Decking or Patio

[JP_]

As soon as I get the house sorted I need to get the garden sorted by next summer - I've been told!

At the moment we have a 2m strip of artificial grass running across the back over some compacted sand (I put it down after extension was built), then a large rockery area with gravel patio to the side (I did the gravel too, and soakaway is buried under it), then a messy bit of garden with some stumps.

The garden slopes upwards, but not too much. Ideally, I'd have a huge patio that makes it all look stunning. But I am not a builder, not superfit and have never laid paving slabs ...

So maybe a good old fashioned decking that is level with the kitchen and lounge French doors? A friend has a great bit of decking and this is what inspired me. It is south facing so moss and slime should not be too much of a problem.

But am I likely to regret it in 10 years when I'm 55 and even less able to build a huge patio ...?

Digging out some picks (see what I did there?)
My CCTV gives the best shot!

I suspect that there is a lot of rubble buried under the rockery. The rocks are invisible now too! I looks nice enough in the picture, but we are not really making the most of the long garden:

View from the lounge French door:

I guess ideally I'd like something like this ...

This would be cool

Decking could be more like this;

Decking might be easier for me - easier to handle, and I've rebuilt some of our suspended wooden floors, so have some skills there. But there is the long-term rot problem ... although I do have a wood treatment sprayer and understand the importance of good ventilation now!

Oh, reason for planning now is that I'm probably going to have to get a skip to take away a load of broken concrete path and soil from the side of the house (causing damp issues) so might as well start digging out some of the rockery / rubble pile.

It is not all bad now, I like it actually. But SWMBO wants it better. Me enjoying the garden last summer.

 

[JP_]

OK, reading a Mumsnet thread has convinced me that patio is the only sensible option!

https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/1570552-Decking-or-stone-patio

 

[Notch7]

Ive been to loads of houses with decking -and I really dont think its a good option for our damp climate.
They can be lethal when wet, like an ice rink.

It was a fashion that has spread from Australia and the US.

I know a landscape company that refuses to lay timber decking -they will do decks, but only in plastic, which is super expensive.

 

[JP_]

My mates decking reminded me of cruise holidays when I was a kid, it was that big!
So, what is the minimum for a patio, to dig out, hard core, sand/cement?

 

[IT Minion]

Oh, I know this one. Paving expert.

http://pavingexpert.com/flagdiy1.htm

 

[JP_]

Yeah, I know too. But I don't want the standard advice of how to make the perfect patio that you could park a bus on, but how to make one that will be OK for a while!

But maybe I will do it "properly".

 

[cwhaley]

Decking absolutely fine if you put a gazebo over it to keep the rain off. I made this using 9" x 2" shuttering boards and 5" x 4" posts. Whole thing including concrete foundation blocks, ply, felt and stain cost £350. It's absolutely rock solid.

I've since added trellis to the bottom half with honeysuckle, clematis and star jasmine. Thought about a bar in the corner too but we don't get the weather like the rest of the world does!

 

[Neilgriff63]

On my last house I created a large patio with decking. It was approximately 5*8 meters. It looked great. The problem was winter. It was a death trap and unfortunately I needed to walk on it to get to different parts of the house. Long term, I would go for slabs/brick.