Paving vs. Decking: Which Is Best?

Why Choose Paving?

There is a bewildering array of paving materials available for your patio installation including traditional style natural stone, clean and contemporary porcelain or as an alternative to paving slabs, you may also like traditional or ‘Dutch’ style paving bricks. From clean lines and uniformity or a beautifully detailed design, mixing sizes and materials, paving is extremely versatile - and you’re spoilt for choice! 

Durability is determined by the quality of the installation. A poorly specified and executed build could fail within just a few years, but a quality paving laid to ‘best practice’ standards is very durable and hard wearing, providing years of good use and can be used in most situations.

Specific areas where paving is preferable to decking, would be heavily used pathways, particularly where you may wish to drive any garden machinery (or even your car as long as the foundations are suitably deep and strong).

As most paving is not porous you will need to manage rainwater run-off, either naturally into adjacent soil or in some cases via a linear drain and soakaway.

If you are building over sloping ground, it’s important to consider that a structural retaining wall is usually required, either to support the surface or hold back adjacent higher ground. This is an additional and sometimes costly element but can also add interest and a sense of enclosure to a space.

For more information on paving materials, best practice and pricing, click here.

Why Choose Decking?

For some, decking has a bad reputation. This stems from shoddy installations of poor-quality softwood decking, popular twenty years ago. It was not uncommon for such decking installations to last less than 10 years before rotting. However, high-quality softwood decking laid to best practice specifications does perform quite well with a lifespan typically of around 15 years. Such decks do need to be cleaned periodically to remove algal growth which makes them slippery.

For a more durable installation, a hardwood deck is a traditional and premium priced alternative. There is also a wide range of composite decking now available. These don’t rot and the deck boards often come with manufacturers guarantees of 15 years or up to 25 years for premium brands. In all cases the quality and installation of the supporting subframe is crucial to durability.

The actual make-up of composite decking varies, most commonly a mixture of wood fibres and plastic. Composite decking finishes are mostly designed to imitate a natural woodgrain, which they do with varying degree of success. Others are available with contemporary textured finishes.

Avoid decking for heavily used situations where loading will be excessive (heavily used walkways or vehicular area). They are also not ideal where they are finished level with surrounding soil. This buries the subframe and will shorten its life if timber.

They are great installed over sloping ground or in an elevated position where retaining structures can be reduced or omitted saving cost. They also look great over water. These settings reflect traditional uses of decking as functional surfaces and just ‘look right’.

For some great decking ideas, click here.

Which Is Best for My Garden Project?

There are both lower and premium price paving and decking options available. Build/installation costs will also vary with each individual design and setting, so simple cost comparisons are difficult.

To decide what is right for you, consider the pros and cons described above, the setting, how you will use the space, what look fits best with your property and what appeals to your own eye. You may also wish to enlist a specialist landscape gardener to help realise your ideal ‘chill out’ or dining space.

Haywood Landscapes have been designing and installing paved and decking features across Kent and the surrounding areas for over 30 years. For design guidance and high-quality installation, click here or call us on 01227 733447 today.