Why choose composite decking?

Composite Decking provides something other materials do not, and that is the one thing people are always running out of: time. Softwood and Hardwood decking looks superb immediately after is has been cleaned and oiled. They it begins its gradual journey into its maintenance schedule. Cleaning is a scheduled task if you want it done properly. Oiling is a another schedule and weather dependent task if you want it done properly. If you don’t have time to do it, budget £600 per year for a team of 2 people plus materials for a medium sized deck. Now multiply this by 20 years and you get the real comparison figure to compare a Hardwood Deck and high-quality Composite Decking. This is the only way a hardwood deck would ever even come close to looking as good or better than a composite deck over a 20 year lifespan. Thinking you can bypass this with a pressure washer is incorrect. Pressure washers roughs up the surface grains of the wood, so the algae just has more surface to adhere to every time a deck is pressure washed. It actually makes the problem worse. If you are going to properly clean a softwood or hardwood deck, use cleaners from Owatrol or Osmo.

For your composite deck, factor in a £12 mop from Tescos. You hose it down, run over it with a mop, and hose it down again. That is it. For 20 years minimum. By that point, you may have to replace your timber frame on your decking, but your composite boards will still be in good condition to be re-laid provided you chose a premium brand (like Trex which is what we primarily install and recommend).

So when you are gathering quotes for your decking project, remember that over a 20 year period, add £12,000 for Hardwood and £240 for premium Composite Decking. Add those 2 numbers onto all of your quotes and you will see a true comparison of the difference materials makes. That’s what it costs to keep hardwood looking as good as a superior grade of Composite Decking.

Planning your decking frame: its all about the doors

The area featured a significant elevation drop, meaning if paving was being considered it would require a significant amount of backfill to fill the void. This really is where decking shines, when you have elevation changes and fairly large undulating spaces, all working to a millimetre perfect finishing point. The elevation from the house bi-fold doors to the low wall meant we had approximately 20cm in total to work with to include the decking boards, the decking frame, and the frame supports to clear the wall. This frame would have an open cavity under it for the majority of the decking of up to 50 cm depth, which for us means a fairly large amount of airflow.

The goal was to have the top surface of the decking as close as possible with the interior flooring. The transition from Indoor to Outdoor should be as seamless as possible. You do not want steps or elevation changes all of which can causse trip hazards, so the work and thought around your doors is crucial part of the planning phase. The doors are the reference point for the height of the rest of the project.

The other intial planning details for this deck revolved around a double picture frame design, an inset planter bed, the Stairs down to the lower paved area, and step lighting. The future plans included more lighting down both sides of the garden, hose and cable runs to the garden, and the possibility of building a storage unit of some kind along the slat fence side of the deck.

Advanced planning for future lighting plans as well as any electrical or water supplies is always a good idea. Running a power cable and an HDPE water pipe from the house under the deck to a potential future access point gives you options, just cap them at either end, to protect them, and leave yourself some slack and an easy access point to them.

What is a picture frame design or layout?

The Double Picture frame design is very popular for wider decks as it gives a polished finished look. This modern look does away with random boards butting up against eachother and leaves crisp, clean lines. It is ideal for a contemporary sleek appearance. The boards all line up perfectly and the two sections are separated at a fixed point by what is called a Breaker Board. We centred the breaker board on the main door from the house. It is not the exact centre of the deck, however it is the central focal point when viewing the deck from the house and draws your eye towards the entrance. The look is completed with a perimiter border, leaving the appearance, from an aerial view, of a 2 panel window, hence the name double picture frame. We extended the east picture frame down around the corner to the side door.

WPC Composite decking expands and contracts slightly as the temperatures change. Using a picture frame design has a practical function as well as aesthetics as it allows the expansion and contraction to occur fairly consistently without pusshing boards out of possition.

The alternatives to this include the traditional design method of butting up boards against eachother. Thiss method utilises the least amount of decking boards, however it also creates a mish-mash of lines across your new deck. If you are looking for a more natural, cottage look, this may be for you and there is a decking board for that too!

