Laying simple, ground-level decking may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. With careful planning and preparation, you can lay decking that you’ll be proud to show off to neighbours, family and friends. Here are a few tips to get you started. Plan carefully Draw out a plan, to scale, on paper. This will help you to know how many boards you’ll need and ensure that you don’t end up having to cut anything to fit. Prepare the area Measure out the site according to your plan and hammer a peg into each corner, then tie string around each peg to help you see what you’re working with. If you’re not laying on existing slabs, dig into the ground, lifting out turf if it’s there, and check that the site is level. Then add concrete slabs for more stability or lay weed-control fabric over the ground and cover with gravel to further prevent weed growth. Build your sub-frame Since a lot of people ask this, we’ve got a more detailed guide in the FAQ below. Lay your deck boards Start in one corner of the sub-frame and position the first board across the inner joists. You want the deck board in the opposite direction to the inner joists, ensuring that it’s flush with the frame. Position any end-to-end joins between the deck boards halfway across an inner joist so you can screw both boards into the joist for stability. Make sure you keep a gap of between 5-8mm to allow for expansion of the wood. Begin to screw your deck boards to the joists. You’ll need to secure the deck board to every joist is covers along your deck frame. Use two screws for every joist. Mark where you’re going to add your screws, ensuring that they are at least 15mm from the end of the board and 20mm from the outside edges. Drill pilot holes for the screws, being careful to only drill through the deck board and not the joist. Then screw the decking screws into the holes. Continue to screw in the deck boards, ensuring you leave the correct expansion gap. You can stagger the deck board joins across the deck for more strength. Sand down any cut ends if you need to before applying decking preserver to protect the timber from rotting. Although this is a simplified set of instructions, it’s enough for you to see whether you want to attempt to lay decking yourself – and if you don’t, you can get in touch with professionals who will be happy to give you a quote.

Wooden Decking in Ashford

Discover Wooden Decking Prices in Ashford

Wooden Decking in Ashford

Wooden decking is an increasingly fashionable choice for providing outdoor seating areas in gardens. Due to the natural beauty of wood, they can be very fashionable spaces which you can use year round with the addition of additional heating and illumination. Wooden decking is commonly fitted in locations in front of patio or French doors where they can create a smooth transition between interior and exterior spaces. Wooden decking can come in any size or shape to complement any area. Curved designs or large areas linked by pathways can produce a striking effect. Wooden decking is relatively quick to install and causes minimal disruption, particularly in comparison to other possibilities like patio or paving. It can even be installed over the top of a pre-existing patio. It is crucial however to be certain that your wooden decking is structurally sound and capable of taking the load of any furniture or plants that you would like to use on the decking. There is a array of species of wood that can be used in wooden decking. Generally decking is constructed from hardwood, but there are softwoods available that fulfil the durability specifications. As hardwood decking will require maintenance, which usually entails annual cleaning and staining for weather proofing, composite woods are becoming more popular for use in wooden decking because they are more robust and require far less maintenance.

Average Wooden decking cost in Ashford

The typical cost of Wooden decking is £1500. Costs can change based upon the materials and the firm hired. The upper price range can be as high as £1725. The material costs are commonly approximately £375

Average price per Wooden decking job in 2025

Avg. price low	Avg. price low £1,125
Avg. price	Avg. price £1,500
Avg. price high	Avg. price high £1,725

£1900

£1425

£950

£475

£0

Prices based on actual Wooden decking costs for Ashford, as reported by local LeadsDoWork members.

Wooden decking installation cost in Ashford 2025

	Labour cost	£1,050
	Material cost	£375
	Waste removal	£75

Time frame: 1-4 days

Wooden decking searches in June 2025

Choose your search type

No. of estimated projects Estimates by cities and towns

Wooden decking Projects in Ashford in May 2025

1,723

Requests for quotations in Ashford in May 2025

0

Requests for Wooden decking quotations in Ashford in May 2025. 0% change from April 2025.

0

Requests for Wooden decking quotations in Kent in May 2025. 0% change from April 2025.

