How to improve your caravan decking – 15 expert tips

Your static caravan’s decking is the perfect place to relax, socialise, and make the most of the weather. Done well, it feels like an extra room for your holiday home.

So how do you make the most of it? From planting and cosy furnishings to clever lighting, there are plenty of ways to bring it to life.

We asked Discover Parks’ gardener, Jo, to share her favourite caravan decking ideas including decking décor, planting inspiration and the best outdoor furniture.

She’s seen plenty of decking dressed in various ways working across Arrow Bank, Pearl Lake and Rockbridge. There’s no hard and fast rules, it’s all down to personal choice, but reading this could start your journey to decking inspiration!

Lighting your caravan decking

A smartly lit decking area is such a peaceful place to relax into the evening but getting the lighting just right can be difficult. Here are Jo’s top tips to keep your holiday home’s decking pleasantly lit:

1. Outdoor lighting

Make sure you buy specific outdoor lights or caravan decking post cap lights as these are designed to withstand adverse weather.

For electrical lights, look for lights with an IP65 rating. Though IP45 are classed as ‘shower-proof’ they can sometimes let water in and cause tripping problems. We’d also always recommend having electrical lights installed by a qualified electrician.

2. Be aware of light levels

Caravan sites and holiday parks are communal spaces and you don’t want to disrupt your neighbours by using excessive lighting and leaving your decking too bright. If you’re in a certified dark sky area, like at Rockbridge, make sure you buy shielded lights that don’t contribute to light pollution.

3. Candles or Lanterns

Though candles can add lovely atmospheric lighting to your decking, they can be a real safety hazard.

Therefore, we would recommend battery-powered candles. You can get ones which look very realistic, or you can place them in lanterns to disguise them slightly! An added benefit is that they won’t blow out in a gust of wind. 

 4. Solar-powered lights

Choosing solar-powered lighting allows you to move the lights to wherever you need them, rather than being constricted by wires and outdoor plug sockets.

Our location in Herefordshire is amongst England’s darkest sky regions. With little light pollution, Discover Parks are the perfect place to view a blanket of stars. Stay and stargaze

Best Plants and Flowers for Decking

A popular way to bring life to your decking by adding some greenery or flowers. Plus, it can attract some lovely bees and butterflies to stop by your holiday home.

5. Consider how often you’ll be visiting

Will you be visiting your holiday home every weekend? Monthly? Make sure the flowers and plants you leave on your decking are hardy enough to survive when you’re not there to care for them.

6. Flowers to welcome you back

Jo recommends planting tulips, crocuses and daffodils at the end of the season, so they can spring up to welcome you when you return the following year. 

7. Recommended plants and flowers

These are Jo’s top flower picks for adding colour and scent to your decking:

Phlox, Dianthus, Peony, Viburnum, Lilies, Stock, Hyacinth, Jasmine, Lavender, Evening Primrose, Honeysuckle, Roses, Geranium, Saponaria, Lavender, Sedum, Osteospermum, Begonia, oriental poppy, Verbena, Sage and Penstemon.

8. Choose pots with lots of space for soil 

Obviously, every holiday home is different but in Jo’s opinion – “Less is sometimes more”. 

She recommends choosing two or three good-sized planters or pots for your decking rather than lots of little ones. The bigger the pots, the more their soil will hold moisture, which is great for flowers’ roots.

Be aware that if you choose clay pots, they need to be protected or they may crack in winter. 

9. Pots or stands with wheels

Since you might leave your holiday home for months at a time, it’s quite a good idea to move any flowers or plants into shadier areas rather than the most direct sunlight. 

By placing your pots and plants on stands with wheels, your plants will be easier to manoeuvre across your decking. It also makes cleaning your upvc decking or vinyl deck easier too.  

10. Be mindful of flower placement

Much like keeping light levels suitable for your neighbours, please keep the groundkeepers at your holiday park in mind when planting or placing flowers.

For example, leave space around your holiday home to keep it easy to maintain by the grounds team or gardeners.

Also if you have hanging baskets (a popular and pretty choice), be aware of how high they are placed. If someone’s mowing the lawn by your decking, they might not be looking up and so head-height hanging baskets can be a hazard. 

Discover Parks’ 5* holiday country parks are all set in gorgeous greenery, find out more

Outdoor furniture and garden accessories

As well as looking pretty, you want your decking to be practical. There are so many types of outdoor furniture to suit different needs, but these are some factors to consider if you want to try something new.

11. Moveable furniture 

Whether you’re looking to avoid the rain or catch the sun, it’s useful to choose outdoor furniture which can be moved around. Jo’s top tip is to choose furniture made out of lighter-weight materials such as wicker or rattan furniture. 

Also, look for furniture with removable cushioning or which can be covered up to avoid it getting damp.

12. Water features

A small water feature can provide tranquil background noise. Jo would recommend a solar-panelled one again for easy installation. 

13. Attracting birds to your decking

In a similar vein, if you want to attract birds to your decking, she would recommend a bird bath over a bird feeder, as the latter can attract vermin.

14. Wildlife camera

You might be surprised about the wildlife passing by your holiday home, but setting up a wildlife camera means you won’t miss any of it! Just make sure that cameras are allowed at your holiday park and angle it in such a way that you wouldn’t be capturing anyone else or their properties. 

15. Create shade

A caravan deck is a completely blank canvas and can be a little exposed, so a large parasol umbrella can provide much-needed shade, especially on south-facing decking.

Static caravan decking creativity

Of course, the most important top tip is to create a decking area which feels like you and allows you to relax. Your holiday home should be your happy place!

If you’re looking for a holiday home with a beautiful view from its decking, you’re in luck!  We have a number of caravans and lodges with generous decking spaces available. The prime plots and lakeside holiday homes don’t stay on the market for long. Find out more here:

View Holiday Homes for Sale