How to build a deck on a sloping garden

Building a garden deck is a lot easier than you might think, with a basic knowledge of DIY and few hand tools anyone can do it. Decking can be a great way to level off a slope and make it a usable space. Read on to find out how . . . . . . .

garden decking 4

When we first moved in to our new house the garden was no more than a sloped area filled with top soil. The builders had put in a small patio and some steps leading down to the back gate but the rest was unusable. I wanted a garden which was easy to maintain and to make the most of the area by levelling off as much as possible of the back yard and to design a tiered or split level garden space.

If you're thinking of building a similar timber deck in an area of your garden then the first thing to do is to get some fairly accurate measurements. This is important because when it comes to ordering the materials you will need to know what size of joists and boards to buy.

Get a price list from your local decking supplier, these have the different sizes of joists and boards available and what length they come in. By using accurate drawings the information on the price list can be used to work out the amount and, more importantly, the lengths of timber to buy to avoid unnecessary joints.

Finding solid fixing points to build the decking on is a very important factor, ideally the deck should be free standing. In my garden I had a substantial wall to support one end of the decking but I didn't want the other sides to be resting directly onto the patio slabs. Over time the weight of the decking could loosen the slabs and make them rock. So digging holes down to find a solid subsoil is preferable.

Here is a step by step break down of the building of my decking, hopefully this will answer any questions you had when you decided to look on the Internet for more information.

Next Page - The Plans