Inset Planter Beds to break up and soften the grid pattern

The second key design feature for this deck was the inset planter bed. This is my favorite feature of this project as it adds something completely different to the project which you don’t often see. I would like to see more of these in our future designs as it is a beautiful way to break up areas with natural plants which soften what is overall a modern design.

Closed Staircases: made chunkier to become part of the furniture

A closed staircase joining decking with a lower level is often used to delineate strength and safety, however when it is expanded into a feature with its own expansive top, it can become more of a feature on its own. The tops of this closed staircase are already the regular location for drinks, phones, and anything needing to be set down while moving to the lower garden area. They are big enough to be sat on as a casual perch, the cat certainly finds them useful for this, however the tops can easily be converted permanently, or temporarily, to become feature planter beds.

Adding permenant features to your decking in key areas maximises the durability of premium composite decking. These decking boards will outlast any garden furniture you can buy so why not use them for a raised bed, a bench, a table or ledge, or another permanent structure in your garden. There is almost no end to uses for this building material. Also, almost every premium decking builder we speak to actually enjoys these aspects of projects as it is something a bit different and we do love custom requests.

Garden Lighting: highlight crucial elevation changes for safety

The last item to be added to this modern decking design was lighting. The idea initially was to highlight the step area with recessed step lighting for safety. After some discusssion the client advised he would be adding lighting down both sides of the garden as well along the planter beds. It is also possible more deck lighting may be added. When these types of discussions take place it is extremey helpful to recommend a future-proof solution. We installed an Inlite Smart Hub 150. This includes 3 ports for 3 separate cables, each of which become individual Zones on the Inlite App (on Android and Apple) each of these Zones can be managed independenty of eachother. So we set up the start of Zone 1 with these recessed Inlite Dot 22mm Lights with Stainless Steel Bezels. There is approximately 32 linear mts of Cable left on that Zone, tucked away safety behind our decking, ready for any future additions. There is enough cable to go all the way down one side of the rear garden or wrap the entire exterior border of the deck. Thats 1 of 3 zones. Zone 2 will most likely follow the fence on the side the Hub has been installed and be spike lighting mixed in with the planting.

We almost always recommend Inlite Smart Hub 150s for our garden decking projects as even if you haven’t decided on your whole plans, they can expand with you and they have a ssignificant range of options to highlight any garden feature, no matter how subtle you want it to be. They also come with a 5 year warranty.

Decking Frame, Bearers & Posts used for this project

• Use Class 4 treated timber with a C24 Rating
• Trex Protect Joist Tape to prevent water damage to our Timber Frame
• 100 x 100mm composite posts, notched and bolted to the frame to provide a rot free support system
• Carpenters Mate Flat Head and Hex Head Structural Screws which come with a lifetime warranty and are approved to BSEN 1995-1-1 (which makes them a building control approved alternative to the M10 coach bolt)

Premium Composite Decking used for this project

• Trex Transcend Lineage Biscayne composite decking boardss, our most popular colour for the past 2 years
  • includes a 50 Year Warranty, including against fade and stain
  • will not crack, warp, rot
  • easy clean with a mop and warm water, for the entirety of its 50 years
  • no treatment, oiling, or sanding required
  • can be installed with Trex Hidden Fixings or Hidden Screws and Plugs so the entirety of this deck has no vissible fixings
• Trex Transcend Lineage Bisscayne fascia boards
  • all of the advantages listed above but in a slightly wider and thinner board, ussed on the fascias of the stepss to reduce unattractive additional lines
• Order Trex samples online by clicking here

Premium Lighting system used for this project

• Inlite Smart Hub 150
• Inlite Smart Bridge to add wifi connectivity to your Smart Hub 150
• Inlight Dot 22 recesssed lights with 28mm Stainless Steel Bezels
• Request your Inlite Brochure by clicking here

First Contact

If you are in the initial planning stages of a Decking project. There are multiple AI Models and Software to help plan your project if you want to dive in like the The Trex Visualizer Tool Free Deck AR Visualiser App for Your Phone | Trex | Trex

If you prefer an initial discussion on property, and you are in the Greater London area or within an hour or so drive, get in touch with us via email at enquiry@oilcanfinish.com or call/Whatsapp us at +447919344450, or fill in the contact form below.

