The frame rots out of sight
Joists in contact with soil, or with no airflow beneath, rot from below while the boards still look fine. The repair is a rebuild, not a re-board.
Decking · Bracknell, Berkshire & Surrey
Timber And Composite DeckingIn Bracknell, Built On FramesThat Do Not Move
A level, solid, non-bouncing deck that drains properly and still feels firm in year five, because the frame under it is specified for your ground, not for a quick finish. Free site visit and a written quote within 48 hours.
20+ years' experience · Up to 5 years' guarantee · £5m public liability insured
Fencing experience
Public liability insured
Guarantee on new installs
Quote after your site visit
Checkatrade member
Service overview
What A Deck IsUnder The Boards
Decking is a raised timber or composite platform on a supported joist frame. The boards are what you see and the least of the work: the deck's life is decided by bearer and joist spacing, how the frame is supported off the ground, whether air can move under it, and how water leaves the structure.
We build timber decks in pressure-treated softwood and composite decks in wood-polymer boards, set out with the correct joist centres for the board being used, composite generally needs closer centres than timber, and getting that wrong is what produces a springy, sagging deck.
Why professional installation matters
Decks fail for structural reasons, not decorative ones. Joists at too-wide centres flex: a frame sitting directly on soil rots from underneath: no ventilation gap traps damp: boards laid without drainage gaps hold water and grow algae; and a deck fixed to a wall without thought about the damp-proof course causes problems inside the house rather than outside it.
We build the frame first and properly, then board it, and we hold £5,000,000 public liability insurance and employers' liability cover for the work.
Who it is for
- Homeowners wanting usable outdoor living space off the back of the house
- Gardens with an awkward level change where paving would mean major groundwork
- Families wanting a flat, safe surface for furniture, a hot tub base or a seating area
- Landlords and commercial clients needing a low-maintenance composite surface
When it is needed
- The existing deck bounces, feels soft underfoot or has boards lifting at the ends
- The garden falls away from the house and the level ground is unusable
- Paving would mean digging out and disposing of a large volume of spoil
- You want the boundary fence, screening and deck done as one coordinated job
What it costs to wait
What A Badly Built DeckCosts You Later
A deck hides its own faults. By the time the surface tells you something is wrong, the frame has usually been wet for years.
Movement becomes a safety issue
Flexing boards and a moving frame put load on fixings and handrails. That is a trip and fall risk exactly where people sit and children run.
Water goes the wrong way
A deck built hard against a wall with no drainage path pushes water at the brickwork and, at worst, above the damp-proof course.
Slippery, algae-covered surface
Boards with no drainage gap and no airflow stay wet, grow algae and turn a garden feature into something you avoid for half the year.
Common mistakes we are called out to fix
- Laying joists straight onto soil or bark instead of supported off the ground
- Using timber joist centres for composite boards, which then sag between supports
- Building tight to the house with no ventilation or drainage gap
- Skipping the fall so water sits on the surface instead of running off
- Boarding over an old, failing frame to save money on the rebuild
- Using untreated timber or non-galvanised fixings anywhere in the structure
Our process
Five Steps From EnquiryTo Guaranteed Finish
- 01
Free site visit and levels
We look at the levels across the whole area, the fall away from the house, what the frame can bear onto, access for materials and spoil, and where the deck should stop so it does not fight the boundary or a drain.
- 02
Written quote within 48 hours
You get the frame specification, board type, area, any steps or balustrade and the expected duration in writing, normally within 48 hours. Timber and composite can be priced side by side so you can compare properly.
- 03
Site preparation and frame
The area is cleared, the ground prepared, and the bearers and joists set out at the correct centres for the boards being used, supported off the ground with airflow beneath and a deliberate fall for drainage.
- 04
Boarding, steps and edges
Boards are laid with correct drainage and expansion gaps, fixed with galvanised or system fixings, and edges, steps, fascias and any balustrade are finished so there are no exposed cut ends or trip edges.
- 05
Check, clear and guarantee
We load-check the deck, walk the whole surface for movement and proud fixings, sweep it down and take the waste and old decking away. New installations carry up to 5 years' guarantee depending on the style built; payment is due on completion.
What you get
The Practical DifferenceOn Your Property
Solid underfoot
Joist centres matched to the board, supported off the ground: a deck that does not bounce when someone walks past your chair.
Drains and dries
Deliberate fall, correct board gaps and airflow beneath, so the surface is not permanently wet and slippery.
Usable garden on a slope
A level platform where the ground falls away, without the excavation and spoil disposal a patio would need.
Composite option, no maintenance
Composite boards remove staining, sanding and annual treating entirely. We price both so the difference is visible.
Guaranteed build
Up to 5 years' guarantee on new installations, and £5m public liability plus employers' liability cover throughout.
