The key thing about colouring deck boards is that the coating that you use is suitable for the purpose. Products that are intended for use on vertical surfaces like cladding, doors and windows have properties that do not lend themselves to flat surfaces that are subject to footfall and particularly the movement of timber as it responds to changes in moisture content throughout the season. This is the primary cause of peeling and lifting.

Freshly treated timber will have variations in colour between one piece and another. This is due to the relative proportions of heartwood and sapwood in each piece. Sapwood is more permeable than heartwood and so takes up more preservative which results in an initial variation of colour from green (sapwood) to beige (heartwood). Once installed and exposed to the elements, the initial strength of colour fades to a warm, honey brown and in the long term will become a natural silver grey all over.

Remember, timber is a natural product and variations in character are to be expected. Occasionally timber containing high or mobile resin levels can give a blue colouration at the time of treatment. However this fades rapidly into the overall natural green/beige colour.

Timber decks differ from conventional patios and terraces most significantly in their elevation and general height of construction.

For all but the simplest, low-level garden deck, property owners should satisfy themselves that planning regulations do not apply to their proposed structure.

In addition to contacting the Local Authority, we strongly recommend that you talk to all your neighbours about your plans. Neighbour objections are the most usual reason for planning refusal or enforcement notices after completion. Local Authorities can insist that structures are dismantled and removed where consent should have been obtained, but was not.

Hardwood and softwood are broad biological terms used to describe species of wood. The terms have nothing to do with the physical hardness of the wood. Hardwoods come from broadleaved trees and softwood species from coniferous, evergreen trees.

There is a wide range of species of wood within each category that are highly suitable for decking. The important factor for wood used out of doors is that it is durable enough to resist fungal decay. This means using a hardwood classified as naturally durable (some are not) or a softwood given extended durability through pressure treatment.

Over 90% of all decks are made from suitable pressure treated softwoods because of their availability, ease of working and cost effectiveness. Hardwoods come in a range of attractive colours. They tend to be more expensive and require more care to work with than softwoods.

A timber deck should provide years and years of pleasure. That's because naturally durable timber species or rot proof pressure-preserved wood is used in their construction. If the deck has been built using the correct materials and good building practices then it will last almost indefinitely if properly looked after.

The key factor in preventing slipperiness is to ensure that the deck surface is kept clean and surface deposits such as mildew, algae and fine mosses are kept at bay for it is these deposits that cause slipperiness on any surface, even stone flags, in wet weather.

Our recommendation is to give decked surfaces a frequent brush with a stiff broom and to give them a thorough clean once a year in spring or autumn using either a power spray washer or a proprietary deck cleaning product.