3” square posts are effective and you can plant climbers at the base of the trellis to soften the effect. Trees, a hedge, or large shrubs on the windward side of the garden can also help considerably to curb the wind. An extra 2 ft of trellis on top of a boundary fence is also very effective (and doesn't usually need the planning permission that a taller fence might).

    Decks should really only be positioned where they are in the sun for most of the time. If too shaded, they remain wet and slippery (or at least more slippery than when dry) for longer, which will also reduce the life of the wood. Patios are better for shady places and whereas wet wood can look rather dreary, wet slabs / bricks aren’t so bad. Remember if you are reading books on decking most of them are written in and for countries that don't have our damp maritime climate.

   Dealing with manhole covers. Houses, particular new houses it seems for reasons that are not entirely clear, are frequently surrounded by one or more manhole covers that look unsightly and make it difficult when laying a patio around them.

One solution is to deck over them. It may seem rather drastic but it certainly works very well, there are some new houses that have four of five covers within a small area and there's really little that can be done to disguise them. The usual device of getting a pot and placing it on the cover tends to draw attention which defeats the object. Decks are raised about 6" or more above ground level and so make it easy to hide the covers which can be accessed fairly easily by lifting a couple of boards if necessary - when was the last time you needed to access a manhole cover?

Cost – varies greatly, make sure you know what slabs / bricks or wood you are getting before you commit.    

DIY or not Decks and patios can be installed by the competent (important word that) DIY'er. They are not for beginners, they are major projects and often hard heavy work. Make sure you know what you're taking on before you start, that you have the right tools, that you are carrying the work out to the correct standards and that you are using the right materials.

Bradstone Paving Gironde (L)30 x (W)30cm - 48 slabs - £228 Gironde is available in six sizes plus Patio Feature kit and a circle with accessories, Home delivery only available in full pallet quantities which will be delivered to the kerb side Bradstone Paving Gironde (L)45 x (W)30cm - 46 slabs - £298 Bradstone Paving Gironde (L)45 x (W)45cm - 48 slabs - £438 Bradstone Paving Gironde (L)60 x (W)45cm - 48 slabs - £518

Decks   Laying a patio  Power drills   Power saws   Patio Slabs

Latest patio related items at eBay

Decking Supplies
Timber decking screws e.g.: 4.5mm x 75mm - 100 - £3.44 4.0mm x 65mm - 1000 - £14.99		Erbauer CS1590L 190mm Circular Saw 230V 1500w motor. Blade size 190mm £82.48 More like this
Geotextile 1m x 100m £77.06 Heavy-duty Fabric to separate sub-base from aggregates. Allows water to drain away but does not allow weed growth to penetrate, excludes light. Fully UV-stabilised.	Decking Oil 5Ltr Nourishes and protects garden decking. Penetrates and replaces natural oils, increases water repellence and revitalises weathered wood. Lightly tinted for natural cedar wood colour. Covers approx 10m²/Ltr. 5L for £30.64		Cordless Combi Drills Powerful Combi for hammer drilling, drilling and screwdriving applications.
Easy Build Deck Kit Green Treated 2m x 2m - £258 If you're looking for a high quality deck but don't have the time or skills, then look no further than this ingenious interlocking deck kit, The timbers are machined so that they slot together and interlock, All fixings are included.		Treated Decking Joists Pack Of 20 Green Treated (L)3.6m x (W)144mm - £348 Quantity (units): 20, To build a deck from scratch you'll need a firm base, Our high quality Finnforest deckboards & joists will give you a quality deck that has been manufactured to last, 15 year manufacturer's guarantee against rot and insect attack.
Deck & Pergola Kit Green Treated 2.4m x 2.4m  £338 If you're looking for a high quality deck but don't have the time or skills, then look no further than this ingenious interlocking deck kit, The timbers are machined so that they slot together and interlock, All fixings are included, Accessories shown are not included unless otherwise stated , Exclusions may apply to the Isle of Wight
Pre-treated Decking Kit Packs: 3.6m x 2.4m  £388 4.8m x 2.4m  £478 3.6m x 3.6m  £485 4.8m x 3.6m  £593 Treated Reversible Deck Boards: Thickness - 28mm, Treated Decking Joists: Thickness - 44mm, Width - 144mm, To build a deck from scratch you'll need a firm base. High quality Finnforest deckboards & joists will give you a quality deck that has been manufactured to last, 15 year manufacturer's guarantee against rot and insect attack
Reversible Deckboard: 120 Green Treated 3.6m x (W)144mm  £852.72 28 mm thick deckboards for you to cut to fit. To build a deck from scratch you'll need a firm base. High quality Finnforest deckboards & joists will give you a quality deck that has been manufactured to last, 15 year manufacture's guarantee against rot and insect attack, Accessories shown are not included unless otherwise stated
Prices for guidance only, correct at time of writing, subject to change