Blending timber with stone looks great in a garden and a deck can be a good way to achieve this. Decking available in various softwoods and hardwoods are easy to maintain and are only required to be cleaned and re-oiled once a year.

The hardwoods have the advantage of being extremely durable and less slippery in wet and frosty conditions. There is also a grip deck available on the market consisting of a blend of resin, fillers and hard wearing anti-slip aggregates. Matching railings and balustrades or even toughened glass surrounds can give your deck a cool contemporary look.