Decking or Patio???

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djsim

Registered User
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Hello All,

I am looking for some advice. I live in a typical 3 bedroom semi detached, with a small\average back garden. The front garden was leveled and seeded, when house was bought, however the back garden was not.

I am currently installing a garden drainage system (following steps from a pervious posters guide) and I am then going to level and add topsoil.

After this is complete I would like to have an area to sit down and have a BBQ, something simple. The thing is that my back garden is almost always in the shade and I have a small concrete path around the back of the house.

What would you recommend in my situation? I am leaning towards a patio but would like your expert opinions.

I will post some pictures tomorrow of my back “garden” which might help.

Thanks, as always,
James.
 
I would also lean towards a patio, much less maintenance (and not slippy) than decking.
 
Our gardens, like yours, are very shaded. No sun at all in Winter.

My neighbour has decking at bottom half where the sun shines during the summer.

She slipped last winter 12 months and broke a bone in her ankle.

I have patio, no problems, wash it down once a year.
 
Hi,

I am currently building a deck but it is going to be in an area of the garden that will not need to be walked on during the winter/raining so i think i should be ok for the slipping issue. Is there anything to prevent the deck from becoming slippery, with the amount of decks out there today there must be something.

Regards
Anthony
 
Rois said:
I would also lean towards a patio, much less maintenance (and not slippy) than decking.
Click to expand...
I would tend to agree with ROIS on that one, but i was in the PANELLING CENTRE today and they were pushing a man made decking in different colours ,supposedly non sip and maintenance free, only time will answer that one tough
 
WIFESLIST said:
I would tend to agree with ROIS on that one, but i was in the PANELLING CENTRE today and they were pushing a man made decking in different colours ,supposedly non sip and maintenance free, only time will answer that one tough
Click to expand...


We looked at Trex composite decking which is slip and maintenance free - many would say it doesn't look as good as real wood though and its more expensive.

We went for real wood decking and haven't had any problems with slippiness but our garden is pretty sunny.

We choose deck over patio as it allowed us to raise the area outside our door to level with the door - patio would have required steps down.

Also decking seemed more kid friendly re less dangerous for falling on. It can have splinters though so not perfect.
 
Lay a patio as I have decking in my garden and it is a sunny garden (when we get sun that is) but it is so slippy it is unreal I need to wash it power wash that is a few times a year to keep it safe. patio is the way to go
 
I would also go for a patio, decking can provide the perfect habitat for mice and rats to nest under while they wait for the left overs from you're barbie!!
 
I would go with the patio.. easier to maintain - I find decking very slippy and as mentioned above, things like to use underneath it as a house!
 
Thanks for all your replies. As always, very helpfull.

I will have to dig my french drains a bit deeper so if I am going to be putting in a patio foundation.

Would you, in my position, run the patio right up to the back sliding doors (covering the Concrete path) or stop the patio at the concrete path?

Thanks,
James.
 
Yes, I agree with Smashbox run it right up to the back door. I also prefer fairly plain slabs, have seen some garden with every kind of decorative slab, but my personal opinion is keep it simple, the planted garden itself is sufficent decoration.
 
I was thinking of that alright. My last question :) is it okay to cover a black plastic manhole? I will have to do this if am going to patio right up to the back door.

Thanks,
James.
 
Manholes are put there for a reason. You should raise it to be level with the patio.
Leo
 
presumably the manhole will need to be left accessible if its to the drains - in case theres ever a blockage or any other problem.
 
never cover up any manhole it can cause major problems for you down the road .it may even against building regulations
 
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