Replacement of old Paved Patio and Step

The paving edges projecting into the lawn were rounded which minimised the usable space on the upper level and left awkward and unusable space on the lower level where not only did the space not get used but also it was almost impossible to get the lawn to grow in.Like all of our decking projects, the main goal was to increase the usable space, make it as low maintainence as possible, and improve the appearance.

The paving was difficult to keep clean, grout constantly needed to be repaired, and it was not very user friendly for a premium garden where a smooth, flat surface which is easy to keep clean surface was required. Maintenance for patios is very different from a Trex Deck, where only a mop and a hose is required. When this is combined with a long life warranty it means decades of low maintenance living which is one of the primary attractions of our decking installations.

Planning the Decking and Step Layout and Design

To increase the usable space, you have to be ruthless in your planning. If you have awkward corners and edges in your terrace this forces you to position rectangular furniture into the middle of the terrace, this reduces your usable space. The edging has to be planned with the end-use in mind. Rounded edges work very well when part of the intended walkways, so leading to or from steps, or with built in or custom furniture.

For a terrace this size, it is large enough to have at least 2 room sized areas as well as access to the lower garden. The 2 most popular room areas would be a dining area and a lounge area with sofas, coffee table, and chairs. For access to the lower garden, you need to make the stairs as flexible as possible for any combination of future furniture positioning. The easiest way to do this is with wide stairs as it gives you as much flexibility as possible for furniture positioning without limiting access to the lawn area.

Trex Lineage Biscayne Composite Decking

The decking specified for this project was Trex Lineage Biscayne.

Trex Lineage decking comes with a 50 Year Warranty. It is a Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) decking board which is Capped. The Trex capping has their proprietary Sun Comfortable technology making it cooler under bare feet than other WPC and PVC Decking boards.

Biscayne has been one of our most popular products since it became available in the UK. The colouring of Biscayne is an almost identical match to wood which has silvered from prolonged UV light. This means the colour of Biscayne is almost always already in most garden colour schemes across the Fencing and any other timber products in the garden, including existing Hardwood Furniture. Biscayne is a non-risk colour as it does not alter the colour scheme of most properties and it is the perfect blended background for the more vibrant colours of planting, feature walls, or furniture. If your budget doesn’t allow for Lineage Biscayne, take a look at Rocky Harbor in the Trex Enhance Naturals range as the colours are very similar.

Explore the Trex Decking and Railing Range at https://uk.trex.com/

Outdure Aluminium Decking Frame

We had between 50-70mm clearance for our decking frame. This limits options to timber, composite, or alumimium. We could have used 50 x 50mm timber, however this would certainly rot swiftly due to a lack of air circulation under this deck. 50 x 50mm composite (HDPE Plastic) would have also worked, however this material expands and contracts significantly as well as being highly flexible, meaning it would require far more support pedastals. The best option for these types of projects is Aluminium Framing.

We specified 45 x 45 Outdure Aluminium Framing for this project, with 45 x 135mm Framing for the Steps. Aluminium has the same advantages HDPE Plastic framing does, it is immune to wood rot and insect attack. Aluminium deck framing also has almost no expansion and contraction meaning the frame will stay where it is without movement over time.

Aluminium Deck Framing is also far more rigid meaning less pedestal supports are required. The Outdure Aluminium Frame also comes with its own system of corner and fascia brackets meaning and the joists are 5.8mt length, meaning assembly is far faster than HDPE Plastic Frames.

Outdure Aluminium Framing comes with a 30 Year Guarantee, the longest Guarantee available in the UK for any decking frame options.

Explore the Outdure Aluminium Decking Frame system at https://www.outdure.com/uk/

The post Trex Lineage Composite Decking in Watford WD17 appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

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.

Name *

First

Last

Email *

Telephone *

Address *

Comment or Message *

Submit

The post Composite Decking Installation Raynes Park SW20: Modern Picture-Frame Design and LED Lighting appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

Decking Design

The clients knew what they wanted from day one. The client had done initial drawings of the decking plan and sent them to us prior to our initial site meeting.

