skip to main content

Design Dilemma DIY Gardens

Designing decking with shed in back garden Help Needed!

Lewis Wakefield

4 years ago

Hello, my wife and I are looking to put decking in our back garden with a shed sitting on top of part of it but we have some problems.

We'd like the decking to go all the way up to the large window and extend further past our old shed to make room for a new larger shed like an L-shape.

I think we have a few issues one being drainage. The slabbed surface hardly ever fully evaporates even though there is a drain where the guttering is, water from the slabs doesn't drain off to the drain I guess because its level and not sloped?

I don't know how I should prepare the site for decking would I need to break up all the concrete and slabs and then re-level it all so that all surface water drains away from the house?

Another concern is we constantly get moss blown off the roof to the slabbed area - could this be resolved permanently by having the roof and guttering cleaned? Or is it likely to be a recurring problem due to an underlying issue?

My wife suggested putting down composite decking as wood would be too slippery.

Does anyone think it's a good idea to put decking down in this area? How should I go about doing it? Thanks Lewis.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

Sonia
4 years ago
Hi, I have a decked area outside my back door. We did not need to break up the paving slabs as the decking is fitted over a wooden framework that sits on the paving. We used softwood decking as it was cheap! I will say that now, 8 years later, the decking is starting to rot in places and I think it will need to be removed in a year or so. Your wife is right, it is VERY slippery when wet, however you can paint it with a non slip oil. Don’t bother with decking paint, you’re lucky if it lasts a year.

I was considering composite decking, but whilst researching I found a lot of unsatisfied customers, mainly in the US, as the deck does not last 25 years as they claim, and within 10 years the deck is peeling and warping. In fact many people in the US are suing Trex, one of the manufacturers. Do a google search and you will see.

Hope I’m not sounding too negative, but I am just sharing my honest experiences. Once my deck has fallen apart, I am going to have sandstone paving laid there instead. That will last forever and I have it in other parts of my garden. I’ve heard outdoor grade porcelain tiling is also good and is non slip.
Lewis Wakefield thanked Sonia
rachelmidlands
4 years ago
I think I’d advise against decking too, at least in the area close to the house as it would need to below the level of the damp course which would involve taking up the paving and a lot of ground works anyway. Decking needs to be raised so there’s no contact with ground but by doing so can create other problems such as make a great nesting site for rats and other rodents, not to mention slipperyness and more maintenance.

Not saying it can’t be done and being a party pooper🙂, you could have steel frame and composite decking, just think it will be more work than you’re envisioning.

With regards drainage and moss I’m guessing its north facing and doesn’t get much sun? Does water pool or puddle on the paving? Perhaps a drainage channel (see example pic) next to house may work more effectively but in a small area I don’t think it‘d be necessary. Certainly check the gutters for moss but i wouldn’t worry too much about the roof unless it’s really bad. On our house the birds tend to flick moss off the roof and gutters in search of food.

You can get porcelain paving that looks like wood, maybe this could be an alternative. Personally I would get some advice from a few local landscapers to see what is possible and look at drainage.
Lewis Wakefield thanked rachelmidlands
Related Discussions
Help with colour for Irish back garden
Q
Comments (4)
I really think it's the plants that are supposed to be the center of attraction so I have a hard time thinking of anything better than painting the wall gray and the planters charcoal. However, trying to keep an open mind I did locate the photo above with yellow planters, which would be pretty against a gray wall. But looking at your very lovely blue door, I could see repeating that very same color on the planters and leaving the wall gray. It's always a good thing to repeat an existing color when it looks as great as that one does. That blue would be dynamite on a planter filled with green plants and colorful blooms.
...See More
UrgentlyNeed help choosing type of wood for cladding back garden fence
Q
Comments (3)
Nearly finished Dalma Darling - just posted some photos up of the garden on my profile
...See More
Need help with my living room please.
Q
Comments (25)
Wow, I didn't expect so many responses, thank you so much for your time and ideas. I do know that the art is wrong but had to put something up from our last house while we settle in. I do find the fireplace a bit un-friendly and so I would consider changing the colour of it even just the border of it like one of the photos shows. I'm not keen on the small computer cabinet or the ladder shelving I have to admit. I was thinking more of putting 3 full width cherry wood shelves, bottom one being wider and desk height, changing the light fittings to down lights and maybe having a wallpaper or painted backdrop behind the shelves?? I realise I would have to get rid of or change the wallpaper on the other wall and change the curtains too. I take your point, many of you said it, about the curtains needing to fall straight, but I will need a wider pole to do that. Again many thanks, AnnaMarie ps we are in Ireland now but lived in australia for many years and that picture over the mantle is of an old aussie shed with moon light on it.
...See More
Need help with curtains
Q
Comments (8)
Hello there... I hope I can be of some help as I have almost an identical sitting room - I will just share with you my sitting room this year!! All the walls started out in Dulux Timeless colour so I wanted to add an accent colour- like you, I have one end of the room that is patio doors. So the opposite wall to those, I chose as an accent wall - I know a lot of people suggest not having an accent wall but perhaps having horizontal painted stripes of colour etc... But as I was doing the painting, I knew I would have made a real hash of that!! So the third pic is my first attempt at an accent wall - The Greene Paint company - colour Bassalt. This was nice but I just got bored of it - it worked well against the richness of the wood floor etc and was very much a statement but in a few months I just couldn't settle with it. After several coats of white I have now settled on Farrow & Balls colour Lamp Room Grey. I know this seems all very neutral, but from the second photo you will see I have gone for cream curtains with neutral vertical pom-poms - but, by doing all this, I can now change the accent colour in this room at the drop of a hat and quite importantly - INEXPENSIVELY! For instance, if I wanted to, for Xmas, if I was going to spend a lot of time in that room, I could a. Go for red and cream cushions and create a Scandinavian look! Or b. Go for silver beaded cushions and silver candle jars and have a winter wonderland look! And equally in the summer, I could go for pastel pink floral cushions and a vase of delicate roses to bring the garden into the sitting room or just keep it neutral with ivory roses and a hint of lime green. So my advice would be to keep the expensive things neutral and then you can alter the in expensive things as you go along. I also think one expensive piece in any room is a good investment - be it a huge oversized pewter bowl or a something similar - that again is neutral in colour but is a statement piece. Hope this helps!
...See More

Sponsored

Reload the page to not see this specific ad anymore

More Discussions

How would you lay out this bathroom?

10

basement level renovation would love ideas please

8

reconfiguring floor plan layout and would love help please

2

Interior Material Clash?

0

Single story extension

1

Ireland

Tailor my experience with cookies

Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. By clicking ‘Accept’ I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking ‘Manage Preferences’.