Decking or any other ideas ?
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Decking or any other ideas ?
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?
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?
It's not a rehearsal....
- polremy
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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.
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.
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Stoned.....!
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....
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....
It's not a rehearsal....
- Kate
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Hi LB
Bearing in mind that I don't really know what I'm talking about and am passing on second hand gossip, 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?????
Bearing in mind that I don't really know what I'm talking about and am passing on second hand gossip, 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?????
- sue and paul
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Or is it because of termites?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, 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?????
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
- opas
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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
Lets put it this way it should not warp, after all it is used on ships and Yachts
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Debeneur.
property management, changeovers, garden maintenance, no job too small. Highchair, travelcot, pram hire.
Debeneur.
property management, changeovers, garden maintenance, no job too small. Highchair, travelcot, pram hire.
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Decked !
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..
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..
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I would be warped ...
Think I woul'd be warped at 1500 euros Opas, but its all expensive.... maybe I'll knit something green !
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Get Decked at B&Q !
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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Membrane...
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 !
This is great, thank you all for this input, I have been worrying about this for about 2 years !
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- Sue
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Last edited by thumbelina on Mon 20 Jun 2011 09:26, edited 1 time in total.
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Thanks Thumbelina
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?
Is there a gardening club ( for dummies) does anyone know?
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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.
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.
- polremy
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Composite...
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 !"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.
It's not a rehearsal....
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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#
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#
- Steve&Julie
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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....
- russell
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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.
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.
- malcolmcooper
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- russell
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Re: decking
I'm sure the owners look good wearing artificial grass.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.
Russell.
- Sue
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