Decking vs patio: which is right for your garden?
This question comes up on most first-visit conversations. Either is right for some gardens; both are wrong for some, where a lawn or gravel courtyard is a better answer. Here’s how to think about it.
The honest case for decking
- You want a level surface where the ground isn’t level. A deck on a sloping garden gives you a flat usable platform without the cost of regrading the ground or building retaining walls. The cost difference favours decking when the slope is more than about 30cm front to back.
- You want it to feel like an extension of the house. Decking sits a few centimetres below the threshold of patio doors, which means stepping straight out onto a continuous surface. It feels different from stepping down onto a patio.
- The garden gets a lot of sun. Decking warms up faster than stone in the morning and feels nicer underfoot.
- You want it cheaper than premium stone. Treated softwood decking is meaningfully cheaper per m² than porcelain or granite, and roughly comparable to mid-range Indian sandstone once you factor in the timber frame.
The honest case for a patio
- The ground is already roughly level. No reason to go to the trouble of a frame if a Type 1 sub base will give you a flat surface anyway.
- You want zero maintenance. A porcelain patio asks for nothing for fifteen plus years. Composite decking is similar but timber decking needs annual oiling.
- You’re going to put heavy garden furniture and a big BBQ on it. Stone takes point loads better than decking does, especially if the legs are slim.
- You’re not keen on the way decking can get slippery in winter. Patios get slippery too in heavy moss conditions, but timber decking under shade is reliably worse.
What about composite decking?
Composite (Trex, Millboard, etc.) splits the difference and removes most of the timber maintenance argument. It’s roughly the same per m² as a sandstone patio fitted, lasts as long as porcelain, and doesn’t need oiling.
The main reason to choose composite over a patio comes down to whether you want a level platform on a sloping garden, or whether the ground is already level enough for a patio.
When you actually want both
Some of the best gardens I’ve built have both. The pattern that works:
- A patio next to the house for furniture, BBQ, the bulk of the seating area
- A deck further down the garden for a smaller seating spot, or as a transition between two levels
This works particularly well in Teddington and Twickenham gardens where the long, narrow plot benefits from being broken up into two zones.
Quick comparison table
| Patio | Decking | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for level ground | Yes | Sometimes |
| Best for sloping ground | No (or expensive) | Yes |
| Lifespan (top end) | 30+ years (porcelain) | 20+ years (composite) |
| Maintenance | Light (clean once a year) | Annual oiling for timber, none for composite |
| Cost per m² (mid range) | £140 to £190 | £140 to £200 (softwood), £240 to £340 (composite) |
| Slippery in winter | Slightly | More so under shade |
| Feels warmer underfoot | No | Yes |
| Continuous with house threshold | No (step down) | Yes |
A simple decision tree
- Is the garden level? If yes, patio. Skip the rest.
- Is the slope under 30cm? Patio plus a small step is usually still cheaper than a deck.
- Does the garden get a lot of shade? Patio in porcelain. Decking in shade is harder work.
- Do you want it to feel like an extension of the house? Decking.
- Do you want zero maintenance for fifteen years? Porcelain patio or composite deck. Either works.
What I usually recommend
If I had to give one default for a typical SW London rear garden, it’s a porcelain patio next to the house and a small decked area further out for a second seating zone. That gives the best of both. But every garden is different, and the answer changes if your garden is small, north-facing, sloping, or shaded.
For a quote on either, see the patios page, the decking page, or get in touch. Free site visits, free quotes.