Source: Numbers calculated based on the search volumes in major search engines

Wooden decking searches in cities and towns near Ashford May 2025

Wooden decking near you

Choose locations

Towns and Cities near Ashford Other locations within South East

Ashford

Ashford is a town in Kent, England. It lies on the River Great Stour at the south of the North Downs which is about 61 miles south east of central London. At the time of the 2011 census, the population was 74,204. Ashford gets its name from an Old English word which meant a ford near a clump of ash trees.

Ashford has been a market town since the 13th century, and a regular market still takes place there. It has been a communication hub for many years and stands at the centre of five railway lines which have been there since the 19th century. The town grew as the construction of the railways contributed to employment. The international passenger station is now a European communications centre, and new lines run between London at the Channel Tunnel via HS 1.

The town has been in plans for expansion since the 1960s. A shopping centre, named County Square, was opened in the late 1980s as an extension and redevelopment of the Tufton Centre. The award winning Ashford Designer Outlet was built in 2000. The Templer Barracks at Repton Park have also been redeveloped.

A popular local landmark is St Mary's Church, which was built in the 13th century and expanded in the 15th. The church not only host worship but also entertainment. Ashford also has two grammar schools, named the Norton Knatchbull School, established in the 17th century, and the Highworth Grammar School for Girls, established in 1904.

Looking for Wooden decking in Ashford?

Get free quotes from local carpenters

Get free quotes

Wooden decking pros in Ashford

Hi my name is Martin from stone art uk ltd we are a local run landscaping company within the Pinner area we specialise in all types of driveways and patios please do not hesitate to visit us at are website or give us a call .

Latest review

Bob A., GU15

Garden | Decking in Camberley

no-price

Surbiton landscaping and building services in business since 1999 very professional run, family Business that takes pride in their work

Latest review

Paul M., GU2

Garden | Decking in Guildford

Start Date: Immediate

Work description: Decking My garden is very small

Post a similar request >

Local & reliable carpenters near me

Tell us about your wooden decking project

Answer a few quick questions, so we can match you with local carpenters who can help.

Find up to 4 carpenters in Ashford

Get free, no-obligation local wooden decking quotes from 4 verified carpenters working in Ashford.

Hire with confidence

Compare customer reviews, services and prices, and choose the right tradesperson for you.

Our reviews

Average

Would highly recommend

Would highly recommend, they found me a firm which I was happy with a quote they give me and went ahead and had my job done within 2 days of enquiring.

Good easy way to find a selection of…

Good easy way to find a selection of trades you need all in one place.

Love LeadsDoWork it's a big part of my …

Love LeadsDoWork it's a big part of my Business I would recommend to anyone

FAQs

Properly installed wooden decking will not need a lot of maintenance. Most manufacturers recommend regularly brushing leaves and dirt off the deck, and a yearly cleaning and staining procedure. This will keep the wood in the best condition. Fluids and treatments are readily available from all DIY shops and stores.

There are two ways to lay decking on uneven ground. We’ve explained how to build a raised deck in our FAQ ‘How to build a raised deck’ above, and that’s great for uneven ground or sloped gardens. But there’s another way that you can lay decking on uneven ground if you don’t want a raised deck: you can create a level supporting base. We’ll go through the basics here. Materials you’ll need

Paving slabs – old or cheap ones are fine
Timber for the frame and legs
Type 1 MOT hardcore

How to lay decking on uneven ground

Mark out the area as we explain in ‘How to lay decking’. Then, dig to 200mm below where you want to surface of the decking to be.
Add a 50mm layer of hardcore and make sure it’s compact.
Build the decking sub-frame as we describe in ‘How to build a deck frame’.
Lay out paving slabs along the edges and in the centre of the area. This will help to spread the weight of the decking.
Set the decking frame on the slabs, checking for high or low points and adding off-cuts of timber where needed. Don’t forget to sand and seal these off-cuts with decking preservative.
Add your joists and then the deck boards, leaving the recommended gaps of expansion of between 5-8mm.

Building your decking on top of paving slabs is a good way to get it level, but you still may not be able to get as good a finish as if a professional did it. If you’re in any doubt, get in contact with some decking specialists and see what they would recommend.

