February 08, 2018

Fun Ways To Upgrade Your Decking in The Garden

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Whether your garden is large or small, and whatever style or theme you’ve gone for- you can bet that decking will still be a good addition. It looks smart, adds value to your home and buyers love it too. Meaning you can enjoy it yourself for now, and then if you sell later down the line you’ll get a better price and possibly a quicker sale too. It might still be freezing cold right now but the days are already looking a little brighter, spring and then summer will be here before we know it! so if you get to work now you’ll have a gorgeous garden to enjoy the nice weather...Whether you love to entertain friends and family in the garden, sit outside while the kids play or just soak up some sun by yourself (rememver to use a high factor suncream as the sun can be so aging!) it’s so worth having a nice space to enjoy outside. Here are some fun decking ideas you could consider for your next project.

Choose a Different Colour or Material

When you think of decking, chances are you think of medium coloured, ‘traditional’ decking. However if this isn’t your style, there are lots of other options. Your first choice would be to paint or stain the boards any colour of your choice, as long as you’re using proper paint or stain that’s designed for decking the world is your oyster. Alternatively you could buy boards that are already in the colour you want, greys are becoming more popular and you can find these readily available in most DIY stores. In terms of material, different types of wood will naturally have different colours and properties so it all depends on your price point. There are boards made from more exotic woods which will be more expensive to buy, but last longer overall.

Composite decking is a great choice for those who want something long lasting and hassle free. Here wood fibres are blended with plastic meaning it’s rot free and really easy to clean. You don’t even have to sand and stain the boards every few years like you do with regular decking. Most decking is long lasting and will do you well for up to fifteen years, composite decking on the other hand will last double that. So if you’re in it for the long haul and don’t want to have to touch it again for a long time, it could be worth opting for something like this.

Have Lights and a Balustrade Added

When decking is properly installed, it already looks impressive enough. But you don’t have to just leave it there, there are other things you can add to it to really make an impact. How about some spotlights in the floor, or along steps? There are plenty of outdoor smart lighting options these days too to make it even more high end. You could add a decking balustrade and handrail along the edges too to really create a separate zoned area in the garden. This could be anything from simple wooden spindles to a combination of metal and wood, or go with glass or acrylic for a really cool and modern look. It all depends on your personal style and the overall theme you’re creating in the garden. It will give the decking, and the garden in general a high end finish, plus they work on a practical level as well.

Build a Pergola or Gazebo

Something else that will make your decked area look super impressive is building a pergola or wooden gazebo. Because you can add things like bamboo screening, tall plants and grow climbing plants like ivy and roses over it, this gives you an element of privacy as well. If your main decked patio area is overlooked from neighbours houses then this is a good way to go. Choose wood that matches your decking to make it tie together, or you could paint it to match.

Build a Decking Swing

It’s nice to have a swing to sit out on in the garden to relax, but you don’t need to buy a separate garden swing. One cool thing to do with your decking is to attach a matching wooden frame on top, so it all appears to be one piece. You could then add separate seated swings, or attach a swinging bench. It’s a fun project that any intermediate DIYer could do and a fun addition to your garden. There are lots of variations of decking swings online, so decide on the one that suits you and your yard.

Make a Wheelie Bin Shelter

We all need somewhere to put our rubbish until it can be taken away, but bins are never the most attractive things. And since most of us now have household waste, recycling, green waste and some households are even given food waste bins too- it’s a lot of bins stood outside of our property. To improve your kerb appeal, bring bins into the back garden and create a ‘wheelie bin shelter’ to make them look a bit tidier. Again, it’s not a difficult project for a DIYer to do, and it means that when your bins aren’t being used they’re not cluttering up your outside space. Make sure both the top of the shelter and the front opens. That way you can easily get bins in and out, and you can also lift the top to put bags and rubbish in throughout the week. If you’re sick of looking at ugly bins then fear not, gather the materials you need for this project and follow a step by step guide online.

Set it in a Pond or Hot Tub

Finally, something that looks really impressive is setting a pond or hot tub within your decking. This might be something that’s best left to a professional company, but it can look really stunning and high end. Because the hot tub or pond is set within the deck it looks seamless and expensive- a fun option to consider.

Are you a fan of decking? Which of these options appeals to you most?

Love Happy x