The design posed a unique challenge: with two main entry points and corner walls on either side, we had to ensure that the decking was installed perfectly level to align with the drip trays of both sets of doors. Any slope could have resulted in water pooling, which we wanted to avoid.

This resulted in us recommended a decking board which drains water very well versus one which requires a significantly sloping frame to drain off water. Decking with deep grooves or etched wood grain finishes hold water unless installed at an angle. 

The main upper deck features decking boards running perpindicular to the rear of the house providing visual depth leading a person to view beyond the decking to the garden. The longer length of Trex Decking boards means we do not have any butt joints, where two boards bump up against eachother to cover a longer distance, on the main upper deck. We added a perimiter edging border to the upper deck to give it a modern polished finish, trimming the boards around the door drip trays.

Pyramid Step Design

The custom-designed pyramid step creates a striking visual feature while softening the sharp corner of the extension. By extending the deck past the building, we were able to maximize usable space, moving away from the previous, standard rectangular design.

The pyramid steps also opens up and connects the deck to one of the lower level areas for future lower level lawn area plans. Subtle changes to design elements like incorporating a pyramid step design make the transition from lower lawn area to the upper deck a feature which stands out and personalises the project. 

Decking Ballustrades with Blackened Cable Wires

For the balustrades, the clients requested a sleek design featuring black posts with black wire balustrades. This modern look would provide safety and security while complementing the contemporary feel of the deck. After discussing their needs, we recommended Trex Posts and Signature Handrails for their durability and clean aesthetic, as well as S3i Group’s blackened stainless steel wires, which provide a striking contrast against the decking. We recommended Trex posts and signature handrails for their long-term durability, they come in Black, White, and Dark Brown.

They also wanted a Ballustrade at the other side of the deck, however we proposed a wall mounted Handrail on that side which worked better than taking up valuable space on their decking. Posts for Ballustrades would have pushed the handrail out over the pyramid steps taking away from the overall look.

Deck Lighting

The lighting plan was streamlined to a single row of LED lights along the top edge of the decking, providing subtle mood lighting that enhances the ambiance. Combined with the wall-mounted lights on the house, this offers the perfect amount of illumination for evening gatherings.

Fencing Panels

To complete the project, we replaced the old fencing with Jacksons Fencing Tongue & Groove Panels, installed vertically to add vertical lines that complement the horizontal design of the decking. These panels offer a refined finish and will gradually silver over time, beautifully matching the Trex Lineage Biscayne decking. With two rendered walls giving a strong meditterean feel, timber fencing provides a more natural colour finish to assist in softening the overall appearance.

The final result was a beautifully integrated outdoor space that blends seamlessly with the modern home, offering both form and function. The clients were thrilled with the outcome, from the carefully crafted decking design to the stunning pyramid steps and the sleek, low-maintenance finishes. This project not only elevated the aesthetic of the property but also created a durable, long-lasting area for entertaining and relaxation.

Products & Manufacturers used in this decking installation:

Decking, Ballustrades, Posts & Handrails:

• Trex Lineage Biscayne Decking Dimensions 4.8mt x 140mm x 24mm | 50 Year Manufacturers Guarantee
• Trex Siganture Railing in Black | 25 Year Manufacturers Guarantee
• Trex Signature Ballustrade Posts in Black | 25 Year Manufacturers Guarantee
• Visit trex.co.uk for more information or to request samples

Fencing

• Jacksons Fencing Vertical Tongue & Groove Fence Panels 1.83mt x 1.83mt
• Visit Jacksons Fencing for more ideas a fencing styles

Wire Ballustrade:

• S3I Blackened Stainless Steel Wire Rope Ballustrade Kits
• S3i Anthracite Black Stainless Steel Handrail Kit with Angled Stem Plate Bracket
• Visit s3i.co.uk for Ironmongery and Ballustrade options

About Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living

Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living are custom decking builders working with only the best materials for the project. We work with clients to create their dream deck, whether it is the transition from the back of your house to the garden, a balcony, a rooftop terrace, or an oasis at the back of the garden. We will make your dream garden a reality.

