Deck building guides
Practical guides on the parts of a deck nobody sees: foundations, joist protection, fixings, gaps and ventilation. Written for deck builders, installers and dealers.
Why the deck substructure matters more than the boards
Clients see the boards, but the frame underneath decides how long a deck lasts. What a good substructure is made of, layer by layer, and where decks fail.
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Joist tape: why the cheapest layer decides how long a deck lasts
What joist tape does, butyl vs bitumen vs rubber, which width to use, and how to apply it properly on timber and aluminium frames.
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Hidden deck screws vs face screws vs clips: which to choose
Hidden edge screws, visible face screws or clips: how the three ways to fix deck boards compare on looks, speed, cost, board fit and maintenance.
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A2, A4, C4 or SS410? Choosing decking screws by climate and timber
What the steel grade on a box of decking screws means, and which to use inland, by the sea, by a pool, in tannin-rich hardwood or on aluminium joists.
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Deck board gaps and ventilation: the numbers that matter
How wide the gaps between deck boards should be, why the void under the deck must breathe, and how spacers and air pads keep a deck dry.
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Pedestal decks on roofs, balconies and slabs: a planning guide
Planning a deck on adjustable pedestals: choosing heights, correcting slope, protecting the roof membrane, drainage and support spacing.
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Ground screws vs concrete footings for decks
An honest comparison of screw-in foundations and concrete footings for decks: speed, cost drivers, soil, frost, removal and environmental impact.
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Anti-slip tape on decks and stairs: where it pays off
Where deck surfaces get slippery, when anti-slip tape is the right fix, how to choose width and colour, and how to apply it so it stays put.
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Deck foundations in regions without ground frost
Where the ground does not freeze, a deck foundation need not go deep. When short wide-head ground screws like Trident Drive fit, and when long piles do.
Read the guide →How to build a deck base where you can't dig
Building a deck over buried services, near tree roots or on protected ground: how a surface block base with an adjustable pedestal works, and its limits.
Read the guide →How many pedestals do I need per m²?
How to estimate deck pedestals per m² for single and double joist layouts, with a worked 20 m² example and how tile pedestals differ.
Read the guide →Choosing ground screw length and diameter for a deck
How soil, frost depth and load decide the ground screw a deck needs: lengths 685–2050 mm, diameters 68–101 mm, head types and when to test first.
Read the guide →Fixing deck boards to aluminium joists
Fixing timber and composite boards to aluminium joists: SS410 self-drilling screws, separating tape, hidden screws or clips, and thermal movement.
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Pedestals for porcelain tiles and paving slabs
How to lay porcelain tiles and concrete or stone slabs on paving pedestals: tile choice, pedestal heights, slope, edges and installation order.
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Deck joist spacing for timber and composite boards
Typical deck joist spacing for softwood, hardwood, thermowood and composite boards, plus diagonal laying, stairs and how spacing sets the support count.
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How to calculate deck materials: a 20 m² example
How to calculate deck materials for the substructure: a worked 20 m² list of supports, joists, joist tape and fixings, plus a reusable method.
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Ground screw load capacity: what really decides it
What sets ground screw load capacity: soil, length, tube and helix, frost, load direction, install torque, and when to load test or ask an engineer.
Read the guide →Do you need planning permission for decking in the UK?
When garden decking needs planning permission in England, Wales and Scotland: the 30 cm and 50 cm height rules, garden coverage, listed homes and flats.
Read the guide →Roof terrace and balcony decking in the UK: the fire rules
Which UK balconies and roof terraces must use non-combustible materials, what changed in 2022, and how pedestals fit on flat roofs and terraces.
Read the guide →Ground screws in UK clay soil: shrink, swell and trees
How shrinkable clay such as London Clay moves with the seasons, why trees make it worse, and how to choose ground screw length and placement for a deck.
Read the guide →Frost depth in the UK: how deep should deck foundations go?
UK frost depth for deck footings and ground screws: the 450 mm rule for frost-susceptible soils, clay, and when a short ground screw is or isn't enough.
Read the guide →Test the system on your next deck
Request samples of the tapes, screws, pedestals and foundations mentioned in our guides.