To stain or not to stain ...

[XmisterIS]

I am about to start on my next DIY project, which is a complete overhaul of the garden, which I am going to lay entirely to decking.

I'm inclined towards not staining but just use a few coats of a clear sealer on natural colour deckboards and let the deck boards weather naturally ... but in that case do you think they'll just go grey and horrible like some decking that I've seen?

 

[buddha]

Give the boards a clean every few years and they will look (almost) like new again. You can buy decking cleaner from B&Q etc.
Also make sure you get a UV resistant sealer.

 

[Jmetz]

dont stain ... it means more work

 

[mickle]

Don't get decking. It mings.

 

[Norm]

... but in that case do you think they'll just go grey and horrible like some decking that I've seen?

IMO, that's what decking does and, if you don't like it, I'm not sure you should be considering doing the whole garden. I hope you like mice and the other critters which will move in under it too.

As for staining, depends on what wood you get. Pre-treated won't need anything doing to it. If you want a colour, then pick the colour you want.

 

[Fnaar]

The guy in B&Q convinced me that I needed decking... so I punched myself.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Don't get decking. It mings.

And it isn't environmentally sensible. Dig your garden up and grow some nice veg or fruit. Lot cheaper and more fun than <cough> decking <spit>.

 

[Norm]

We have a small area of decking and it is a PITA. Aside from the rodent inhabitants, it takes about 3 months after cleaning to get dangerously slippery. It is useful for storing the wooden furniture over the winter but I'd hate to have much of it.

There are some very easy ways to have minimal maintenance and still create areas which are beneficial to our fellow residents of this sceptred isle.