How to Get Rid of Your Old Decking Wood

Timber decking has a hard life in Scotland. Years of rain, frost and shade leave boards green, slippery and soft, and sooner or later the deck needs relaying or removing altogether. Getting rid of the old wood is often the awkward part: the boards are long, heavy, full of screws and nails, and usually treated, which limits what you can do with them. The main options are to reuse sound boards, take the timber to a recycling centre, or have it removed by a registered clearance company. This guide explains each one, along with how to take the deck up safely.

Is your decking worth saving?

Before you rip everything out, check what has actually failed. Common signs that a deck has reached the end of its life include:

• boards that feel soft or spongy underfoot, or that split when you lift them
• a surface that stays slippery even after cleaning
• joists underneath that are rotten, especially where they sit on the ground
• screws that have rusted through and boards that lift at the ends

Sometimes only the boards need replacing while the frame underneath is still sound, which means less waste and a cheaper rebuild. If the joists are rotten, the whole deck will need to come up.

Taking up old decking safely

Lifting a deck is hard, dirty work, and rotten timber can give way without warning. A few precautions make it much safer:

• Wear the right kit. Thick gloves, sturdy boots and eye protection are essential. Old decks are full of rusty screws and nails, and splinters from weathered timber can go deep.
• Work from one end. Lift boards in order with a cordless driver or a pry bar, and do not stand on sections that have already lost their support.
• Deal with fixings as you go. Pull or flatten protruding nails and collect loose screws, so nobody steps on them later.
• Expect visitors underneath. The space below a deck is a favourite spot for rats and mice, so lift the first boards carefully.
• Get help with joists. Long, wet joists are heavy and awkward. Two people make the job far safer.

Why treated decking needs care

Most timber decking is treated to resist rot and insects, and many decks have been stained or painted since. That treatment is what makes old decking harder to deal with than untreated wood. Treated timber needs the right recycling route and should never be burned at home. Composite decking, made from a mix of wood fibre and plastic, is different again, so tell any recycling centre or clearance company what your deck is made of.

Option 1: reuse the good boards

Boards that are still solid can have a second life. They make good raised beds, planters, compost bays, log stores and shed shelving. If you have more than you need, offer them locally; someone else may be building a path or a small deck of their own. Wear a dust mask if you cut or sand treated boards.

Option 2: take it to a recycling centre

Glasgow's household waste recycling centres accept wood, are open 8am to 6pm seven days a week, and need no booking for residents. The problem is length. Deck boards and joists are often longer than a car, so you may need to cut everything down, and vans are only accepted at Shieldhall and Dawsholm at set times. In Edinburgh, the recycling centres work by booked appointment, and vans and trailers need a booked slot and ID.

Option 3: a skip

If the deck is part of a bigger renovation, a skip may make sense. Remember that a skip on a public road in Glasgow needs a permit, costing £55 for the first week outside the city centre or £92 in the city centre, before the hire itself. You still lift, carry and load everything, and on a narrow street there may be nowhere to put it.

Option 4: professional removal

For most people, the simplest option is a registered clearance company. The team can take away boards you have already lifted, or take up the old deck for you, and remove the joists, membrane and any other garden waste at the same time. Check that the company is a waste carrier registered with SEPA: if you pay someone who is not authorised and your decking is dumped, you can be held responsible, and the fixed penalty for fly-tipping in Scotland is £500.

What happens to the wood

At Jettison Express, everything we collect goes back to our depot to be sorted, and we recycle over 90% of what we take away. Timber is separated from metal fixings, membranes and general waste so it can go to the right recycling route. Our article on the advantages of sustainable waste disposal explains why keeping materials out of landfill matters.

How Jettison Express can help

Jettison Express removes old decking as part of our garden clearance service in Glasgow and our garden clearance service in Edinburgh, along with surrounding towns across central Scotland. Tell us whether you need the deck taken up or just taken away, and we will give you an up-front rate. Our uniformed team calls ahead, does all of the lifting and loading, and finishes with a sweep and tidy. If you are clearing out the house as well as the garden, our junk removal service can take the rest. Replacing more than the deck? See our guides to disposing of old fence panels and removing an old garden shed.

To get rid of your old decking without the hassle, contact us for a no-obligation quote or call 0333 880 6800, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.