Take A Walk In Your Garden!
Look at every feature...
The first deck designing secret is to take a walk around your garden and assess a number of things while recording your basic requirements for a garden deck. Good deck designers will also be mentally running a slideshow of many hundreds of different decks and decking features through their mind, all the while selecting those that will look good in the garden.
You need to examine carefully all the garden decking photographs on this Website; especially look through the Decking Gallery.
Your garden deck must be designed and built to last a considerable time, at least 20 - 25 years, and you don't want something that's nice and cheap but has to be replaced in a couple of years!
It is easy to build over an old, cracked patio, but perhaps it is better to remove all the pavings and use them to build an attractive rockery adjacent to your new decking.
These are the sort of tips you can read in our eBook.
Design Points to Consider
The following will give you an idea of points to be considered:
- Which direction is the prevailing wind, and where are the sunniest parts of the garden. These are very important factors.
- Is the decking site completely level and very solid.
- What surface will the deck be built on or over: Patio, Grass, Garden...
- Will the ground require much preparation before building.
- Where there is a slope, the designer will consider either a deck that is raised at one end, or multi-level decking.
- Are there garden features like drains, man-hole covers, trees, old wells, and the like that must be incorporated into the design.
- What steps will be required - either from the house to the deck, or from the decking to lower decks and/or the garden lawns and paths.
- What is the optimum width and depth of the main deck - at least one large area is best for most situations, as it provides a good spot for children to play, families to entertain, and visitors to meet.
- Is a balustrade or designer rails required for either safety or design purposes. Even when there's only one or two steps down to the garden, a decorative balustrade is an excellent design feature.
- What type of foundation is best for the deck, and if it's a raised or high deck or series of decks, how many supports are required and how will they be secured.
- Who will be using the deck in the forseeable future, and will they require special features.
- Young children require play areas and built-in sand pits; young at heart couples require spas, hot-tubs, or quiet areas for rest and meditation; invalides require ramps and slopes instead of steps; and many more similar issues must be considered.
- The finished decking must enhance the garden features and improve the general appearance of the house.
- The designer must consider curved decking to break up severe straight lines and to accomodate gardens.
- You may move home one day, and your deck must appeal to future buyers and increase the value of your property.
Well, that small selection will give you an idea of the thought processes that a garden decking designer will use when planning decking requirements, and well before starting on creating a suitable deck design.
Free Decking Design
Make sure of your free garden decking design by one of our expert designers. You are under no obligations and your privacy is fully respected.
The decking designer can prepare a descriptive drawing of your house and garden and illustrate how a deck can improve your standard of living. The designer will take into account all the garden features together with your personal requiredments, before completing the drawing.
Garden Decking eBook
This great new eBook will show you exactly how to design and build your own garden decking.
It is packed with large colour photographs and hundreds of building and designing tips that guide you every step of the way.
There are decks of every description: High decks, split-level decking, patio and pool decks, small and large decks, and much more!
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