Essex Decking & Fencing
Professional Landscaping Services in Essex since 2011
Composite Decking Specialist
Timber Decking Specialist
Fencing Specialist
Artificial & Real Grass Specialist
Pergolas Designed & Built
Commercial Projects
The Look & Feel
Plan your new deck to tie in with it's surroundings. Think about the existing items in your outdoor space:
Materials, Colours, Styles, Board direction, Nearby buildings and structures.
The deck material you choose can make big difference on the aftercare required.
Timber decking will require regular cleaning and treating, whereas composite decking is very low maintenance.
Deck Levels
Bear in mind, if this a new deck (for example over a patio or to make a sloped area usuable), that decking will require a subframe. This can raise your standing level on average 15cm (6 inches). Look at existing fence heights and consider if this leaves you being overlooked or looking into a neighbours garden.
If a slope is being leveled, the height difference will be more at one end. You may require a step or ramp to provide access to the lower level.
Deck Aspect
If your deck will be in a particularly sunny spot, you may want to think about a shaded area such as a pergola or gazebo. If you choose timber decking, you must remember that wood is a natural product and can be affected by extreme weather changes. A south facing deck may get the sun all day and could possibly lead to splitting or warping if not properly maintained. A north facing deck will get less sunshine hours and could stay wetter longer causing decay if not properly maintained.
Composite decking of course, does not have this problem. Good quality brands such as Composite Prime, Trex or Millboard have built in UV resistant, split free, aniti rot and anti slip properties.
Deck Location
If you intend your timber deck or composite deck to be situated underneath trees; you will get bird droppings, leaf/twig and branch fallout. Under some species of tree such as Horse Chestnut (conker) trees, every spring you will get a coating of very sticky buds.
If you are planning to dine, entertain, sunbathe or just relax on your deck, think about being overlooked and any additional screening that may be needed to maintain privacy.
Deck Lighting & Deck Electrics
Think of how you intend to use your deck and if you'll need extra power there. You may want to charge phones, plug in heaters or music sources or just have that have handy extra place to plug in a pressure washer. Lighting is very important!. When the sun goes down, you want the "Oohs and Ahhs" when the lights go on. Deck lighting creates mood and extends the hours of deck usage. LED lighting can be fully waterproof and cheap to run. Think about defing steps, edges or shrubs. Additionally we have found that barbecues are not really that much fun in pitch darkness.
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Deck Handrails & Balustrades
If your deck is 30cm or over above the ground, you'll need some form of handrail or balustrade. For safety and possibly insurance reasons.
Sometimes it's nice to define all, or part of your deck with a handrail/balustrade. This will prevent it from resembling a 'stage' and make it feel as though its a separate, dedicated area. We can build you a bespoke handrail system using a mixture of materials or we have relationships with market leading designer handrail and balustrade manufacturers such the fantastic QRail system.
Existing & New Decking Features
You may have favourite trees, shrubs, planters or other static objects in the area that you wish to deck. We can incorporate these into your new deck by decking up to or around them.
We build many decks around hot tubs/jacuzzis and framed swimming pools.
We are able to create new features to enhance your decking with things such as rasied planters, seating areas and pergolas. If your decking is around or next a swimming pool, we can build structures such as changing areas or areas for relaxing. We can even build you a bar for the perfect holiday feel.
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Site Access or Restrictions
Depending on the size, shape and complexity of your new timber decking or composite decking, Large, heavy and bulky materials will have to be delivered and transported to the area where the deck is being built. These will usually be delivered on a large lorry or van. If you have no access (such as a side gate) to the area, please bear in mind that materials will have to be manually carried through your property and any waste in turn will have to carried out the same way.
In certain areas, parking restrictions are present. We would need to park vehicles within reasonable distance of the site to have continuous access to tools etc. If possible you may need to provide temporary parking permits to enable this.