Shade is a TS5 habit. Linthorpe terraces, Acklam semis and the streets near the park all throw shadow across the back. This guide is about the board, not about moving the house.
What a shaded yard does to a board
A board in full sun dries between showers. A board in shade does not. Moisture sits in the groove. A green film follows. Feet slip. Timber stains darken and stay dark.
North-facing yards are the clear case. So are yards under a sycamore, or behind a fence that the sun clears only at tea time. We stand in the garden and look up. A photo at noon can lie.
Green film shows on every colour, sooner on a pale board. We still want a texture you can trust when the surface is damp. We bring samples you can wet outside, in the shade.
Clay under a dark yard
Shade and clay arrive together. The soil stays soft because the sun never bakes it. A board laid over a frame that touches that soil will cup and rot at the ends.
Posts and pads keep the timber up. Air under the boards matters more here than on a sunny plot, because nothing else is drying the void. We do not box the sides in. A pretty fascia with no gap is a damp trap. Joist layout is on our joists guide. The pads are on the footings page.
Leaves and moss from next door's tree land in the same corner every week. A grooved board holds them. We leave a gap you can sweep, and we talk about a simpler groove if the tree is large. You will still need a brush. We will not pretend a board cleans itself.
Alleys that stay damp
Many TS5 houses are reached by a back alley. The alley is shaded by two rows of walls. It stays damp after the yard has started to dry. Stored boards, if we have to leave them, do not sit in that alley overnight on the clay.
The alley also decides the board length. A long composite board will not turn a tight entry. We plan cuts so the visible joints look meant. A joint in the middle of the only sunny strip is a waste. We put joints where the shade already breaks the view.
Privacy is close. The neighbour's window can be a few metres away. A higher deck would buy a sight line and might lose the simple planning case. Shade does not change the height rule. If the walking surface stands more than 30 cm off the soil at any point, the ordinary allowance has gone. We measure that before we talk about lifting the deck into a brighter patch.
A gate, a meter box and a downpipe all steal width. A board that will not pass is cut before the carry.
Which board we suggest
For deep shade on clay, a capped composite board is the calm choice. The cap does not drink water. It does not ask for oil. It still needs a sweep and a wash with soapy water. It will grow a film if it never sees light and never gets brushed. We say that plainly.
Timber is honest in a yard that gets a proper slice of sun, and where you want grain more than an easy winter. In full shade it stays wet, and the upkeep is real. We will fit it if you want it. We will not call it low-care.
Red brick in these streets takes a warm brown or a mid-grey. Very pale boards show every leaf. We lay samples on the step. The quote names the board, the joist centres and the posts. Ask for a quote and say which part of the yard is actually sunny. Height sits in the height rules. Our cost guide lists what moves the figure.
Your questions about shade and boards
Do pale boards stay cleaner in a TS5 yard?
They show the green film sooner. Darker boards hide it, and they do not overheat in this shade. Either way you need a brush. Colour is about the brick and the light, not a promise that the surface stays bare.
Can we lift the deck to catch more sun?
Sometimes the brighter spot is a step higher, towards a gap in the fence. That lift can push the walking surface more than 30 cm above the soil. We measure before we recommend it. An application is a normal outcome on a tight, shaded plot. It is not a failure.
Is timber a mistake in full shade?
It is a heavier promise, not a banned one. Shade and clay keep timber wet. Composite shrugs that off with less care. If you want timber, we will ventilate it properly and tell you about the oil. We will not sell it as the easy option.
Will an alley stop you using long boards?
It can. If the board will not pass the gate, we cut to a length that will, and we place the joint on a joist. We check that width on the visit so the quote matches the carry, not a hope.