Work
The parts that decide how long it lasts are the parts you stop seeing.
Photographs from our own sites — substructure and setting out as much as finished boards, because that is where the difference actually is.
01Hardwood deck, pergola and festoon lightingGravel bed and sawn paving laid to a level change off the deck
02Hardwood decking, laid in the wetBoards run to the threshold with a consistent shadow gap throughout
03Softwood strip-outFailed boards and decayed joists removed back to sound ground
04Substructure on ground screwsFrame set out to follow the curve of the lawn, joists hung and levelled
05Joists, pedestals and tapeAdjustable pedestals take the levels; joist tape keeps water out of the timber
06Scribed to the thresholdBoards cut to the door frame rather than stopped short of it
07Deck, pergola and seating areaSleeper edging holds the gravel; slabs set flush as a path through
08Pergola frame upPosts set before the planting goes back in around the base
09Setting out under mature treesFrame squared up on the lawn before any ground is broken
Strip-out and rebuild
Knowing it has to come out is most of the job.
A deck that fails early usually failed underneath, years before anyone could see it. We would rather take it back to sound ground and tell you why than board over the problem.
BeforeRotten softwood, stripped out
Boards split, joists decayed through, the frame sitting straight on wet ground with nothing between the two.
AfterHardwood rebuild
New substructure off the ground, joists taped, hardwood boards laid to a consistent gap and scribed in at the threshold.