We are part of several Approved Installer programs from premium manufacturers of Garden Decking and Fencing products including TrexPro Platinum level installers, Inlite Partners, and we are the 2024 Jacksons Fencing Approved Installers of the Year.

Book an Appointment with Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living

Name *

First

Last

Email *

Telephone *

Address *

Comment or Message *

Submit

The post Transforming a Surbiton KT6 Garden: A Custom Composite Decking Installation with Pyramid Steps & Blackened Ballustrades appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

This Composite Decking project in West Hampstead NW6 included the installation of Trex Composite Decking. Oilcanfinish also built a custom balcony and staircase using Composite decking in combination with Hardwood Ballustrades and Posts. We also cladded the sides of the staircase, making the area under the stairs a storage shed to to provide usable storage space, always a premium in London gardens.

The Bespoke Hardwood Ballustrades were also manufactured and installed by Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

The client was looking for a low maintenance option which blended over time with its natural surroundings. All timber turns silvers over time due to UV Light from the sun. Matching this silvered timber with a low maintenance composite decking colour is easy with Trex as they have 2-3 board options from their Signature, Transcend Lineage, and Enhance Naturals ranges designed specifically to maych this colour.

Decking Products selected

The client selected Trex Transcend Lineage composite decking in the colour Biscayne for their Upper Balcony and Staircase. 

For the lower level decking, the client selected Trex Enhance Naturals composite decking in the colour Toasted Sand. 

For the Ballustrades, the client selected a tropical hardwood, we installed Sapelle Posts, Handrail and Baserails, and Spindles.

Over time, UV Light will turn the ballustrades silver making them a perfect match with the Trex Lineage Biscayne decking.

Framing & Simpsons Strong Tie

We have a set system for installing balconies based on strict building standards in North West USA which are more specific than the UK. It specifically enhanced the Post and Bearer sections of the build. Our posts do not go into the ground, they go onto a freshly poured concrete footing and are attached with Simpson Strong Tie Post Shoes which elevate the post off the concrete pad to allow water to drain off. This increases the length of service for the post. 

The second element is to rest our double bearers on top of the posts to force the weight transfer down the length of the post to the concrete pad. To do this we notch the top of our posts to slot in our double bearers. Side mounted framing timber (screwed or bolted to the side of the posts) forces the weight onto the screw itself, not down the post. If you screw fails, the whole project fails. No side mounted bearers are permitted.

So no posts installed into the ground, and all posts and bearers are connected to the frame using Simpson Strong Tie steel structural brackets and post shoes.

Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living are TrexPro Platinum level installers, the highest level within the Trex Approved Installer program.

Visit our main Balcony & Terrace Decking Page for more case studies.

Visit Trex UK for more decking ideas

The post Trex Lineage Biscayne | Composite Decking in West Hampstead NW6 appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

The brief for this project was the design and installation of a walk out deck which required robust framing to accommodate the severe sloping garden, in some cases the new deck would be nearly 2 mts from the ground level. Decking is the ideal option for Guildford and the Surrey Hills due to the elevation changes in most gardens in the region. Porcelain Paving is always popular however the backfill and retainer walling needed to support the paving is often far too extensive.

There had been an old timber decking wrapping around the house however it was no longer safe so it had been removed prior to our arrival.

The property slopes significantly down from the house.

Composite Decking Boards | Trex Lineage Biscayne WPC

Their are numerous options in the UK for composite decking. It is very important to select your products carefully and choose a brand which has been in business for as long as the warranty they offer, has a significant UK presence in case you ever do need to follow up with them, and manufacture in a way which is ecologically and ethically sound. We always recommend decking manufactured in the USA or Europe to ensure the manufacturing, and not just the product sales and distribution, are protected by policies like the Modern Slavery Act.

Our clients selected Trex Transcend Lineage in Biscayne. This premium decking is made in the USA and is a wood plastic composite which is rot free and will not splinter, warp. It is comes with a Fade and Stain Warranty.

