Patio or decking?

[helenlc]

We are going to extend our patio area - now we have built a conservatory over half the existing one!

I like the the idea of decking and think it looks nicer but have heard it can get slippery when wet (to quote Bon Jovi!).

I want the area for us to sit on but also for the little ones to use their ride on toys etc. What is best for this - is decking too bumpy or is it smooth enough?

All opinions (good or bad) welcome

Thanks

[Helen79]

If I had more garden I would put decking down. I've got some patio slabs as a path & worry about the littlies falling off the cars backwards & bumping their head on the patio slabs. I think wooden decking makes the landing a bit softer.

[Daddy Day Care]

There was a similar thread on here asking that question and im sure that people with decking said they didnt have problems with slipping, i'll see if i can find the link.

Gareth
xx

[Daddy Day Care]

Ok found link and ignore what i said people do have problems with slipping, but they said you can get anti slip decking have a quick read here

http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=33587&highlight=decking

Gareth
xx

[helenlc]

There was a similar thread on here asking that question and im sure that people with decking said they didnt have problems with slipping, i'll see if i can find the link.

Gareth
xx

I found it Gareth, thank you!!

[cabby]

most of my garden is decked and i love it:), we've had it down for years and have had no problems.x

[Roseolivia]

I have decking and it does get slippy when wet and when icy. I've almost gone over a few times, it is great for the kids to play on though especially with bikes.

[PixiePetal]

I have patio. The kids love chalking on it. No experience of decking but not over fussed on it TBH. Personal choice :rolleyes:

[helenlc]

[QUOTE=PixiePetal;458828]The kids love chalking on it. /QUOTE]


This might sway me in the way of patio - even my 11 year old loves making tracks for the cars!!

[PixiePetal]

[QUOTE=PixiePetal;458828]The kids love chalking on it. /QUOTE]


This might sway me in the way of patio - even my 11 year old loves making tracks for the cars!!

So does my 12 year old!!

[Mollymop]

I have decking outside my door and it does slip but only in winter or when leaves have fallen on it.

I am thinking of getting it pulled up and placed somewhere else so I can have my patio back, patio is better for the children to ride their trikes on, etc. I find that decking is too bumpy and high for the children to play on. it is a pain to keep clean as well x

[Louise_Oaktree]

We have just had the same dilemma but settled for paving flags in the end as

a) decking goes green looking after a time
b) decking needs more maintenance - staining and weatherproofing etc
c) children love chalking on paving slabs
d) decking was much more expensive to do the whole area or we would have had to have a step - safety for me was steps vs paving so I opted for paving

I still think decking would have been better for the little ones but tbh the time we spend out there vs the time the after school children spend out there just wasn't worth the money, we also have a large lawn which is through a gate so we can camp down there with the little ones in summer with slides and toys :)

[mandy moo]

:D :D ivegot both:D :D

[mandy moo]

:D :D Oh and grass too:D :D
and summer house hubbies building that Im gonna use(little does he know) for all my CM stuff:D :D

[breezy]

we've got a patio, great for chalking on :clapping:

[Chimps Childminding]

I have got quite a large patio which is great for ride-on's, bikes etc. but June next door has got decking, which is fenced all round with a gate, so that is great for the littlies, as they can crawl around on it. Keep trying to persuade hubby to do me some decking, but he isn't keen :angry: so I will just have to keep going round to June's to play :clapping:

[Daftbat]

We are having some decking put down next week and then we are paving the other area next year. I think there are pros and cons with both as paving WILL move after time and need attention and the decking does ned some maintenance. I feel another risk assess coming on .......Oh Dear!:mad:

[ChocolateChip]

I have a deck with table and chairs so we use it for eating and a bit of craft that can be done outside on a nice day which needs a table, the little ones tend to actually play on the grass with the slide, balls, etc but I have just purpose built (with the help of my grant :D ) a paved area specifically for them to use ride-ons and make an all-weather area for outdoor craft and activities.
I do find they don't really choose to play on the deck, and it can be slippy in the wet, equally I know the slabs are hard but I am always there supervising them, and as we have a basketball hoop now it is great for the older ones to use after school aswell.
We can use messy stuff like water, sand, oats etc. on the slabs and it all just brushes or washes away really easily whereas I find the deck harder to clean up with all the little ridges and gaps, etc.

[ORKSIE]

One of my Mindees was at his Nannas house, she has decking, he thought it would be a good idea to slide about on it, With no shoes or socks:eek: Makes me feel sick to think about it, he has some horrendous splinters in his feet.:( Mind you non of us would allow that to happen:panic:

[mabel]

my new patio has just been completed mainly by my son we have done it
in brick and it's lovely, it is really big and he has built a wall around it, I can contain the children on it, but they mainly go on the grass aswell.

I have a large table and brolly so older ones can doing crafts and colouring at it,take a drink etc.

I am thrilled to bits it has made a huge difference to the business I hope to sort a sand pit out now, this week its been all water play out there and the water soon dried on the bricks (may have made decking slippy)

[jibberjitz]

We have patio and we do a lot of chalking games on it which kids love :thumbsup:

[theoldwoman]

We have got decking and paving, the paving seems harder for falls but there is a chance of splinters from the decking. It is so tempting for the lo's to run straight out but I have to insist on shoes everytime and don't let babies crawl on it. It is sort of grooved so doesn't get slippy and is less slippy when sand is spilt on it than the patio. So the answer is ' I don't really know which is best', what a lot of help!!

Sue

[nannymcflea]

One of my Mindees was at his Nannas house, she has decking, he thought it would be a good idea to slide about on it, With no shoes or socks:eek: Makes me feel sick to think about it, he has some horrendous splinters in his feet.:( Mind you non of us would allow that to happen:panic:


No of course not...well maybe my own daughter but she's old enough to know better...though her splinters were small ones, theres must be some cheap old decking for those size splinters!(Ellie was doing cartwheels!)

I love my decking, it looks tidy, theres a little slide and tikes car on it, girls love to skip on it,gets treated once a year, does get slippy in the winter with the ice but so would paving and kids can put bits down the gaps!:panic: