In my mind I was just going to lay normal decking flush with the ground where I’ve removed an old greenhouse. However next door have huge bamboo type plants growing against the fence which is right by my planned decking. I cba with cleaning bamboo crap / treating the decking yearly.

So I’m wondering about laying either composite decking or some 20mm thick porcelain wood effect slabs instead. Area is about 2.4m x 2.1m.

I’ve already dug out the ground to a depth of around 6-8 inches I think it is. Wife wants a flush with the grass surface.

With composite decking some websites would lead me to believe I need to use a vast amount of proprietary stuff as well as the deck boards – listing out corner pieces / trims / boards / 2 different screw sizes / metal brackets / composite cross beams / alloy cross beams etc. When prices up that came to about £550 for the materials.

Could I just build a normal decking frame of large joists with posts concreted into the ground and just screw the composite deck boards to them? That would seem cheaper and easier and I’ve built decking before that looks decent.

The other option seems a pain but would probably have better longevity. 20mm porcelain slabs – with a compacted layer of aggregate, then 100mm of concrete – then use a thin layer of exterior adhesive. But that relies on me mixing all the concrete properly and ending up with a near perfectly flat surface to lay the adhesive on. Apparently the backs of the tiles might need some other treatment on to make them stick with the adhesive too. Sounds griefy- but it’s what we’ve got a lot of around the outside of the house and it’s a really nice product.

I’ve not mixed concrete before other than postcreting many fence posts in. I’ve cut / laid ceramic floor tiles inside the house so I think I’ll be ok with that. Just need to work out how to cut 20mm porcelain tiles as I’m guessing that’s pretty tough. I have a 4.5” and 9” grinders and I think the builders who laid our existing patio used a grinder with diamond blade in……

Any thoughts or advice?

You’ll be fine fitting composite decking onto a standard tantalised frame, much less work than the slabbing, and if you don’t like it after a few years, much easier to remove. Or even to use the composite deck elsewhere.

The composite decking I’ve used still requires airflow beneath.
Cheap PVC stuff maybe not but that stuff is cheap for a reason.

Why does it require airflow?.

Composite decking is largely timber and plastic

Not impervious to rot if you have poor air flow

It would have airflow under it other than where it sits on the joist. I’ve dug out the ground and may need to dig slightly deeper still so the joists don’t sit on the mud too. From a work and enjoying doing it perspective the composite decking is winning. If I assume I need 15x 2.4m deck boards x say £15 a board thats £225.

I’d probably go 300mm centres with very chunky joists just in case the wife decides something stupid like putting a hot tub on it. Would imagine that could support a fair chunk of weight.

Slabs would look nice but the work involved might take me a very long time, plus I’d need to hire one of those compator things for the aggregate, then a cement mixer. I looked into pouring a concrete slab and it’s not really economical for that small an area – it would need pumping really.

Composite decking is largely timber and plastic

Not impervious to rot if you have poor air flow

Never used it, didn’t realise it had wood pulp in it tbh.

Bet it’d still last bloody years without airflow.

Because of the wood fibres I suppose.
Most composite is made of wood (or alternative natural) flour/fibres then pvc capped on 1, 3 or 4 sides. You’d then seal the cut ends. As moisture evaporates upwards of you dont have 4 sealed sides then that moisture will end up in the board and it will probably swell. Airflow below allows that moisture to disperse as with a timber deck (siding rainscreen, etc)
PVC decking is typically the cheaper moisture imperviuos alternative but technically isn’t composite and doesn’t do well in full sun in the examples I’ve seen.

I’m sure it would too but they still recommend air flow.

I’m in a similar jist of I like the look of timber decking but deckings shit in the UK especially when north facing.

I’m going for cedar composite from Dino decking to contrast against my auld pigeon hut

Why would you fix decking designed not to rot onto posts that will rot?
I’d go for some nice slabs (flags) instead of either of your choices.

Why would you fix decking designed not to rot onto posts that will rot?
I’d go for some nice slabs (flags) instead of either of your choices

Wife wouldn’t go for flagstones – we had this debate before going for grey porcelain tiles. So whatever it is has to look slick and modern – and contrast ok with the grey tiles which aren’t far away from the area to be surfaced.

Pressure treated joists aren’t going to rot in any hurry if they’re off the ground – and the posts will last a good few years in my experience.

I think I might line the edges of the hole with concrete gravel boards to hold the soil / lawn away from the joists.

Pressure treated joists aren’t going to rot in any hurry if they’re off the ground

Nor do the deck boards really, mines lasted 17 years, couple of boards have rotted, I think the joists are still ok but shall find out in the summer if I get around to replacing the boards. Ceramic sounds even more slippy than timber.

I’m in a similar jist of I like the look of timber decking but deckings shit in the UK especially when north facing.

I’ve 2 decks in a north facing garden (single story building though, so gets some light) no issues with either of them. An hour once a year to rattle them with decking oil, nae bother.

we have composite decking (Millboard dark weathered oak) and it’s been excellent. The frame underneath – less so and subject to some rot. We had that replaced. I’d certainly have it again too. I really like it. The frame was 10 years old and the wooden decking on top was very poor.

Spend more on the frame underneath, protect the wood from run-off with wide Gorilla Tape on the top surface and screw down through the board and tape into the frame.

we have composite decking (Millboard dark weathered oak) and it’s been excellent. The frame underneath – less so and subject to some rot. We had that replaced. I’d certainly have it again too. I really like it. The frame was 10 years old and the wooden decking on top was very poor.

Spend more on the frame underneath, protect the wood from run-off with wide Gorilla Tape on the top surface and screw down through the board and tape into the frame.

Posted 1 hour ago

This sounds more positive. When I did my all wood decking I didn’t tape on top of the joists – guess that’s just to stop water pooling on top of it and slowly seeping in?