Composite decking built to perfection
Steve and Rees constructed this beautiful circular Millboard deck as part of a larger garden transformation in Tring.
Surrounded by tropical planting and connected to the wider garden by custom-cut stepping stones, the platform creates a secluded breakfast terrace with a completely different character from the more conventional paved areas.
The circular form may appear simple, but almost every part of its construction required careful measuring, templating and specialist cutting. By being built by Steve and Rees, it demonstrates how skilled construction can turn a relatively small deck into the defining feature of a garden.
A garden deck built around a perfect circle
Straight decking is governed by familiar lines and repeated measurements. A circular deck presents an entirely different challenge because every board meets the perimeter at a different point and angle.
Steve and Rees created templates to establish the precise shape before cutting the Millboard boards individually. Each cut had to follow the intended circumference while maintaining consistent spacing and a smooth, balanced edge.
A small error at the centre or perimeter would have become increasingly visible as work progressed around the circle. The accuracy of the finished platform therefore depended upon careful setting out from the beginning.
The construction took longer than a conventional deck of a similar size, but the result justified the additional time. The finished curve is clean, consistent and deliberate from every viewing angle.
Circular Millboard decking
Millboard’s flexible bullnose edging and fascia helped Steve and Rees create the smooth perimeter needed for this unusual design.
The flexible components were formed around the circumference to conceal the supporting structure and complete the deck with a continuous curved edge. They also removed the need for a series of short, visibly jointed trim sections.
Installing flexible edging still requires skill. The curve must remain consistent, the fixings must be positioned carefully and the fascia must sit neatly against the cut ends of every decking board.
Steve and Rees worked around the entire platform to ensure the edging followed the circle without flat spots, uneven sections or distracting changes in alignment.
Millboard Smoked Oak
Millboard Enhanced Grain decking in Smoked Oak was selected to work with the wider garden’s material and colour palette.
Its warm brown tones complement the paving and contrast with the garden’s pink retaining walls. The colour also sits naturally among the broad foliage and varied greens of the surrounding tropical planting.
The detailed surface provides the character of timber while allowing the precise circular design to remain the principal feature.
The completed deck feels contemporary without appearing disconnected from the planting around it.
Connected by bespoke stepping stones
Custom-cut stepping stones connect the circular terrace with the rest of the garden.
Rather than building a solid path to the platform, the stepping stones create a lighter journey through the planting. This allows the deck to feel slightly separate and more secluded, while still remaining practical to reach from the main garden.
Steve and Rees coordinated the final positions and levels of the stones with the height of the deck. The transition needed to feel natural, comfortable and visually balanced.
As the planting matures around the stones and deck, the route will become increasingly absorbed into the landscape.
A durable supporting structure
The circular Millboard surface is supported by a carefully constructed structural frame.
Plas-Pro posts manufactured from recycled plastic were used as supports. Because the material does not rot in the same way as timber, it is particularly useful where posts sit close to the ground and remain exposed to persistent moisture.
The deck frame was constructed using UC4-treated, C24 structurally graded timber joists. Joist sizes and spans were determined with reference to the structural principles of BS 5268-7.1 and the loads expected from a domestic garden deck.
Steve and Rees assembled the frame using 150mm Carpenters Mate exterior-grade structural fixings. The framework also had to accommodate the additional support required around the curved perimeter.
Although concealed beneath the Millboard boards and fascia, this structure determines the long-term performance of the finished terrace.
Carefully built from the ground upwards
The construction included:
- Setting out the circular platform
- Producing templates for the curved perimeter
- Cutting each Millboard board individually
- Constructing the supporting timber frame
- Installing rot-resistant recycled-plastic support posts
- Forming additional support around the circumference
- Installing flexible Millboard bullnose edging and fascia
- Coordinating the deck with the bespoke stepping stones
- Finishing the platform accurately from every viewing angle
This level of work explains why circular decking should never be treated as a standard rectangular platform with its corners removed. The structure, board layout and finishing details must all be considered as parts of the same geometry.
Built by Steve and Rees
This Tring project highlights the care and practical craftsmanship Steve and Rees bring to bespoke decking and landscape construction.
They understood that the circle had to be genuinely accurate. A roughly formed curve would have been particularly noticeable against the radial board cuts and continuous Millboard edging.
By taking the time to template, check and refine the perimeter, they created a distinctive garden terrace that appears effortless despite the complexity involved in building it.
The overall garden and deck were designed by Karl Harrison, with Steve and Rees responsible for translating the concept into the finished landscape feature.
Millboard decking installers in Tring
Steve & Rees Landscapes construct bespoke Millboard, composite and timber decking across Tring, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas.
Their work includes:
- Circular and curved decking
- Raised and ground-level terraces
- Millboard and premium composite decking
- Timber and recycled-plastic substructures
- Bespoke steps and pathways
- Pergolas and garden structures
- Complete landscape construction
Whether your garden needs a simple terrace or something completely individual, Steve and Rees can help turn the idea into a carefully constructed outdoor space.
Contact Steve & Rees Landscapes to discuss your decking or landscaping project.
Project credits
Location: Tring, Hertfordshire
Decking construction and installation: Steve and Rees
Garden and decking design: Karl Harrison
Decking: Millboard Enhanced Grain in Smoked Oak
Decking supplier: Country Supplies
Structure: UC4-treated C24 timber with Plas-Pro recycled-plastic support posts
Structural fixings: Carpenters Mate 150mm exterior-grade structural screws
Client: Private residential client
