Timber decking boards or wood decking is commonly used for external hard landscaping as an alternative to paving or flags. It is also a solution for covering old, damaged concrete or rough, uneven ground.

 

Decking raises exterior entertaining areas above damp or muddy ground, and presents a totally level area for garden furniture. One big benefit of the timber deck is that unlike a patio or terrace it can be built to the same level as the floors inside a property, creating an ‘outdoor’ room effect.

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The key factor in selecting wood for use out-of-doors is durability - its ability to resist the conditions that give rise to decay (i.e. wood will start to decay when its moisture content is persistently above 22%). Some species of wood have a natural ability to resist decay completely; others have varying degrees of natural durability and may require treatment.

 

Softwood is used a lot more for decking because it tends to be less costly and easier to work with than hardwoods. However the rich attractive colours of some hardwoods add greatly to their appeal.

 

Naturally durable hardwoods are usually higher in density than softwood and their impact and abrasion resistant properties are reasons why they are used on commercial projects that have a lot of heavy use.

 

Properly constructed, hardwood, or pressure treated softwood, decks can provide an equivalent performance. Pressure treated softwood species are commonly used for the substructure of decks irrespective of the deck board material.  British / European Standards allow you to specify pressure treated softwoods with a 15, 30 or 60 years desired service life. The industry default specification is 15 years. 

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The most commonly used softwood for decking is pressure treated pine such as European Redwood, Scots Pine and Southern Yellow Pine. They account for around 80% of all decks because they are less costly and easier to work with than hardwoods.  

 

However Accoya, a modified softwood, which has exceptional aesthetics and weatherproofing properties can also be used for decking. Commonly used hardwoods for decking are Balau, Oak, Iroko, Sweet Chestnut, and Utile.​