Paving Vs. Decking Your Garden

Irrespective of whether you’re looking at landscaping the garden of a new build, re-landscaping an existing garden or simply improving your outdoor space, you’re likely to be posing the question between paving vs decking.  There is little doubt that decking has become one of the most popular hard outdoor surfaces over the last ten years, or even more.  That said, there are times when paving wins hands down over decking.

The first question you need to ask yourself is the purpose of the hard surface you’re looking to create.  For example, are you creating a surface upon which you want to drive your car to get it to your garage?  If so, there’s no doubt that paving is your best bet.  Although arguably this result could be achieved with decking, it’s likely to prove not only significantly more expensive, but also much more complicated to execute.  That said, if you’re looking to create a stylish outdoor eating space by your glass kitchen wall for example, decking, in most instances, will prove more pleasing on the eye.  I say in most instances, because paving can also be made to look really interesting with a bit of imagination.

When many people think about paving, they think purely of the grey, rectangular paving slabs we’re accustomed to seeing on unimaginative pavements.  Of course, garden paving needn’t be so uninteresting or unimaginative.  Garden paving comes in a whole host of concrete and natural stone options, offered in a host of colours and shapes.  With some imagination and a bit of research (if you’re planning a DIY project), you can achieve some really stunning results with paving.  Offered in kits to enable you to create decorative circles, squares, diamonds, octagons and hexagons, the only limit to the effect you can create with garden paving is your imagination.  What’s more, with weathered options available, you can even create a space that looks like it may have been there for decades.

When it comes to decking, there is a whole host of wood options from the likes of Bamboo to Cumaru, Ipe, Iroko, Balau and Teak.  Colours range from honey blonde woods to almost black, and there is no doubt whatsoever that if you’re looking for a clean, designer led space, then decking truly has a place in your project.  With decking you can keep the whole space open or you can choose to create natural divisions between different sections of your garden using balustrades, ornamental ropes or even planting.   When choosing your decking, it’s advisable to choose the best quality option your budget will allow for.  Buying online is a great way to get high quality at a good price, and needn’t be something to be afraid of, because most good online suppliers will offer you the same guarantees and warranties as a face-to-face supplier.

So, when it comes to the question between paving vs decking for your garden, there’s an element of cost and purpose, but at the end of the day, it’s the look you’re after that matters most.  So why not go for a real mix of the two?  If you’ve already inherited some paving you’re not too fond of, why not take the limelight away from it by introducing some really attractive decking?  If you have some decking but need a harder surface for parking or for your driveway, try a combination of decking and paving.  Let your imagination run (a little) bit riot.  Search through garden magazines and online garden sites for inspiration.  In fact, many online garden design sites will allow you to download a planning and designing package that will let you visualize on your computer how your garden will look before committing to making any purchases at all.  Most importantly, enjoy!