Attractive and Functional Garden Decking Ideas

Whether you’re considering installing new decking in your garden or looking for ways to enliven your existing decking that has lost its vigour, this guide will take you through some fantastic ideas to make the most of garden decking, and show some of the beautiful decking boards we offer through our website.

Ideas and Inspiration for Your Garden Decking

Level Up Your Garden Decking

With enough space, you can install your garden decking on multiple levels. This is particularly effective in gardens with steep slopes. Adding steps and risen platforms in your decking can give the installation dimension and aesthetic appeal.

Round the Edges

As garden decking comes in planks, it can be tempting to lay them to create a square or rectangular shape. This is an effective look that can be finished off with handrails to complete your decking and accentuate its uniformity.

However, there is nothing stopping you from cutting and sanding down the edges of your decking boards to create more interesting shapes. Circular decking, for example, is extremely striking and will add a touch of uniqueness to your garden space.

Add a Splash of Colour

We have a wide range of stained and painted composite decking, all of which can elevate the overall look of your garden by adding a pop of colour. Natural wooden tones are timeless and effective in their own right, but a striking shade might just set your garden decking apart.

Incorporate Nature

With some foreplanning, you can shape your garden decking to hem certain natural features. Flowers and shrubbery are a brilliant way to blend and soften the striking shapes and edges of your decking. Sections can even be cut out of the centre of your decking to make room for a tree or some other form of green life.

Something for the Kids

Garden decking creates a sectional space that can be enjoyed by children too, offering a new level to play on and a place to enjoy summer days. You can even cut a section into your decking to install an embedded sandpit, perfect for adding a new dimension to playtime.

Light It Up

Enjoying your garden decking is not only reserved for the daytime or bright summer evenings. When laying your decking, you can prepare the boards by cutting holes for LED decking lights. Wiring can be hidden under the main structure of the decking boards, and with the right arrangement, you can illuminate your new build and the nighttime activities you enjoy on it.

We recommend choosing LED spots and evenly spacing them along the edges of your decking. This will provide light and shape without obstructing floor space. 

The Types of Garden Decking We Offer

We offer a fantastic selection of garden decking for sale, split into two types, timber and composite, which bring their own looks and benefits to a garden project.

Timber Decking

We use the finest cuts of redwood and E-treat each board, which is a process that involves treating the softwood, under immense pressure, with a chemical mixture that bolsters its strength and durability while enhancing its natural green hue.

Within our range of timber decking, we offer:

• Standard Timber Decking Boards:These are cut with tight grooves for extra grip during all weather conditions. The high-pressure finish accentuates its natural redwood grain which, when installed, works in perfect unison with its outdoor surroundings.

• Anti-Slip Timber Decking Boards: Made from the same cuts of redwood, these boards have added anti-slip inserts. The grooved texture of the boards themselves is already slip-resistant, but by adding this textured insert, the risk of slips and falls in wet or icy weather is considerably reduced. 

Composite Decking

Our composite decking is a brilliant addition to any garden, with completely reversible boards for additional versatility in style. The boards also come in a variety of colours, including classic redwood, olive green, sleek ivory, stone grey, and deep charcoal. 

The ‘composite’ from which they are made consists of 60% hardwood and 40% polyethene, both of which are 100% recycled. From there the two materials are bonded together to create an attractive and high-strength finished product.

Like our timber range, the composite decking we offer can be split into three sub-categories:

• Hollow Domestic Grade: Featuring slip-resistant bevelling and a smooth finish. They are incredibly easy to install and do not require additional refinishing once they are in. We recommend fitting with the narrow grooves facing up, for extra grip.

• Solid Commercial Grade: Similar to our hollow domestic range, the solid commercial decking is, as it states in its name, solid. These boards are reversible, featuring a tightly lined surface for anti-slip, or a smooth side for a classic wood plank look.

• Woodgrain Effect: Its honeycombed structure, like the hollow domestic range, allows for better durability and overall strength. The top side has been cut with a woodgrain patterning that adds character and texture to your garden decking.

View All Composite Decking

Additional Garden Decking Accessories

Aside from an impressive range of garden decking, we also provide various accessories to finish off your decking project and add a stylistic flair. Within our composite range, we have a selection of corner trims to edge your decking and create a uniform finish. 

We can also provide aluminium handrail balustrades, which have been powder-coated to prevent rust, splintering, warping, and corrosion.

Reasons to Choose Us for Your Garden Decking

With the range we provide, Building Materials Nationwide stands as a catch-all for your building projects, including top-quality garden decking. Whether you’re a professional landscaper or a DIY-friendly homeowner, our range is ready and waiting to be used. Order today and take advantage of our fast nationwide delivery.

We take speed and ease one step further with our trade accounts, which offer a dedicated account manager who can help you to plan and order materials for current and future projects. We’ll streamline your processes, saving you time and money. 

Sign up for a trade account here.