Hardwood decking is a beautiful, hardy option for improving a property and making the most of your outdoor space. It is often a DIY project that people will take on, because modern decking boards should be easy enough to fit together with a little bit of prior knowledge and some basic experience of the decking and DIY projects. If you are going to have new decking installed at your property, think about doing it yourself to save some money and make this a key consideration.
There are some factors that you will need to consider which will make the installation simpler for you, especially if this is something quite new to you. Initially you should make sure your decking boards are high quality and are designed to last, so they should be made from a very high quality of timber. You should also check if they have been treated, or if they have been left untreated. If this is the case, then you might want to check whether the boards will need to be treated before installation because this will help to keep them in good condition and will improve their hardiness and longevity.
What You Will Need to Install Decking Yourself
If you are going to go it alone and install decking yourself, there are some key things you will need to do. Here is what you should consider:
- Pick the type of timber you like. This will mostly come down to the appearance you want, so it is generally as simple as do you prefer oak, larch etc. You will also need to consider the finish too and if you will choose an anti slip option, with bevelled edges.
- Make sure the decking boards are available in the lengths that you need. There are various lengths available and you may need to saw them down depending on what lengths you need.
- Decide if the timber will need to be treated. If it comes pre-treated, there’s no need to do anything. You may need to treat them with something like Tanalith E, which will make them resistant to fungal decay and insect attack.
- Make sure you have everything you need before you begin. If you buy a decking kit, this should all be included. If you buy decking boards alone, then you will need to make sure you’ve also bought spindles, hand and base rails and ready made complete panels.
Are Your Ready to Install Decking Yourself?
Installing decking yourself is definitely an option if you have the right tools and some basic knowledge of what would be involved. However there are definitely things that can go wrong, especially if you are not experienced in decking installation and don’t quite know what to expect. If this is the case, buying a decking kit might be a good option for you instead. You might also want to consider using a professional installer if you are not confident in your ability to install decking well. However, it generally is a relatively simple task when you use good quality decking and make sure that it will all slot together properly.