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Garden decking became popular after a host of television programmes introduced the concept to the British public. Timber decking is a favourite for good reason, it is an alternative to hard patio surfaces and it is low maintenance meaning you can have a stylish area in your garden for seating, socialising and entertaining with minimal effort.

Decking is made out of timber and there are a few key factors which affect the cost:-

• The type of timber you choose
• The size of the area
• Preparation and excavation work
• The complexity of the design
• Your geographical location

Timber decking is usually split into three categories which are budget, medium and premium timber. Budget decking is typically what you will find in your local DIY store or garden centre. Medium range decking will offer more flexibility if you want to bespoke the design although these are still mass-produced products. Premium options will include top-quality woods.

The average cost for a timber decking area is between £1,000 and £2,000 assuming a space of around 20 square metres and a mid-range medium quality timber. These costs include all preparation and installation. Premium timber will retail at around £100 per square metre and increase the cost to about £2,500 whereas a budget pine timber would be significantly cheaper. If you do the work yourself then you will only have the price for the timber and any additional materials like a membrane.

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The advantages of timber decking

Timber decking is almost always made from sustainable wood from responsible producers who harvest from forest operated under management schemes which include renewal through fresh planting. This is a very important point for many purchasers but there are pluses:-

• Timber is a natural product which looks so at home in a garden
• Timber is the only material currently in mainstream construction which is a totally renewable resource
• Timber is durable and sturdy especially compared to plastic and composite decking
• Hardwoods require little or no maintenance and can last forty plus years
• Timber decking can be customised to your garden design with lots of additional and stylish features such as pergolas, trellises, garden steps and balustrades. As a product, decking offers almost infinite design possibilities and you can add to it or extend it at a later date
• Timber can offer anti-slip features which are superior to composite materials and which perform better in wet weather

Decking boards have a reputation of being slippery when wet

Decking boards can become slippery in wet weather or just even in the dew morning and evening in the spring and summer. What actually causes this is mould, moss and algae which, if allowed to flourish, can create the effect of an ice rink in the right conditions. Use a chemical fungicide annually to prevent this building up on the wood and you will not encounter a tricky surface making your decking safe to use all year round.