Laying simple, ground-level decking may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. With careful planning and preparation, you can lay decking that you’ll be proud to show off to neighbours, family and friends. Here are a few tips to get you started. Plan carefully Draw out a plan, to scale, on paper. This will help you to know how many boards you’ll need and ensure that you don’t end up having to cut anything to fit. Prepare the area Measure out the site according to your plan and hammer a peg into each corner, then tie string around each peg to help you see what you’re working with. If you’re not laying on existing slabs, dig into the ground, lifting out turf if it’s there, and check that the site is level. Then add concrete slabs for more stability or lay weed-control fabric over the ground and cover with gravel to further prevent weed growth. Build your sub-frame Since a lot of people ask this, we’ve got a more detailed guide in the FAQ below. Lay your deck boards

Start in one corner of the sub-frame and position the first board across the inner joists. You want the deck board in the opposite direction to the inner joists, ensuring that it’s flush with the frame. Position any end-to-end joins between the deck boards halfway across an inner joist so you can screw both boards into the joist for stability. Make sure you keep a gap of between 5-8mm to allow for expansion of the wood.
Begin to screw your deck boards to the joists. You’ll need to secure the deck board to every joist is covers along your deck frame. Use two screws for every joist. Mark where you’re going to add your screws, ensuring that they are at least 15mm from the end of the board and 20mm from the outside edges. Drill pilot holes for the screws, being careful to only drill through the deck board and not the joist. Then screw the decking screws into the holes.
Continue to screw in the deck boards, ensuring you leave the correct expansion gap. You can stagger the deck board joins across the deck for more strength.
Sand down any cut ends if you need to before applying decking preserver to protect the timber from rotting.

Although this is a simplified set of instructions, it’s enough for you to see whether you want to attempt to lay decking yourself – and if you don’t, you can get in touch with professionals who will be happy to give you a quote.

How much decking you need will – of course – depend on how big you plan your deck to be. There is an equation to help you work out how many deck boards you need. It’s a little complicated until you’ve been shown how it works, but once you know how to do it it’s easy to work out how much decking you need for any project. The equation takes into account the recommended 10% wastage and includes the expansion gaps that are required, which is between 5-8mm along the length of the deck boards (EGL, or expansion gap length) and 3mm along the ends of the deck boards (EGW, or expansion gap width) for timber. It also assumes you’re laying your decking horizontally, as if you’re looking for a diagonal or chevron design you’ll need more deck boards. Let’s go through an example, assuming you have a 10m x 6m area that you want to cover with decking made from timber boards that are 2.4m long and 144mm wide. We’ll use the EGL of 5mm and EGW of 3mm.

Calculate the surface area for your decking Multiply the length (L) of your decking area by the width (W): L x W = Decking Surface Area (DSA) in m² 10 x 6 = 60m²
Work out the coverage of your deck boards Add your deck board width (DBW) to the expansion gap length (EGL), then add the deck board length (DBL) to the expansion gap width (EGW). Then multiply these numbers. (DBW + EGL) x (DBL + EGW) = Single Board Coverage (SBC) 0.144m + 0.005m = 0.149m 2.4m + 0.003m = 2.403m 0.149 x 2.403 = 0.358m²
Calculate the number of deck boards you need Multiply the SBC by 1.1 to allow for 10% wastage. Then, divide the DSA by the SBC. DSA / SCB x 1.1 = Total number of boards required 60m² / 0.358m² x 1.1 = 184.36 boards – so round up to 185 so you’re not left short.

If that all seems a bit complicated for you, let a professional do the maths – they will be able to give you an idea of how much decking you’ll need in no time.

Other Top Projects in Ashford

Customer Reviews

Overall rating:

Ashford Wooden decking installers are rated 4.5 out of 5 based on 26 reviews of 169 pros.

The LeadsDoWork rating and review is an overall rating based on verified reviews and feedback from the customers with Wooden decking projects that have been connected with Wooden decking pros to help them. All Wooden decking contractors All Ashford Wooden decking contractors

Are you a carpenter in Ashford?

We can help you get more wooden decking work with our qualified job leads and boost your business.

Join today

Wooden Decking in Ashford

Discover Wooden Decking Prices in Ashford