Oak Decking
As well as creating an outdoor space to relax in, decking not only updates the look of a property but can also increase its market value. Decked areas provide usable, solid outdoor space.
Oak Decking Properties and Grades
Oak is a strong timber and can withstand a lot of wear making it ideal for high-traffic decking.
iWood’s Prime and Light Character grades of Oak decking are dried to drive out moisture. This greatly decreases movement, warping and swelling once the boards are installed.
Our Fresh Sawn grade has a higher moisture content which will generally decrease over time before settling. It’s important with Fresh Sawn boards that you plan for some shrinkage of the boards as the timber dries, making the gap between your decking boards marginally larger.
This decking is provided in random lengths between 2 and 4 metres. In line with iWood’s environmental policy, iWood’s oak decking is sourced from responsibly managed forests.
The sawn to size Oak boards are then machined to the correct decking profile.
Protecting the Decking Boards
These decking boards are provided untreated. While Oak is a durable timber, decking should always be sealed with an off-the-shelf treatment to prevent moisture entering and swelling the boards.
You may also consider a treatment with an anti-fungal component to help stop the growth of moulds which could potentially become slippery as well as damage the timber. Have a look at our finishes page for who to contact for more information on treatments.
These profiles are available
to buy aboveDecking Safety Considerations
When wet, wooden surfaces can be slippery, which is why iWood provides its decking in ‘Reeded’ and ‘Anti-slip’ profiles that are designed to give extra grip underfoot. As mentioned above, applying an anti-fungal treatment can help prevent slippery moulds.
Further Considerations When Planning Your Deck
As food for thought you may want to consider the following points when planning on installing decking, especially if you have multiple potential locations:
- Will one location afford better protection from weather than another?
- Will one location provide more privacy than another?
- If you plan on hosting parties how far from the kitchen will your deck be?
- Will you need planning permission? If you’re installing to a listed building, have a 20m or closer line of sight to a highway or intend your decking to be 0.3m or above ground level you may need planning permission. You can easily check with your local planning authority (www.planningportal.gov.uk).
- Do you have a suitable foundation to install your decking onto?
- Consider how much of a gap to leave between your boards. You don’t want to be lifting decking boards to retrieve your car keys!
For in depth information about planning and installing decking, TRADA has a book available for purchase for £30,
"Timber Decking: The Professionals' Manual 2nd edition".
Oak Decking Prices
iWood’s product code for Prime Quality Oak Decking is IW-7-32-1.
From: £4.46 per metre (Fresh Sawn First Quality Grade, logged in for discount)
Available from: iWood Timber
Condition: New, supplied to your requirements.
Availability: Available for order.
For inspiration, here's an introductory guide to building a deck that we found on YouTube: