Decking or any other ideas ?

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LadyBass
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Decking or any other ideas ?

Post by LadyBass »

Hello everyone, would appreciate any advice...

we have a tiny garden 10 metres long by 4 metres wide wich turns into a dusty dump in the summer. We are prevented from watering what passes for grass so are considering decking it all. I wondered if anyone has done decking themselves and how difficult it is and if anyone knows where we could get planking from at a good price?

Any other cheaper ideas of what we could do?

:?
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polremy
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Post by polremy »

After we had our swimming pool put in we had no money left to pay for surrounding paving.
Soooo, we took our little 2cv to a yard in Saint Hippolyte.
They weighed the car, we loaded it up with little stones, they weighed it again. We paid them around 10 euros, drove home (slowly) and scattered the stones all round the pool. Topped it up the following year. It served us very well (bit sharp on bare feet mind you) until we had the dosh to get it done properly.
One little bit of advice - don't go for the really white stones because they will blind you in the height of the summer.
LadyBass
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Stoned.....!

Post by LadyBass »

Thanks for the idea Pol will go and have a lookie, cant quite imagine it, but sounds good... we have an area just beyond where we hope to put an above ground pool and that was gonna be my next question... any advice on above ground pools, am sure yours is a posh one tho ;-)

We are finding a renovation rule that is everything costs twice as much as we thought and takes 3 times as long.... still the sun is shining and I'd rather be in a hovel here, than a palace "there."

Thanks again....
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Kate
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Post by Kate »

Hi LB
Bearing in mind that I don't really know what I'm talking about and am passing on second hand gossip, :oops: I was told recently never to put decking down round here because of the climate, and this is why you don't often see that kind of thing around. Presume (only guessing though) that maybe the heat warps the wood????? :?:
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sue and paul
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Post by sue and paul »

Kate wrote:Hi LB
Bearing in mind that I don't really know what I'm talking about and am passing on second hand gossip, :oops: I was told recently never to put decking down round here because of the climate, and this is why you don't often see that kind of thing around. Presume (only guessing though) that maybe the heat warps the wood????? :?:
Or is it because of termites?

It's a good job you're in France and not Merrye England - if you went into B & Q and said 'I want decking', you'd probably be flattened :lol:
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Kate
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Post by Kate »

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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opas
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Post by opas »

If you are feeling flush you would be OK with Teak: I know somone who has just had her pool surrounded by the stuff to the tune of 15.000 euros!


Lets put it this way it should not warp, after all it is used on ships and Yachts :roll:
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LadyBass
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Decked !

Post by LadyBass »

Wow, blimey.... I hadnt thought of that.... wonder how I can break this to my sister in the Corbieres who has loads of it round her pool ( probably wont ) I guess it could attract termites too...?

Thanks Kate, I have / had a strange longing for decking. I love wood and natural materials but nice stone paving is beyond our budget. Maybe I have to learn to love / nurture my pathetic grass... Just that we have a watering ban every summer and well it looks b awful...

May have to think about Pols stone idea....

Confused of Cassagnes.. :o
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LadyBass
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I would be warped ...

Post by LadyBass »

Think I woul'd be warped at 1500 euros Opas, but its all expensive.... maybe I'll knit something green !

:shock:
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Sue
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decking

Post by Sue »

Why not put down a weed suppressing membrane with gravel on top interspersed with the decking boards you can buy. You could also add plants in pots and tubs.
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LadyBass
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Get Decked at B&Q !

Post by LadyBass »

Ha just seen this Sue, I make howlers like that daily speaking my Catafranglais in Brico... or maybe they just laugh because I'm odd ?? Once asked for a Pere Noel qui monte des batiments... that raised a titter....
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LadyBass
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Membrane...

Post by LadyBass »

I hardly dare ask for one of those... but yes a good plan.. I hadnt thought of getting properly creative just wanted it tidy for table and chairs but thats a good idea... thank you..

This is great, thank you all for this input, I have been worrying about this for about 2 years !

:D
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Sue
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decking

Post by Sue »

Have I missed something?!!!!
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thumbelina
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Post by thumbelina »

:cry:
Last edited by thumbelina on Mon 20 Jun 2011 09:26, edited 1 time in total.
LadyBass
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Thanks Thumbelina

Post by LadyBass »

I am quite excited about this idea but also scared have never been a very creative gardener but I will do some research and see what i can find.

Is there a gardening club ( for dummies) does anyone know?

