Dark Brown Decking 85D: the reversible face and which way up

Decking 85D in dark brown is described as reversible, with a wood grain finish on one side and a ribbed texture the listing calls anti-slip on the other, so the choice of surface is made when you lay it rather than when you buy it. The board is listed at 15 x 290 x 2.3cm, four to a pack, covering 1.74m².

The figures, as listed

The string reads as width, length and thickness, and the coverage figure supports that: four boards 0.15m by 2.90m come to 1.74m². Confirm the order with the shop if a cutting list hangs on it.

Which way up

The wood grain face is the one that reads as timber from a few steps away, and it is the obvious choice for a seating area you look at from the house. The ribbed face is the one the listing puts forward for grip, which argues for it on a path, a step tread, a slope, or the stretch of deck that sits under a downpipe and stays wet longest.

There is no rule against mixing them on one project. Running the ribbed face on the step and the approach path, with the grain face across the deck itself, uses the same board and the same clips throughout, which keeps the colour consistent. Decide before you fix anything: once the clips are screwed down, turning a board over means lifting its neighbours too.

What the anti-slip wording does and does not tell you

The listing describes the ribbed face as anti-slip and does not quote a slip test or a rating figure for it, wet or dry. If grip matters for a reason more serious than preference, such as a step somebody will use in the dark or a ramp, ask the shop whether the supplier holds any test data before you commit. We would rather say that plainly than put a number on a page we cannot stand behind.

The same applies to the rest of the detail. The description says composite, weather resistant and UV resistant, and that is as far as it goes. It gives no weight, no span or joist-centre figure, no fixing centres, and nothing about what the boards sit on. Dark brown is given as a name, not a colour reference.

Clips, screws and edges

Installation hardware is a separate line. The listing names Decking Fittings (80pcs) as the clips, which slide into the grooves in the decking and take a screw, and that pack does not include screws. For an exposed edge it names the Wall Panel 73/83 Trim - 290cm; the trim listing does not state its colours, so have the shop check it against dark brown rather than assuming a match.

The rest of the range

The black board is described the same way and is reversible too, and Oak 03, grey and khaki complete the set at the same size. All of them sit in Decking, with the clips and trims in outdoor trims and fittings.

Photographs of both faces and the full description are on the Decking 85D Dark Brown 290cm pack page. Delivery is free within 50 miles of our Glasgow store and £50 beyond.