Composite Decking Bradford
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For yards, courtyards and short gardens

Decking for small gardens

Thousands of Bradford homes have a stone yard rather than a garden: walls on three sides, a gate to the back street, flags that crack and go green. A composite deck is one of the quickest ways to make that space feel like a room.

Small decks cost more per square metre than big ones because the fixed costs are spread thinner. Expect £800 to £1,600 for an 8 m² composite deck, fitted.

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Before

weedy raised bedbinscracked, green flagshouse

After

plantersbenchstoreone level of boardshouse
A stone-walled yard behind a Victorian terrace, about 5 m by 4 m. The cracked flags become one level of composite deck, with a bench along the sunniest wall, planters at the back and the bins screened off.

What a small garden needs from a deck

  1. One level, wall to wall

    Small spaces look bigger with a single floor running right to the walls. Changes of level and fussy borders eat the room.

  2. Boards laid the long way

    Run the boards away from the house and the yard looks longer. Run them across and it looks wider. Diagonal boards waste more material for little gain.

  3. A mid or light colour

    Light grey and stone shades bounce light into a shaded yard. Very dark boards look smart but show dust and hold the heat on the rare hot day.

  4. Somewhere for the bins

    A bin store built in the same boards turns the worst corner into part of the design.

  5. Seating built in

    A bench along a wall saves floor space that chairs would take, and can hide storage underneath.

  6. Drainage kept clear

    Many yards drain to a single gully. The deck needs a lift-out board over it so it can still be cleared.

What a small deck costs

Composite boards on a new low frame, fitted. Clearing old flags, carrying everything through the house and built-in extras push the price up.

Price your own size in the calculator

JobTypical price
Courtyard, 6 m²
About 3 × 2 m		£600 to £1,200
Terrace yard, 10 m²
About 4 × 2.5 m		£1,000 to £2,000
Short garden, 15 m²
About 5 × 3 m		£1,500 to £3,000
Lifting old flags or decking
Labour and disposal		£150 to £600
Deck lights
Each, fitted		£30 to £100 each
Where these figures come from

Typical UK fitted prices from published price lists we reviewed, October 2026. National figures, not Bradford-specific, and some lists do not say whether VAT is included. A guide, not a quote.

Through the house or over the back wall

In a terraced street the biggest practical question is access. If boards, frame timber and old flags all have to go through the hall and kitchen, the job takes longer and costs more, and the house needs protecting.

Many Bradford terraces have a back street or ginnel. If there is a gate or the wall is low enough to pass materials over, say so when you ask for a price. It is often the difference between a two-day job and a three-day one.

Laying over the old flags

If the existing flags are sound and roughly level, a deck can go straight on top of them using adjustable pedestals. That saves lifting and disposing of the stone, and the flags make a firm, weed-free base.

The catch is height. The flags plus a frame and boards can bring the deck up to the door sill, and the finished surface should stay about 150 mm below it. In a yard with a low back door, the flags usually have to come up. There is more on this on our decking over a patio page.

Ideas that work in a small space

These are the layouts that tend to earn their keep in a yard of under 15 m².

  • A bench and table at the sunniest end, with the bins tucked out of sight by the gate.
  • Raised planters in the same boards along the back wall, so the plants sit at eye level when you are sitting down.
  • A slatted screen fixed to the top of a low wall for more privacy, as long as the total height stays within the 2 m permitted for boundaries in a back garden.
  • Two or three low deck lights rather than one bright floodlight, so the yard is usable on autumn evenings.

Planning for small decks

A low deck in a back yard does not normally need planning permission, as long as it stays under 30 cm above the ground. Front gardens and side yards facing a road are treated differently, as are listed buildings and conservation areas such as Saltaire, Little Germany or Manningham. If your home is in one, speak to Bradford Council before building.

Questions we get asked

How much does decking cost for a small garden?

A composite deck of 6 to 10 m² typically costs £600 to £1,200 to £2,000 fitted. The composite decking cost calculator works out your exact size.

Is decking a good idea for a small garden?

Usually, yes. A single level floor makes a small space look tidy and bigger, and it is quicker to install than new paving. In a shaded yard, composite stays cleaner than timber or stone.

Which way should decking boards run in a small garden?

Away from the house to make it look longer, across to make it look wider. In a long narrow yard, across usually looks better.

Can I put decking over concrete or flags?

Yes, on adjustable pedestals or a low frame, as long as the base is sound, water can drain away underneath and the finished deck stays below the door sill.

What colour decking is best for a small garden?

Light and mid greys or stone colours. They reflect light into shaded spaces and show less dust and pollen than very dark boards.

Tell us about your yard

Three quick steps. A rough idea of the garden is plenty: the slope, the size, what you'd like to use it for.

Free to use. We are an introduction service: we find an independent local decking installer for the job and tell you who they are before anyone contacts you.

Step 1 of 3

Your postcode
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