:lol:
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interiors66
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Post by interiors66 »

just remember , you get what you pay for. softwood decking will look good for the first year or 2 but may start to warp, split shrink or expand in hotter /wet conditions and will need to be treated every spring (regardless if it is pre treated) to keep it in tip top condition. if you pay a little more for a hard wood this should never split/warp and will not need to be treated just pressure washed from time to time. but remember wood is natural and will react differently in different situations.
there are now composite decks (plastic) that come in various colours (inc wood effect) that will never warp split or need treating, they should be non slip when wet and should last a life time.
good luck and my advice is buy the best you can afford.
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Sue
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Post by Sue »

Everything we have outdoors which is plastic seems to go brittle and disintegrate over time with the sun/heat. Is this decking treated against this happening.
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polremy
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Post by polremy »

My brother has one of those composite decking thingies. (In England)
It looks fabulous.
It's been in place for about 8 years and, as far as I know, needs no attention at all and looks just the same as the day it was laid.
Mind you, it probably cost a fortune.
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Composite...

Post by LadyBass »

interiors66 wrote:just remember , you get what you pay for. softwood decking will look good for the first year or 2 but may start to warp, split shrink or expand in hotter /wet conditions and will need to be treated every spring (regardless if it is pre treated) to keep it in tip top condition. if you pay a little more for a hard wood this should never split/warp and will not need to be treated just pressure washed from time to time. but remember wood is natural and will react differently in different situations.
there are now composite decks (plastic) that come in various colours (inc wood effect) that will never warp split or need treating, they should be non slip when wet and should last a life time.
good luck and my advice is buy the best you can afford.
sounds great Int 66... where would you buy the composite stuff? The budget is the real issue I can guarantee every single time I go to buy anything my choice would be the most expensive... until I look at my budget and then have to get creative. Mind you I have spent a fortune over the years trying to save money so if it lasts a lifetime... it may be worth doing.. As my dear departed Mama used to say "buy good, buy once !"
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interiors66
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Post by interiors66 »

all the usual stores i'm sure will sell it( leroy , casto etc.) , but i have definately seen it at lapeyre recently , point p sell it so i'm sure other builders merchants will do also.
LadyBass
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Thnx

Post by LadyBass »

Thank you Int66... more research and more saving up !

Think I may have to get creative first and then do proper decking later...
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admiral
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Post by admiral »

I'm in the deck business in Ireland, you can do a lot with wood, seats pergolas if you need shade, etc

Consider some built in seating, no taking chairs in / out of shed etc

If the deck is screwed down not nailed the boards cannot warp/move

in the British aisles , softwood can get slippy in Nth facing gardens, not an issue in Sth France, i'd imagine

Allow a slight fall, for drainage, membrane under deck to stop grass growing. Deck needs to be properly supported on concrete pads

If was my deck I would lay boards with smooth side up (not ridged), better drainage, wood grain more evident


rather than decking 100% of your back garden, leave some space for landscaping


https://picasaweb.google.com/decksappea ... 0872940899#
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Steve&Julie
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Post by Steve&Julie »

THanks for that post, as you know lady, we have exactly the same as you and we have also been searching around for ideas. I don't think anything wooden is a good idea re termites (our house had all its original wood removed when we bought it due to this problem). I have seen tiling in strips that looks like decking but that could be pricey so I think we are going to go with the arty gravel with maybe one of those circular mill wheel patio features to put a table and chairs and a BBQ on. Be interested to know how you get on....
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russell
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Post by russell »

We've just put gravel down to replace half of our grass area (you couldn't call it lawn!). Hard work though - it took 6 tonnes of gravel to do 100 square metres. Looks good but I don't think it will be as low maintenance as I hoped. There are already loads of leaves to pick up!

As for decking; we put a Brazillian hardwood round our pool about seven years ago and there is no sign of problems yet. Again, hard work fixing it with 2000 stainless steel screws!

Russell.
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malcolmcooper
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Post by malcolmcooper »

Just a thought, this stuff looks great...

http://www.asgoodasgrass.co.uk/gallery.php
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Sue
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Post by Sue »

The site our caravan on has this as do one or two of the owners and it really does look like the real thing.
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russell
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Re: decking

Post by russell »

Sue wrote:The site our caravan on has this as do one or two of the owners and it really does look like the real thing.
I'm sure the owners look good wearing artificial grass. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Russell.
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Sue
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Decking

Post by Sue »

Yes, very Hawaian!!
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LadyBass
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Astro turf

Post by LadyBass »

;-)

could be a bit ticklish...
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