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Medium sized front gardens, especially on wider properties like this one, are often underused. Vehicles have to be considered, a clear walking path, and some planters and beds to soften the look and feel.Bikes, scooters, prams, and Recycling Bins.

Most houses now have 3-5 recycling bins. As collections moved from 1 week to 2 weeks, recycling bins had to become larger. They now dominate a section of the front garden and as important as recycling bins are, they are ugly. Recycling bins destroy designed garden schemes, stand well above beautiful plants ensuring they are visible, and are unfortunately a variety of colours and sizes.

Pram wheels get dirty, unpacking them completely seems a bit pointless, and having them dominate the front entrance to a home also raises its own interior design questions.

Bikes and Scooters are never clean. Never. But always required for every journey.

The idea behind this project was to make use of an area of the garden which was completely unused, tidy up the property boundary in an attractive, modern design style. The fencing was designed to suit both the client and their neighbors and afford both of them some privacy.

The multiuse Bin Store and Shed solved the rest of the issues.

For the fencing, due to the 1.5mt difference in elevation between the two properties, we had to utilise 3.9mt fence posts. Naturally we used Jacksons Fencing posts as they come with a 25 year Jakcure Service Life Guarantee. These posts are the main support structure for the entire project and are the last thing you want to replace. Each fence post also has adjustable Stainless Steel Resin Bolts, with washers and nuts on both sides of the post, attaching them to the wall, as well as being concreted into the ground. Having the posts 15cm from the wall, with washers and nuts on either side of the posts, allows for minor adjustments to be made over time if required. Easy, one tool maintenance, with only a spanner required.

The contemporary screen fence is made of 20x44mm Chamfered and Planed Smooth Redwood Slats from Champion Timber. These slats are smooth to the touch amd are treated to Use Class 4 against insect attack and wood rot, the highest level used in residential environments (Use Class 5 is used primarily in Marine environments). The slats are attached with Stainless Steel nails to avoid the unsightly rust lines that will form over time when Carbon Steel nails are used, regardless if they are Painted, Coated, or Galvanised.

The bin store has 5 bays with top and front opening doors. To secure the front and divider sections of the bin store over time, we sunk a 50x125mm Composite Joist in the ground with Composite Posts. Composite Materials are ideal for underground uses like this as they will never rot. We attached the front sections of our bin store to this buried Composite Bearer to prevent movement over time to keep the doors in good working order. Again, if adjustments are required the fixings are accessible.

The Storage Shed at the end of the bin store was built slightly differently. We had to keep the same Slatted appearance, but it’s function was slightly more important. The top of the Shed has a Waterproof Polycarbonate Sheet which keeps everything dry inside. On top of the Polycarbonate sheet we have a Slat Panel to keep the appearance consistent.

The door to the Bin Store was larger and a slightly odd shape compared to the Bin Store Doors, so it was constructed out of light weight, rust free alumimium.

For the hardware, we used Stainless Steel Parliament Hinges for all doors, 22 hinges in total, with stainless steel screws. This again prevents rust from damaging the appearance. Aluminium is one of the few metals which does not cause Galvanic Corrossion when it is in direct contact with Stainless Steel.

We used small tube handles on the Bin Store Doors to keep their appearance minimal, and a Stainless Steel switch deadbolt latch for the Shed.

This was a bespoke project to meet the specific needs of this property and clients. The main obstacle to this project was the elevation change at ground level. It slopes in 2 different directions towards the front door of the house. The front of the bin store is taller than the back of the bin store, hence the angle on the shed door.

The advantage of bespoke is that everything is made to suit the specific space and no space is wasted. The disadvantage of bespoke is usually the cost when compared to factory made products, however it is not a like for like comparison as one is unique to the space it resides, and the other is a fast-built box which has to fit into the space.

