How Much Does Decking Installation Cost?

Installing wooden decking outside your home is a great way of filling up some of that garden space while also upgrading the overall aesthetic. But appearance aside, wooden decking is also quite useful. For example, the chances of slipping when walking on it during wet weather are much slimmer than walking on concrete or paved patios. 

And when it comes down to cost, buying decking and having it installed is usually quite affordable. The average cost of hardwood decking for example is around £70 per m2. However, installation prices tend to vary depending on the company you’re using.

But let’s look a bit more in-depth at how much it costs to buy and have decking installed.

So if you are:

• Planning on installing decking in your back garden.
• Looking to find out how much decking installation costs.
• Interested in what the average price of decking materials is.

Then this is the post for you!

Decking prices

Before you go on to buy any type of decking, measure the area where you’ll want it installed. Doing this is quite easy – simply measure the length and the width of the future decking area in meters and multiply the numbers. What you’ll be left with is the size of your decking area in square meters which will make calculating the final price of the decking super easy.

Decking prices usually vary depending on the materials used. Therefore, to oversimplify things for you, we’ve broken down the average pricing per sq meter of different types of decking. 

Deck material:

This will make figuring out the final price for the materials quite easy, just multiply the square meters of your proposed area with the price of the decking per square meter. But beware that this price doesn’t include the cost of installation.

Decking installation prices

Decking labour costs in the UK vary, since every decking project is different, so is the price. For example, a smaller job can cost you between £500 and £600, while a bigger one can go up to  £2000 and above. Also bear in mind that prices vary from area to area, so if you’re located in a place like London, you’ll be looking at a higher premium.

And if your deck has a weirder shape, not your typical square or a rectangle, and requires some serious shaping, the cost will be even higher. This happens due to the fact that cutting out complex shapes requires more time and manpower. 

Decking installation process

If you decide to go with a professional service for the deck installation, this is how it’s going to go down:

Preparation

The will-be decking area is first measured and a peg is hammered into the ground at each corner. A string is run through each peg to mark out the perimeter. Then all of the vegetation, weeds and rock are removed and it’s checked if the area is even or not. And last but not least, the future decking area is covered with weed control fabric and fine gravel.

Building of the frame

Joist timber is arranged throughout the perimeter, cut to length if needed and screwed together to create the outer boundary. The spots where the joists will go in are then marked and screwed into the perimeter frame.

A coat of clear wood preserver is applied to the decking boards and is left to dry while work on the subframe continues. If the spirit level of the decking’s subframe is not horizontal, a few paving slabs are packed underneath it until it’s levelled.

Laying the decking

The decking boards are laid starting from the corner of the frame and across the joists. A 5 mm expansion gap is left between each board. The joists are then screwed to the deck with two screws for each joist. Pilot screw holes are then drilled into the board. The cut end grain is dabbed with wood preserver so that it soaks in well.

All of the joints are then staggered and each board is finished at the centre of a joist. Every board is screwed, still keeping a 5 mm expansion gap. Finally, the screws under the surface of the boards are countersinked. 

Applying the finishing touch

All the edges are smoothed out using a sander and another coat of clear wood preserver is applied. Once dry, the wooden deck can then be painted, stained or oiled.

Hiring a professional landscaper

Installing a deck in your garden can be a long and tiresome project, especially if you have no prior know-how. There’s also a lot that can go wrong, and you don’t want that especially when you’re already spending so much money on materials. Save yourself the hassles and book decking installation with Fantastic Services!

Takeaways

• To save money on this project, consider building the decking on top of an already existing patio area. Planted areas and undulating ground can increase the price of installation.
• Decking prices can be anywhere from £12 to £183 £/m2.
• There’s no average price of decking installation as every project is unique in its own way.
• Decking installation costs depend on the size of the area you want covered in decking, the city you’re in, and much more.

Image source: Christine Bird/shutterstock.com