Installing decking outside your home is a great idea, it is a low maintenance way to use your outdoor space and make it suitable for a great variety of purposes. Knowing that you want to add decking to your property is the easy part, knowing exactly what that decking should look like is not always so straightforward. If you have little or no experience fitting decking it is a good idea to ask yourself a few questions before you visit your decking timber supplier.

• How will your decking be used?

• Where will your decking be placed?

• What aesthetic qualities do you desire in your decking?

Answering these three questions will enable you to select the perfect decking timber supplier and material. Decking comes in a wide variety of materials and each timber has properties that suit it for a particular purpose. Some woods are particularly hard-wearing and so will be ideal if you plan to use your decking a lot, or if you have children or pets that will place a lot of stress on the material. Alternatively, if you want to use your decking to surround a hot tub or a pool then you will need to look for a decking timber that is known to possess high resistance to water damage.

Installing your new decking

Purchasing your chosen material from your decking timber supplier is only the first step. Installing the decking can often be seen as a challenge, but it doesn't have to be. The key to building perfect decking is getting your decking sub-frame right. It is important to fit damp protection pads between the ground and your sub-frame to prevent water being transferred from the ground to the sub-frame. It can also be a good idea to use decking tape to cover areas of your sub-frame that come into contact with your decking. This will prevent the transfer of water from the sub-frame to the decking.

Once your decking sub-frame is ready for use you must ensure that your decking is firmly attached to the sub-frame using high quality stainless steel screws. If you use poor quality screws you run the risk of the screws eventually snapping and allowing your decking to move or bulge creating an unsightly and potentially dangerous environment for your family. By following these simple steps you can ensure that your new decking will be long-lasting and provide many years of active service no matter what the conditions are.