Making the most of your decking

With the summer season hotting up most homeowners like to retreat to their gardens. A fautless garden feature with multiple uses, make your decking a part of your lifestyle.

Ideal for hosting parties, dining or generally relaxing with the family, decking is the best and most pratical way to have your garden looking sleek, stylish as well as eay to manage in next to no time. With that in mind Charlie Dimmock gives us her advice on how to uncover your decking's potential.

Charlie's advice

• Ensure you have a good backdrop of evergreen and flowering shrubs as these don't need a lot of maintenance and they add real interest and colour all year round and add any key colour with containers.



• Keep any wooden furniture looking tip top and brand spanking new by coating it with a garden furniture oil. Go for a water based product that is eco friendly, as not only will you be making the wood look great, but you'll be doing your bit for the environment too.



• Consider two-tiered deck to add a bit of variety and create different distinct areas - for example a place for plants and a place to sit.



• Always coat your decking with an oil or a stain to prevent it from discolouring. If you want to keep the colour the same, then use a clear decking oil.



• If positioning garden furniture on top of decking ensure that there is adequate space around the furniture for people to access it easily.



• Make sure that containers can drain properly - they may need to rest on 'feet'. In summer stand them in saucers, so that they retain the water.



• Personalise or customise your decking with trellis, pergolas, balustrades, steps and so on.



• Always check for damaged decking boards and replace as necessary - these can be an eyesore, and could pose a tripping hazard.



• For weathered or grey decking use a decking cleaner and reviver which will bring the wood back to its natural colour. This will also remove moss, algae and fungi that can make decking slippery and unsightly.



• Try to complete your maintenance of a decking area by the end of May at the latest; that way you can enjoy it for the rest of the summer.



• Solar power lights in the mean that you can use your decking for longer into the evenings - while being kind to the environment.

For more information on Ronseal's range of woodcare products please visit www.ronseal.co.uk/eco.

More advice from Charlie Dimmock

- Guide to home composting
- Making the most of your shed