The Dos and Don’ts When Installing Outdoor Decking
Many homeowners are considering outdoor decking to make their homes spacious and give a luxurious look. On the other end, hdb flats are taking up balcony spaces to create an excellent space to relax away from the confinement of the interior space of the house. These spaces are perfect points to pass the sunny afternoons reading your favorite magazine, or watching the birds.
In Singapore, people use different decking options outdoors and their classification is based on the material used to make the decks. There are natural wood decks, eco wood decks, and composite wood decks. Installing these outdoor decks can be a DIY process if you love doing such projects. However, you can seek services from firms that specialize in decks for a quote, plan, and layout. All in all, here are the dos and don’ts when installing outdoor decking:
The Dos
- Before installing your outdoor deck, ensure you have a building permit from the relevant local authority to ensure that all the safety standards are adhered to and maintained to ensure the home or flat occupants are safe, the environment surrounding it and the general public.
- All the materials you intend to use for installation must also be approved to ensure they are of good quality and meet the construction standards. Decks are good for aesthetics and adding more space to your premise but can be dangerous if recklessly installed especially using substandard material.
- The deck area should be laid out with durable strings and stakes and plastic sheets should be laid down to prevent the growth of unwanted vegetation and weeds that will make the space beneath the deck look unsightly, dark and be a breeding place for pests and dangerous animals like snakes.The Don’ts
- Don’t get into outdoor decking installation without planning to avoid financial surprises, poor construction or legal action if you decide to do this on your own without getting permits from the local authority’s construction department.
- Do not install decks on footers that aren’t dug deep enough or on the wrong footers. This compromises on the safety of the house occupants, the surrounding environment, and the general public.
- Don’t go for cheap material with the intentions of saving. There are many different materials from wood to composite and other materials accepted in Singapore. Do a comparison of all the choices available for your location and get the high-grade ones to allow for safety and approval of quality before a go-ahead on installation.
