Where to buy decking

[James Harris]

I have some decking outside, the frame of which is rotting. I think it's only been in a few years but someone else put it in for me and I don't know where he bought the stuff.

So, what decking supplier would you recommend?

My feeling is that if I buy from Tradepoint (B&Q) or some other big supplier the product will be easy to complain about if it fails within the year but it might be cheap stuff or not treated properly.

On the other hand, if I buy from a specialist timber supplier the stuff might be better but they are more likely to quibble about problems with the product (not that I expect it to fail within that time period).

Suggestions welcome!

[newshound]

Decking is treated against rot. Decent suppliers will mount it on treated timber. Sounds like yours didn't.

Any timber wholesaler should be able to advise. Larger farm suppliers normally stock reasonably good, cheap treated timber for fencing and general outdoor use.

[John Rumm]

I walked into B&Q the other day, and this chap in bright orange overalls racked up and asked if wanted decking.... fortunately I got the first punch in!

(ok I will get my coat...)

[tabbypurr]

You can get treated timber anywhere. I can't see any grade of timber failing within a year, making any guarantee of no value.

NT

[Capitol]

Throw it away and replace with paving.

[tabbypurr]

nod

NT

[James Harris]

No can do. It's about 40cm above the ground!

[The Natural Philosopher]

Never heard of hardcore and retaining walls¿?

Brick and block double wall tied together well , fill with low grade hardcore, finish with good grade hardcore whacked down and then mortar in some some slabs.

Make slope towards where the drains are..

[James Harris]

Either that or the treated timber wasn't properly treated. Or I guess there's just a bad bit of timber in there. It is mainly one joist which has failed.

Unfortunately, these stupid square-drive decking screws are hard to get out. I think I'd go for Pozis in the replacement.

Thanks. I hadn't even heard of such places as farm suppliers.

FWIW I found a very good online decking calculator:

I know cement is heavy but to the uninitiated it does seem a bit confused over the postcrete - suggesting something like 40kg of postcrete per post!

[James Harris]

Never! In the current situation my ears don't tune in to such things!

[tabbypurr]

If the ground is normally firm you don't need crete at all, just bed the post in suitable ballast. No surprise that sellers want you to buy a more expensive material.

NT

[newshound]

You quite often find one piece of timber has gone worse than the others. They are treated in quite big batches, I suspect it is variability of the timber rather than the treatment.

You might want to think about getting an impact driver, especially if you already have a cordless drill with batteries that will fit an impact driver.

Until you have used one, you would not believe how good they are for removing "stuck" screws, or how quick and easy they make screwing down stuff like decking.

Once you are used to it, you will hardly ever damage screw heads when putting stuff in, although you need to be aware that the driver bits do not last so long, even the proper impact rated ones.

[newshound]

[TMH]

Best decking on the market IMO is Q Deck.

Stockists all over the place.

If you want a materials list just send me sizes - I have a spreadsheet that calculates it.

[TMH]

Rot can also be be caused by inadequate ventilation. You need a 6mm gap between boards.

Toolststion.

Q Deck

[TMH]

Spend 10 times what a deck would cost, ruin the environment, end up with an uncomfortable surface.

[TMH]

B&Q et al sell deck boards 120mm wide, Q Deck are 144mm, so B&Q migh seem cheaper but you need more boards, more screws, more work.

[Capitol]

Cheap with a 50 year lifetime. There's a good reason we don't normally build wooden houses.

[The Natural Philosopher]

but it will last 300 years

[The Natural Philosopher]

actually today we do build wooden houses..

Nut they are then skinned with siomething else,. Cement weatherboard, brick, block...