If you like the idea of a solidly constructed Bin Store, but have a level ground surface already, take a look at Jacksons Fencing Bin Stores which also come with a 25 Year Guarantee and are straightforward to assemble significantly reducing the cost.

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The previous fencing had begun to rot and the old double gates had dropped and fallen out of alignment with eachother making it impossible to close them securely. The clients regularly use the side gate, as the weekly tradesmen entrance for the gardening team. The brick piers were in various states, with some having failed mortar which required resetting and one to the left of the double gates being completely out of level. This post was deemed to be outside the scope of this project,

As always, we recommended Jacksons Fencing products for their quality, detail, and 25 Year Jakcure Service Life Guarantee. All materials had to be customised on site to fit the area. The bays between the brick piers on this bespoke fencing project in Wimbledon SW19 were all different heights and widths so standard products would not work. If you are familiar with SW19 post code, this property is at the top of a steep hill leading from Ridgeway and Wimbledon Village down to Wimbledon town centre, so to offset the varying height changes on the street, It was decided the top line would be consistent on either side of the entry for consistency.

The double gates are hung on galvanised steel posts which have been clad with matching timber to the gates. The gates themselves have a galvanised steel frame within the body of the doors to prevent them from dropping over their lifespan. They have also been factory fitted with a Jacksons Fencing J Lock which is keyed on both sides. They also have drop bolts for both gates to make it east to secure the property. The posts and centre drop bolts have been cleaned up with freshly laid tarmac to provide an easy to clean and maintain area.

The clients also had an old Oak Pedestrian side gate which we refinished taking off decades of stains and greyed wood fibres bring it back to its former glory,

Visit Oilcanfinish Outdoor Livings main Fencing Page for more details on our fencing options.

Visit Jacksons Fencing to view their product lines in more detail at https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/

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This garden project was nearly complete redo. The old garden had been designed well, with Decking coming out from the kitchen extention, 2 brick planter beds Framing the Decking steps, and then paving going to the back area where there was a shed on a concrete slab. The main issue was the Bamboo had taken over significant parts of the garden making most of the space unusable, the Decking frame was rotted out and unsafe, and the rendering on the brick Planters was cracked and broken off in sections.

The first part of the project was to remove the old decking, and install their new fencing and rear gate. For the Fencing the clients selected Jacksons Fencing in Featheredge Panels with a matching Jacksons Fencing Gate.

During the fencing build the clients decided to have all of the Bamboo removed, This is a significant task so a specialist company came in to dig this out. The Bamboo had grown under the concrete pad of the shed so the shed and concrete was also removed.Once this was done they also replaced their rear doors with new bi-fold doors, then a rendering specialist came back and did the rear wall and re-rendered the 2 raised beds.Then it was back to us to build the new decking frame.

For the Decking Frame we used Jacksons Fencing Decking Joists with their 25 Year Service Life Guarantee. The frame was supported by 3 rows of Bearers set onto notched composite Posts cemented into the ground. All Joists were taped using Walther Strong Joist Tape to protect the tops of the Joists from excess water damage. Finally we added our Landscaping Fabric and Gravel to prevent weed growth under the deck.

For the Decking the clients chose the always stylish Millboard Enhanced Grain Decking boards with Bullnose Boards for the exterior border and leading edge of the steps. They selected Ashwood, one of Millboard new colours introduced in 2024.

Explore the Jacksons Fencing Range here: www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk

Explore the Millboard Enhanced Grain Decking Range here: https://www.millboard.com/en-gb/composite-decking-collections/enhanced-grain/antique-oak

Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living are premium decking and fencing contractors based in Wimbledon SW19. We are Jacksons Fencing Approved Installers and Millboard Approved Installers. Get in touch to plan your next project at enquiry@oilcanfinish.com

Want to see some of our other projects? Click here.

