North American trend

Decking has become popular because people are travelling more and seeing decking in North America. Decking has been around in Canada and the US for years because they have the weather to enable them to spend a lot of time outdoors, barbecuing and even sitting in hot tubs

Rules and railings

There are no building regulations here concerning railings for decking because it is such a new thing although they tend to follow the rules for interiors. In Canada, where I'm from, decks under 2 ft high don't need railings. Railings on a small, low-level deck can make you feel very hemmed in and will make the area look like a playpen, although that is exactly what one customer wanted - somewhere for his two and three year olds to play! On small decks, benches work well to stop people walking off and on to the deck from anywhere, and are great as a place to put plant pots without obscuring the line of vision.

Shades of grey

All wood goes grey when it's been outside for a while as it's bleached by the sun and rain so if you want it a different colour you will have to stain it around once a year. Each type of wood goes a different shade of grey with pine turning a rather dull grey while cedar bleaches to a more silvery grey, which looks beautiful.

It's no good varnishing the deck, because if water gets into the wood it will expand and crack the varnish. The wood needs to be protected with a coat of oil each year which will help it resist water. You need to use a vegetable-based oil - such as sunflower - or a water based-one that will penetrate the wood's cell structure.

Durability testing

All exterior woods will twist, warp and cup to some extent. Trees that grow in harsh climates tend to grow more slowly and so the rings they add on each year will be much closer together - this wood is more durable because the number of close-set rings help reinforce the wood, so ask about this. About 20 to 30 rings per 6 inches shows a good quality wood. There is a classification system for wood denoting its durability so ask about this when you're buying decking - some will be guaranteed for 15 years, others 40. The amount of twisting also depends on how the wood is laid - the screws shouldn't line up in planks next to each other. Some decking comes with a clip system which means that you won't have surface screws. You must use stainless steel or galvanised screws on decking.

Keep it clean

Decks aren't high maintenance but they do needs cleaning. Wood isn't slippery - when it's formed into planks, it cuts through the cells in the wood so there are actually hundreds of tiny little semi-circles that act as minute suction cups - but it will become lethal when dirt builds up.

Soil and dirt mixed with water creates a very slippery surface as do algae and moss growth, so you need to clean the deck once a year with a power hose and deck cleaner, preferably in spring. It also helps to hose down your deck every time you water the plants. If you put a deck on the north-facing side of your house, the lack of sun means that you'll have to clean it more often - about twice a year. If the north side of your home is the only place a deck can go, consider siting it away from the house in a sunny part of the garden.

Elevated space

Decking does extend your living space and because it's normally at the same level as the floor in the house I've seen customers almost grow taller and expand their chests as they emerge from the house onto the decking. It's often elevated so you're looking out over quite a wide area.

Softwood expansion

Exterior wood constantly expands and contracts in the sun and rain causing checks, which are small splits in the surface - but this is natural and doesn't indicate that the wood is splitting apart. It happens more with softwood than it does with hardwood because of the grain structure.

Unpolished charm

People often think decking will be the same as an internal wooden floor but decking wood isn't finished to the same degree as interior wood - that will have been buffed and sanded and have any flaws filled in. Decking is unfinished wood and that is part of its charm.

Time and effort

An average sized deck of 15 square yards will take an experienced fitter around two or three days to complete while a competent DIYer will do it in about twice that time. Last year about 20 to 30 per cent of our customers laid their own decks and this year that's risen to around 40 per cent.

Doing the sums

An average price for a fitted deck is £75 (95) a square yard although there are so many variables in the designs and types of wood. A hardwood deck will cost nearer £100 (127).

A deck you lay yourself will cost around £30 (38) less a square yard.

Rob Richards is the technical representative at The Deck Centre, Woodlawn Industrial Estate, Dublin 9. Tel: 01 842 4499