- Next day delivery or delay the delivery until you're ready at the same price
- Discreet secret fixing clips, specially made to fit our decking with no holes or screws in the decking boards
- Extra boards, for building matching features such as steps, planters or benches
- Rigid angle trims, for use as multi-purpose cover trims or as fascia boards around the edges of a ground level decking area
- Pressure treated timber joist kits
- Composite joist kits
- Levelling shims
- Timber sleepers, ex 4"x8", approximately 8' long, in a choice of colours
DISCREET FIXING CLIPS: Most decking is fixed with screws straight through the decking boards and into the joists below. This is a perfectly effective method of fixing but the heads of every screw are visible afterwards and there are multiple holes in every board. By contrast, our specially engineered secret fixing clips are much more discreet. No holes are drilled in the decking boards and no screws are fixed through the boards. The fixing clips are designed to hook into grooves on each side of the decking boards. The clips are fixed into the joists and the clips hold the boards down very firmly. This is a much neater fixing method and the fixings are much less prominent. Stainless steel starter clips (J clips) are fixed with concealed screws at each side to retain the end boards. Discreet black plastic intermediate clips (T clips) are fixed between each board. Every fixings pack includes instructions and the correct quantity of starter clips and intermediate clips for your chosen decking kit.
EXTRA BOARDS: Extra boards are available for a multitude of purposes including the construction of steps on or outside the decking area and the construction of planters or benches around the edges of the decking area. To ensure a perfect match you need exactly the same boards as the decking boards, which we are happy to supply. However, you may also need timber framing which varies for each project so this is not included.
ANGLE COVER TRIMS: Rigid 90 degree angle trims approximately 50x50mm are available as multi-purpose decorative cover trims to ensure a neat finish. They can be used where the decking has been cut around existing features to cover any exposed ends of decking boards or to cover any untidy cuts. Angle cover trims can also be used as fascia boards around the edges of a ground level decking area. Please note that a 40mm ventilation gap is recommended below fascia boards. The wood plastic composite material looks and feels similar to wood although the colour and texture may not exactly match the decking boards. The angle trims require cutting to length on site with butt joins as required. The best finish is achieved with mitred cuts at the corners.
Ground level joist kits
We offer a range of joist kits to match the size and shape of our rectangular decking kits. Our joist kits are cheaper and easier to build than freestanding or elevated platforms, which require a complex timber frame. Our joists can be laid directly on top of any solid base which is reasonably flat and level. This could be an existing patio, new paving or concrete or a new eco-grid base. The joists are supported along their length so smaller joists can be used. Joists laid on existing patios normally follow the existing drainage fall. All timber joists are pressure treated timber. Instructions are supplied. Some simple cross cutting is normally required.
Our joist kits are ideal if you want a simple ground level deck. We can also supply the decking boards only, without the joists, if you want a more elaborate platform base.
NARROW JOIST SPACING: All of our decking joist kits are designed with joists laid at 400mm centres (around 16") or less. The joists are all 50mm wide (around 2") so the actual gap between the joists is only 350mm (around 14") or less. This ensures that the decking is well supported. It is similar to the spacing a housebuilder would use if decking was specified at a new development.
A CHOICE OF TIMBER JOIST SIZES: Our ex 2"x2" (finished size 45x45mm) pressure treated joists should only be laid on a well built solid base, which can be either concrete, paving or eco-grids. Ideally the base should have either no fall or a slight even fall. Our ex 4"x2" (finished size 95x45mm) pressure treated joists provide a more rigid foundation for all but the largest domestic decking projects. The 4"x2" joists can be laid on any solid base including hard surfaces such as concrete, paving and eco-grids or softer surfaces such as gravel or well compacted hardcore and soil. Our 4"x2" joists are recommended for larger projects. We also recommend our 4"x2" joists if you are paying to have your decking area professionally built because the extra material cost is low compared with labour rates.
WPC COMPOSITE JOISTS: Our composite joists are made to the same tough and durable specification as the composite decking itself. Using the same materials ensures the same longevity. The joists are 40mm x 25mm and a dark grey colour to reduced visibility. The wood plastic composite material looks and feels very similar to wood but it is denser. Standard woodscrews can be used in the same way as natural wood.
LEVELLING SHIMS: We recommend our levelling shims if you plan to lay your decking joists on a base which is slightly uneven, for example an existing area of concrete or paving which may have settled unevenly over the years. The shims are used as required to ensure that the joists are correctly levelled. Levelling shims are not essential with a brand new base, which should be level anyway. For this reason levelling shims are a low cost optional extra.
LEVELLING SHIMS AS SPACERS: Levelling shims are also beneficial with any concrete or paving base if your joists are timber. Even if the base is level, these impervious plastic shims can be used as spacers to ensure that the joists are not in direct contact with the ground. This allows rainwater to pass freely under the joists which ensures better drainage. It also helps to prolong the life of timber joists. These benefits do not extend to composite joists which are impervious to water anyway. Also, levelling shims are not needed with an eco-grid base which drains freely anyway.
PRESSURE TREATED TIMBER: Pressure treatment is a lifetime preservative treatment. The preservative is forced deep into the timber under pressure in a vacuum and penetrates below the surface. All other treatments apply a coat of stain to the surface of the timber only. With pressure impregnated timber, the chemicals are permanently bonded to the cell structure of the wood at a molecular level. Tanalith E is a widely used water based version so pressure treated wood is often described as tanalised. Pressure treated wood is almost colourless except for a slight green tint caused by the copper content in the preservative. No further preservative treatment is ever needed. However, if you want a coloured finish you can paint over pressure treated or tanalised wood with normal wood preservative in any colour.
TIMBER SLEEPERS: These chunky railway sleepers can be used in a number of different landscaping projects in your garden, such as dividing walls, edging, steps, as bearers or foundation beams under garden buildings, and so on. The overall size is approximately 100x200mm and 2400mm long (approximately 8ft), though they can be cut to suit on site if required. They have been pressure treated for added longevity. Pressure treatment is a lifetime preservative treatment.
Recycled plastic base kits
RECYCLED PLASTIC BASE KITS: Our durable eco-grid and eco-paving base kits are a practical and affordable alternative to slabs or concrete. Lightweight and easy to install within a few minutes, these 100% recycled polypropylene pavers simply click together with no fixings needed. The interlocking design helps to spread weight and ensures greater rigidity. The self draining design prolongs the life of a timber support structure. Unlike paving or concrete our plastic bases are fully relocatable. The base is normally at least 2" or 50mm larger than your decking. The kits include weed control membrane which is laid below the pavers.
ECO-GRID BASE KITS: Eco-grids are recommended if the sub-base is soil, sand or pea shingle but not on hard surfaces such as concrete, because the underside is not flat. Integral pegs on the underside help to level the base grids more easily in soil or sand or shingle. Our eco-grid plastic bases can support up to 200 tonnes per square metre. We supply exactly the same eco-grids for use in driveways and carparks. Gravel or shingle infill is not required below decking. Whatever you store on your decking, our eco-grids will support the weight easily. Each eco-grid is 472mm x 472mm and 40mm thick with an immensely strong 60x60mm hexagonal cell structure. Extensive preparation is not normally required - just level the ground and lay the membrane laid directly on the soil. The eco-grids can be laid directly on the membrane or on a thin layer of sand or pea shingle. Where space permits the base is normally laid full size but if required in a tight location our eco-grids can be cut. Any exposed edges around the base can be backfilled with shingle for aesthetic reasons but otherwise our eco-grid bases require no gravel.