The post Millboard Decking in Wimbledon SW19 appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

There was an old timber deck in position which had seen better days. The plan was to install a low maintenance deck, in almost an identical position to the previous Decking, lowering it by approximately 15cm to incorporate one more row of the paving steps coming down from the back patio.

The main reason the old decking had failed was the frame, it was timber, it had an out of date support method which relied fully on the connecting screws bearing all of the weight, and the joists were too far apart. All timber frames will eventually rot on low level decks in the UK, it is just a question of how long it will take.

To avoid those occurring again, the clients opted for a composite frame which is rot free, This frame was set onto several rows of composite bearers, which were seated on composite posts cemented into the ground.

The decking itself is Millboard Enhanced Grain Decking in their Golden Oak colour. This gives a light, natural looking finish which is easy to clean, has very high slip resistance, and comes with a 25 year warranty,

When you combine Millboard Composite decking Boards with a Millboard composite frame the result is a lasting installation which they will be enjoying for decades,

Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living are Millboard Approved Installers. We have all gone through Millboards training program and our projects are inspected on a regular basis to ensure we continue to meet or exceed Millboard installation techniques.

Visit www.Millboard.co.uk for more information on their Decking and Cladding products and order samples.

View our main decking information here.

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The front garden Fencing had rotted out and the gate was almost unusable. They opted for Jacksons Fencing with matching Gate. Having had us install Jacksons Fencing at their previous property they knew exactly what they wanted here when we arrived.

In the rear garden, there was a timber deck which was set below ground level so the decking Boards were level with the Paving. This looks superb when new, however it does require composite or aluminium Framing due to the low levels of air circulation in these types of decks. In this instance, the frame had rotten out in sections and the decking was dangerous.

The last piece of the puzzle was an old Trellis section which had seen better days. We showed our clients a similar project we had carried out the previous year and the Trellis Partition Wall was also added to the project.

Trellis Partition Screen Wall

For this section of the Garden Remodel we used Jacksons Fencing Vertical Tongue & Groove Fencing at 90 cm height for the bottom section and Jacksons Fencing Premier Trellis Panels for the top combined with their Posts, Gravel Boards and Capping Rails. This sections off the 2 areas of the garden, creates a space for climbing plants if desired, with an easy to navigate walk through. We left the walk through area exactly 1.03mt wide in case the clients decide to add a Jacksons Fencing Trellis Gate in the future.

Riven Sandstone Paving

We replaced the decking with Londonstone Riven Sandstone Paving to match the rest of the paving which was installed. There was a step made of timber decking to the lounge door which we also replaced, building a brick wall step which matches the steps to the kitchen in terms of design, colour, and layout. This paving is sitting on a compacted bed of MOT Type1 to prevent movement over time. We also extended the inset planter bed to match the other side of the rear garden. The paving was pointed with a natural looking Pointing Compound which replicates a Sand and Cement Mortar mix without the naturally occurring cracking which often occurs.

Front Garden Jacksons Tongue & Groove Fencing and Brook Gate

For the front garden we replaced the old gate which was catching on the paving as it had dropped, and removed the old fencing. We installed Jacksons Fencing Vertical Tongue & Groove Panel Fencing with one section trimmed to match the neighbors slat Fencing angle. The entry was finished with a Jacksons Fencing Brook Gate with a Stainless Steel Long Throw Keyed Lock. We always add a Capping Rail above our Gate installs to reduce the chance of movement over time which most gates experience. The Capping Rail keeps both posts the identical distance they should be regardless of timber expansion or contraction meaning the hinges and locks won’t require seasonal adjustments.

Jacksons Fencing Approved Installers

All Jacksons Fencing Timber products come with a 25 Year Service Life Guarantee, the only guarantee of its kind in the UK. Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living are a Jacksons Fencing Approved Installer. We also offer a 2 Year Installation Guarantee that warranties our installations are free of defects and if one is found, we will repair at no additional charge.