Decking Contractor Substructure | Footings & Bearers

One of the most important aspects for areas like Guildford and the Surrey Hills, where you find sloping gardens like this one, is to ensure the decking is fully supported structurally. This is where employing a professional Decking Contractor becomes more important. Oilcanfinish specialise in this type of extensive structural supports. For this project we installed 15 Concrete footings reinforced with Steel Rebar. Our structural supports sit on top of those footings, lifted off the footing using a Simpson Strong Tie Galvanised Steel Post Shoe. This prevents water from pooling at bottom of the post meaning it doesn’t rot prematurely the way most posts do.

On top of our posts, we notch out an opening for two C24 Structural Bearers bolted together. We have 4 rows of these Bearers supporting the entire structure.

The we built out frame on top of these 3 bearer rows. The frame is also C24 Structurally Rated timber treated to Use Class 4, the strongest rating available for Residential installs. Use Class 4 Timber has the highest rating for Preservative treatment for Residential installs meaning it is highly resistant to Wood Rot and Insect attack.

To further protect the frame we top all of our Joists with Trex Protect Joist Capping Tape. This is a butyl based tape which forms a waterproof seal around the screws, preventing water from travelling down the decking screw into the centre of the timber joist. This is again to prevent wood rot.

Lastly all of our timber cuts are treated with Barretines Cut End Preserver to protect the ends where we have cut the timber to size.

Building a premium deck is expensive and you want it to last as long as possible before having to redo all of the work. A significant amount of planning goes into making sure our decks are both structurally sound, compliant, and will last as long as possible providing the homeowner with the best return on their investment.

Visit our main Balcony & Terrace Decking Page for more case studies.

Visit Trex UK for more decking ideas.

The post Trex Transcend Lineage Biscayne | Composite Decking Contractor in Guildford GU1 appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

The post Trex Composite Decking in Kew TW9 appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

The back of this garden was largely unusable. Healthy lawn struggled to grow due to a lack of daylight, the side fencing had collapsed. The clients decided to turn the rear of their property into a highlight of their garden with a beautiful multi-use garden work out room with heating and air-conditioning, wrapped with beautiful composite decking, with a multi-use exercise ladder frame projecting through the decking, and new premium fencing to complete the transformation.

Fencing

Jacksons Fencing Tongue & Groove. Our most popular Fencing products.

For the fencing the clients selected Jacksons Fencing Tongue & Groove Panels with Jacksons Planed Smooth Posts and Capping Rails. While these can be stained in any colour you would like (once the Preservative has fully dried) they will naturally silver from exposure to UV light. No staining, painting, or treatment of any kind is required for Jacksons Fencing Jakcure 25 Year Service Life Guarantee. Learn more about Jacksons Fencing Jakcure Guarantee by clicking here: Jacksons Fencing 25 Year Guarantee

Decking

Trex Transcend Tropicals Island Mist.

For the Decking, the clients selected Trex Transcend composite decking in Island Mist. This decking is one of our favourites due to its colour tones and for it’s durability. All of our clients love it as it is so straightforward to clean. A Mop and soapy water, a quick rinse afterwards with the garden hose and it’s ready for company. Learn more about Trex Transcend Decking by clicking here: Trex Transcend Decking

This decking comes in Grooved Edge boards, Square edge boards, with matching Fascia Boards for the front of the deck. One of the key advantages of Trex Transcend Decking is that it is a 24mm thick solid decking board which also has a compatible Screw and Plug system as well as the Trex Hidden Clip system. The Screw and Plugs mean you can secure the boards to your decking frame, covering the screw holes with the plugs which blend perfectly with the rest of the deck. No visible fixings with the strength of face fixed decking screws.

Visit our Jacksons Fencing Main Page

The post Trex Transcend Composite Decking in Putney SW15 appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.

The post Trex Transcend Lineage Decking | Wentworth Estate, Virginia Water, GU25 appeared first on Oilcanfinish Outdoor Living.