Composite and Timber Decking in Coventry and Warwickshire
Raised decks, balustrades and lighting, built on a frame that lasts
Decking gives you a level place to sit without digging out a sloping garden. We design and build composite and timber decks, from low platforms outside the back door to raised decks with balustrades and steps down to the lawn.
Decking We Have Built
Decks as Part of a Garden Design
Composite Decking Is Worth the Difference for Most Gardens
We are almost always asked to price composite and timber side by side. Timber is still the cheaper deck, but fewer people want to spend a day every year cleaning, staining or oiling it, only for it to look weathered anyway. As timber prices have risen the gap has narrowed, and many clients now stretch the budget for composite.
Composite boards need little more than a wash, and most carry a wood-effect grain, so they keep a traditional look in sharper, longer-lasting colours. Grey is the most popular, followed by browns, charcoals, honey tones and reds; browns give a more rustic feel. On a full garden project, composite decking matched to composite fencing gives a clean, coordinated finish.
Frames, Fixings and Raised Decks
- Composite boards on a timber frame. The cost-effective option: a treated timber frame lasts for many years, with low-maintenance boards on top. Boards are fixed much as softwood boards would be. If an existing deck frame is still sound, new composite boards can often go straight onto it.
- A full composite system. A composite, PVC or aluminium frame with clip fixings from underneath, so no screws show on the surface. It costs more in materials, and it takes experience to fit for the best finish.
- Raised decks. Our highest deck stands around 600 mm off the ground, framed on 4-inch timber posts and 6×1 joists. On a sloping garden a raised deck gives a level seating area and a view over the garden without the cost and upheaval of digging out a patio.
Balustrades, Steps and Deck Lighting
Balustrades can run round a deck or along selected sides, and on a raised deck they are an important safety feature. We build everything from classic timber balustrades with colonial spindles and fillet handrails to modern composite rails, and glass panels between stainless steel or aluminium posts for a clean, contemporary look.
Deck lighting makes a deck usable after dark. Up-lights set into the boards are the most popular, marking the edges and steps so they are safe to use at night, alongside spotlights and downlights where the layout suits them.
Prefer natural wood? Pressure-treated softwood such as pine and spruce is the most affordable deck. At the other end, imported hardwoods such as ipe, teak and balau are naturally resistant to decay and low-maintenance, but premium in price and limited in size.
Planning and Safety for Raised Decking
Most garden decking needs no permission, but height changes that. As a general guide for houses in England:
- Decking more than 30 cm above the ground counts as a raised platform and needs planning permission.
- Listed buildings, flats and maisonettes have tighter rules, and some conservation areas do too.
- Guarding. Where a deck edge has a drop of around 600 mm or more, building regulations guidance expects a balustrade or similar protection.
We flag these at the design stage. Your council has the final say on planning, so where permission is needed we will point you in the right direction before anything is built.
Why Choose Us for Your Deck
Built from the frame up
Joists, posts and fixings sized for the height and span, so the deck stays level and solid.
Composite specialists
Experience fitting full composite and aluminium systems, not just boards on a frame.
Part of a designed garden
Decks planned alongside paving, lawns and planting, with levels and steps resolved first.
Covered after we leave
Our workmanship on every deck is guaranteed for 12 months, and we carry £1M public liability cover.
Decking Installers Across Coventry and Warwickshire
From our Coventry base we build decks throughout the city, Solihull and Warwickshire, including:
Decking Questions
Why choose DNA Landscapes to build my decking?
We have been building decks for many years, from classic timber decks with colonial spindles and fillet handrails to modern composite and PVC boards on aluminium frames and pedestals. Every deck is designed around your garden rather than a standard size.
How much does composite decking cost?
It depends mostly on the frame. Composite boards on a treated timber frame are the most cost-effective route; a full composite or aluminium system costs more in materials but gives hidden fixings and the longest life. We price each deck after a site visit.
Can you put composite boards on my existing deck frame?
Often, yes. If the existing timber frame is sound, fitting new composite boards on top is a cost-effective way to get a low-maintenance deck. We check the frame first.
What is the highest deck you have built?
Around 600 mm from ground level, framed on 4-inch timber posts with 6x1 joists.
Which composite decking colours are most popular?
Grey by a distance, followed by browns, charcoals, honey or beige tones and reds. Browns work especially well where you want a more rustic, natural-looking grain.
Do I need planning permission for decking?
Not usually for decking close to the ground. Decking or any platform more than 30 cm above ground level needs planning permission under the normal rules for houses in England, and the rules are tighter for flats, listed buildings and parts of some conservation areas. Your council has the final say.
What treatment do you recommend for timber decking?
It depends on the finish you want, from a clear oil that enhances the natural wood to a coloured stain. Whichever you choose, we recommend a branded product rather than a cheaper own-brand alternative.
Should I choose decking or a patio?
It is rarely either-or. Decking is often the better answer on a sloping garden because it needs little excavation, while paving suits level ground and heavy use. Many of our gardens combine both, which adds interest and gives each area its own job.
Planning a new deck?
Tell us what the deck is for and where it will go, and we will come and look, measure up and price it.
