One of the most popular garden features in recent years is decking. It’s a great for creating different levels or balancing out uneven surfaces as well as creating communal areas for entertaining.
Artificial grass goes great with decking for a number of reasons so if you’re thinking about updating your garden, and are considering both artificial grass and decking, take a look at some of our installations to get some inspiration as well as a few top tips…
Pros of artificial grass and decking
- No trouble mowing in between tricky angles and up against edges. Basically you can have your decking whatever shape you want, and the same for fake grass!
- Low maintenance garden all year round. Artificial grass takes a bit of a brush every now and again, just like decking needs a sweep!
- No mud on the decking!
- Artificial grass can also be laid on top of decking if you want to soften it up.
Things to consider when choosing decking
- Softwood, hardwood or composite decking? Softwood is cheaper but must be pressure treated and cuts definitely need a coat of end grain sealer. Hardwoods are more expensive but have better stability and durability. Composite decking is a material that moulds together plastic resin with wood and wood fibres. It has a longer lifespan than regular wood, and does not absorb water. This means it does not get slippery when wet or encourage fungal growth.
- Check whether you need planning permission – decking 300mm (1ft) off the ground and covering over 50% of a garden will likely be refused.
- Bear in mind what the weather is like where you live! Consider the effects of rain, or sea air to your potential choice of decking.
- Is it for entertaining, for public or private use? Will trees and bushes provide enough privacy? Might it be a good idea to invest in some lighting?
- Who will be using it? Adults, elderly, children, pets? Might it need balustrades to support those climbing up and down? Will a small animal be able to cope with the distance between ground and decking surface?