Decking is a fantastic addition to your garden, and it can truly take it to the next level. Decking enhances your garden as it provides you with space where you can put furniture, garden toys or even a hot tub without worrying about the damage it is doing to the grass. If you are looking for other ways to improve your garden, then you might want to check out our other blog posts like ‘How to Lay Artificial Grass’ and ‘9 Creative Block Paving Ideas for Gardens’.

Laying decking in your garden is a relatively straightforward process - so grab your tool kit and decking boards and let’s get started!

Planning and Measuring Stage

The first step of laying decking in your garden is the planning and measuring stage. There are a few things you need to consider when you are in this stage. These are:

The size of the area you are adding decking to
The size of the gas between the decking boards (for water to drain)

Firstly, you must figure out how much decking you need. Measure the space. Find out the length and width of the area. Once you have got these two measurements, you can work out the area. You do this by multiplying the length by the width or you can use this tool.

Remember that there must be around a 3mm space between each of the decking boards.

Once you have got this figure, you should multiply it by 1.1 to compensate for any wastage. With this number, you should divide it by the board coverage of one piece of decking. This is now the total number of decking boards that you need.

Assemble Equipment

The next step is to ensure that you have all of the equipment you need. You should purchase or borrow equipment if you do not have it. Once you know you have everything you need, safely lay it out. Organisation is key for DIY projects.

Here is what you will need:

Tools

Sharpened pencil
Tape measure
Spirit level
String and pins
Spade
Tamper
Saw
Drill

Equipment

Prepare for the Decking

Now that you have got everything that you need and are fully organised, it is now time to lay the decking.

Outline the area where you will be laying the decking. You can use a tape measure to do this, and use the string and pins to map out the area.
Next, clear the area. Remove any gardening equipment as well as plants or rocks. Ensure the area is completely clear before moving to the next step.
Now it is time to dig! Grab your spade and dig around 50mm down.
Once you have finished digging, you should level out the area. For this, you can use a tamper and check with the spirit level that the area is level. If you are struggling to level the area out, you can place extra soil on top. If you need extra help using a spirit level, check out this guide.
The next step is to start to build the decking. There are three directions you can go with this.
Option A: The decking can go directly on the ground.
Option B: Build decking on top of a riser.
Option C: Put the decking on top of concrete pads.
Measure boards to size and mark them with a pencil.
Cut the boards down to the size that you need them.
Lay down the decking on the surface that you decided from step 5. At this stage, you will be able to tell if you have enough decking. You should leave a 3mm-5mm space between each of the decking boards.
Measure out the frame of the decking and cut it to size. There are 4 outer joists.
Take your pencil and mark the ends of each of the outer joists which meet at a right angle (90 degrees).
Drill into each pencil mark with a flat wood. Then drill a pilot hole through the centre of the recess. This will stop the wood from getting damaged.
Now you can fit the coach screws in. This should now leave you with a solid, square frame.

Have a look on the Beesley and Fildes website today for top-quality building materials. Or visit us in your local branch today!

Installing the Decking

Now for the final few steps, installing the decking boards…

Choose a corner to start in. Now grab your first board and it should go in the opposite direction of the internal joists.
Grab your pencil and mark where you will be nailing in your screws. Each board will need two screws on both sides. A rule of thumb is to place screws 15 mm from the end of the board.
Get your drill and create a pilot hole through the pencil marks.
Once the holes have been drilled, you can place the screws through the board.
When you are ready to place your next board, remember to leave a 3mm gap between each board. Repeat this process until all the decking has been placed. Read here about how to look after your decking.

Now you should have your decking placed and you are ready to make the most out of it! Check out this guide from Homebuilding and Renovating to see the process with photos.