Due to the range of styles, quality of product, warranty, and aftercare service, we only recommend and install Jacksons Fencing for our Garden Remodel projects,

Jacksons Fencing have a network of the best Installers throughout the UK. If your property is too far from Wimbledon SW19 for us to carry out your work, Jacksons will find one of their Approved Fence Contractors closer to you.

https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/installation-and-advice/approved-fence-installation

Visit Londonstone for more Paving ideas. They have showrooms throughout Southwest London

Contact us to schedule a visit to discuss your property plans.

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The post Trex Composite Decking in Wimbledon SW19 appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

The previous wood plastic composite decking had been installed without any expansion gaps and was made using low quality decking. When low quality decking is manufactured it has the incorrect balance between wood and plastic and also low quality wood and plastic, meaning it shrinks and expands as seasonal temperatures change.

The client selected Millboard Smoked Oak for their flooring. Millboard Decking has one of the lowest expansion rates available in the UK, meaning it maintains its dimensions regardless of the weather.

We added lighting and boxed in the Olive Tree to ensure the soil stays in place.

Millboard Enhanced Grain Smoked Oak Decking

The post Millboard Courtyard Decking in Wimbledon SW19 appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

This is a larger project where we have been contracted to remove the existing decking and frame completely, and build Millboard balcony decking including new footings, posts, bearers, frame as well as installing the Millboard Decking, Frameless Glass Ballustrades, and Staircase to the Garden. The project is in Wimbledon SW20.

Phase 2, Day 10 | Millboard Decking Installation & Picture Frame

Phase 2, Day 5 | Framing

Phase 2, Day 3 | Decking Wall Plates

The run of very good weather is permitting some very strong daily progress on this project.

Phase 2, Day 2 | 15 Aug 2023 | Decking Frame Posts and Bearers

Phase 2, Day 1 | 14 Aug 2023 | Deck Frame Posts and Bearers

Phase 1 Update | Footings

Phase 1 included removal of the old decking, clearing the area, digging our new concrete footings and pouring them.

We did see something rare when removing this deck. 9 of the Joists actually ran inside the back wall of the house and were sitting on/within the wall using the brickwork as supports. So this required some careful removal followed by repairs to the holes they left behind once removed.

Phase 1 Start

This is the original deck we are replacing. It is an unusual layout and as their are now 2 sets of doors leading to it, versus the original single set of doors, the old layout doesn’t work anymore. That and wood rot are the reason we are here.

The post Millboard Terrace Decking in Wimbledon SW20 appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

The client brief was to change their patio to something more usable. It was highly unlevel sloping significantly away from the house down to the lawn area. It was laid with paving slabs which were sitting on several different layers of concrete with some very old brick paving 20cm below the existing slabs.

Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living are a Millboard Approved Installer in Wimbledon SW19

The client decided on a split level deck which would extend from one fence to the other with a single step down from the kitchen to allow the side access lane to be level with the deck making moving Bikes into and out of the garden step-free.

The main deck is Millboard Enhanced Grain in Coppered Oak. We used Millboard Bullnose Boards to offer a very attractive edging solution for this split level deck and steps with it’s rounded finish profile. We also used the new Millboard Enhanced Grain SB Boards for the picture frames. This allowed us to project the Bullnose Board over the elevation change and narrow the same board run back smoothly where the Bullnose Board met the side wall. The front edge of the deck was finished with Millboard Rigid Fascias.

One of the advantages of Millboard is the fact that it contains no wood, which means it does not expand or contract as the temperature and humidity changes which helps keep mitre joints closed and gaps between Decking Boards stay consistent.

For the Framing we used Supreme Concrete Dekposts for a rot free support system combined with 50×150 mm Use Class 4 Timber Joists. We taped these joists with Walther Strong Joist Tape to protect the tops from water damage over time, and to hide the wood Framing.

The end result is a low maintenance deck with a very high slip resistance, one of the advantages of Millboard Enhanced Grain. Scuffs and scratches can be reported with Millboard Touch Up Paint. Millboard is also very easy to clean.

Explore all Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living Decking recommendations.

Explore Millboard Decking Range at https://millboard.co.uk/decking

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