One contractor for the whole garden
Clearance, fencing, screening and decking handled together, so levels and finishes line up and there is one point of responsibility.
Detail that matters
Decking In Detail, Materials, Methods And Variations
Timber decking versus composite decking
Pressure-treated softwood is the lower up-front cost and the easier material to shape around awkward corners, planters and trees. It needs cleaning and re-treating to keep its colour and its life, and boards will occasionally need replacing.
Composite decking costs more initially and then costs you almost nothing: no staining, no sanding, stable colour, and better grip than wet, algae-covered timber. It needs closer joist centres and correct expansion gaps at the ends, which is why a composite deck should be framed for composite from the start rather than boarded over a timber-spec frame.
Frame, support and ventilation
Bearers and joists are pressure-treated and set at centres appropriate to the board. The frame is supported clear of the ground, on a prepared bearing surface rather than in contact with soil, with airflow beneath so timber can dry.
Where the deck meets the house we keep a ventilation and drainage gap and set the deck height with the damp-proof course in mind. Around drains, inspection covers, downpipes and mature roots we set out the frame so those stay accessible rather than being decked over permanently.
Steps, balustrades and finishes
Raised decks need safe access and edge protection: steps set to an even rise, treads deep enough to be comfortable, and balustrade where the drop warrants it. Fascia boards close off the frame, keep the underside out of sight and stop leaves packing in.
We can also build in matched screening or trellis along the boundary side of a deck, so a raised seating area does not overlook a neighbour and does not need a separate contractor.
Domestic and commercial decking
Domestic decks are typically seating and dining areas off the back of the house, raised platforms in sloping gardens and bases for garden buildings or hot tubs, for hot tubs, the frame is specified for the loaded weight, not the empty shell. Commercial and landlord work leans towards composite for its lifespan, grip and lack of ongoing maintenance.
We build decking across Bracknell, Wokingham, Camberley, Ascot, Reading, Bagshot, Addlestone, Chertsey and Windlesham.
Related services
Areas we cover for this service
Bracknell · Wokingham · Camberley · Ascot · Reading · Bagshot · Addlestone · Chertsey · Windlesham
Based in Bracknell, working across Berkshire and Surrey every day. See the full areas we cover or contact us to check your postcode.
Before you enquire
DeckingQuestions, Answered
Still not sure? Call 07939 405646 and speak to Robert directly, no call centre, no sales script.
- How much does decking cost in Bracknell?
- It depends on area, height off the ground, board type, steps and balustrade, and how much clearance or old decking removal is needed first. We measure and check levels on a free site visit and send a written quote, normally within 48 hours.
- How long does a deck take to build?
- A straightforward ground-level deck is usually a small number of days; raised decks with steps and balustrade take longer. The expected duration is stated on your quote before you commit.
- Is composite decking better than timber?
- For maintenance and grip, yes, no staining, stable colour and better footing when wet. Timber costs less up front and is easier to shape around awkward features. We price both after the site visit so you can compare real figures rather than opinions.
- How long does decking last?
- A pressure-treated timber deck on a correctly ventilated, supported frame lasts many years with cleaning and re-treating; composite lasts longer still with no treatment. Decks that fail early nearly always have a frame in contact with soil or no airflow beneath.
- What guarantee do I get on decking?
- New installations carry up to 5 years' guarantee depending on the style installed. We also hold £5,000,000 public liability insurance and employers' liability cover.
- Can you build decking on a sloping garden?
- Yes: that is one of the strongest reasons to deck rather than pave. The frame is built to bring the surface level while the ground falls away underneath, without excavating and removing spoil.
- Can you remove my old decking first?
- Yes. Old decking and frames are stripped out and taken away, and that is included on the quote rather than added later. We also handle full garden clearance if the area needs more than the deck removing.
- Will decking be slippery in winter?
- Not if it is built to drain and ventilate, and composite boards give better wet grip than smooth timber. Standing water and no airflow are what grow the algae that makes decking slippery.
- Can you build a deck for a hot tub?
- Yes, with the frame specified for the loaded weight of a filled tub and occupants rather than for foot traffic. Tell us the model on the site visit so the support is designed around it.
- When do I pay for decking work?
- On the day of completion, once you have seen the finished deck. Credit and debit card, bank transfer and cash are accepted.
Next step
Get Your Decking LevelledPriced And Booked In
Free site visit, timber and composite priced side by side within 48 hours, up to 5 years' guarantee.
- Free site visit before any price
- Written quote within 48 hours
- Repairs from £150 + VAT
- Up to 5 years' guarantee on new installs
- £5m public liability insured
- Payment due on completion
Book Your Free Site VisitTailored quote within 48 hours. Payment is due on completion.
Prefer to talk it through? 07939 405646