Work with a Professional Decking Installer for your dream project
Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living are first and foremost carpenters. We design and install luxury timber decking, composite decking, and wood free Millboard Decking. The various decking options available can make deciding a complex process.
Jot down all of your Decking questions and schedule an appointment.
During our visit we will take measurements first, then we can go through everything together, from differences between deck board options, how hot it will be under bare feet, how hard it is to clean it, whether it needs a regular maintenance schedule.
Low Maintenance Composite Decking and Wood Free Decking is available in a variety of colour options. These decks have an extensive service life well beyond softwood timber and require very little maintenance. Composite decking will not rot or crack and is not affected by moisture or wood boring insects providing a lasting option for your garden. Our most popular composite decking installation requests are for Trex composite decking and Millboard wood free-decking.
Our first choice for softwood decking is Jacksons Fencing Heavy Duty Decking boards. These come with a 25 year guarantee as well as a softwood price. If you do not need your decking to last 25 years, or would prefer a smooth finish vs ribbed, we would recommend Pressure Treated Redwood Decking. The next upgrade levels from these for softwoods would be Siberian Larch which has natural resistances to Fungus and Insect Attack in a similar way Cedar does, and of course Canadian Western Red Cedar Decking. If considering softwood decking, please bear in mind it may require more maintenance than other timber decking options.
Hardwood Decking is the ultimate product for longevity and appearance. Yellow Balau, IPE, and Iroko can not be surpassed in terms of decking durability. These woods, when maintained correctly, can last 50 years and look far superior to any other products on the market. They are also the most expensive options available and must be installed by experienced professionals to achieve the benefits.
Decking Builder Pricing
When planning your project, you will find Deck Builder pricing varies greatly which is primarily down to decking boards, frame, and the experience of the decking installers you are using. A significant part of Deck Builder pricing is the Deck Framing and the detail finishing you want. The Deck Framing is very important as you do not want your decking boards to outlast your frame. Read up on our Deck Framing options and email us or schedule a visit to discuss these options in more detail.
All of our decking quotes are fully itemised down to the last box of screws so you know exactly what materials are going under your new garden decking.
Decking Planning Permission
Putting up decking, or other raised platforms, in your garden is permitted development, not needing an application for planning permission, providing:
- The decking is no more than 30cm above the ground
- Together with other extensions, outbuildings etc, the decking or platforms cover no more than 50 per cent of the garden area.
- None of the decking or platform is on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation.
In certain areas, additional limitations apply:
- In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered more than 20 metres from the house is limited to 10 square metres.
- On Article 2(3) designated land* no decking or platform is permitted either side of the house.
- Within the curtilage of a listed building, no decking or platform is permitted.
If the decking forms part of a larger piece of work (e.g. an extension with additional decking), then there may be different/further rules which apply to the entire development. These could mean planning permission or prior approval is required.
Please note: The permitted development allowances described here apply to houses and not to:
- Flats and maisonettes (view our guidance on flats and maisonettes)
- Converted houses or houses created through the ‘permitted development’ rights for:
- ‘Changes of use’ (Schedule 2, Part 3, Classes M; N; P; PA and Q) (as detailed in our change of use section).
- ‘New Dwellinghouses’ (Schedule 2, Part 20)
- Other buildings
- Areas where there may be a planning condition, Article 4 Direction or other restriction that limits permitted development rights.
Full details can be found by clicking here: Planning Portal