BalcoDeck® Case Study, Honor Oak, London

BalcoDeck® Aluminium Decking – Honor Oak Park, London

Project Overview

This project involved the design and installation of a BalcoDeck® aluminium decking system to a communal green roof terrace on a refurbished residential building in Honor Oak Park, London.

The roof terrace forms part of a wider development, where an existing building was converted into flats, with additional new residential units constructed to the rear. The decked area provides a shared outdoor amenity space for residents, designed to meet planning requirements while delivering a durable, low-maintenance finish suitable for rooftop use.

The Brief

Our client was a development company undertaking a full refurbishment and extension of the property. The brief was to create a rectangular decked area on the green roof that:

• Complied with planning requirements by being set 1 metre in from the roof perimeter

• Was not visible from the road

• Provided a robust, long-lasting communal space for residents

• Worked seamlessly with the existing waterproofed roof build-up

The deck was to be installed once the roof waterproofing was complete, allowing our team to proceed directly with the installation.

Picture Gallery: BalcoDeck Honor-Oak, London - Picture Gallery

Design & Structure

Early design discussions allowed for the decking sub-frame to be fixed back to the perimeter wall, enabling the structure to span fully back to the building on one side. However, shortly before installation this requirement changed, and no penetrations into the roof or waterproofing were permitted, including over the perimeter wall.

As a result, the BalcoDeck® system was installed as a fully freestanding structure, protecting the integrity of the roof waterproofing. The balustrade, however, was allowed to continue over the access bridge and was fixed back to the building structure in that location.

The overall layout was straightforward, with very few design constraints, allowing for a simple and cost-effective solution.

Access & Installation Considerations

Access to the roof was restricted to a small internal stairwell, which meant all decking boards, sub-structure components and balustrade materials had to be carried up in manageable sections.

This significantly increased labour and on-site assembly time, but once all materials were on the roof, installation progressed smoothly thanks to the accurate initial survey taken.

During the initial survey, the walls over the access bridge had not yet been completed. This required:

• Initial installation without the glass in this area

• A return visit once the walls were finished to take final measurements

• A further short visit to install the remaining glass panels

Materials Used

Decking System

• BalcoDeck® aluminium decking boards

• BalcoDeck® aluminium sub-structure

Balustrade

• Hybrid® Aerofoil aluminium balustrade

• Finished in RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey

• 10mm toughened safety glass

• Installed to the full perimeter and access bridge

• Total balustrade length: 24 linear metres

The combination of aluminium decking and balustrade provides a highly durable, non-combustible, and low-maintenance solution ideal for communal rooftop environments.

Project Size

• Total roof area: approximately 47m²

• Decked area: approximately 30m²

Site Challenges

From a design perspective, there were no major challenges, as the deck area was rectangular and unconstrained. The primary considerations were:

• Restricted site access via the stairwell

• The late change to a fully freestanding structure

• Phased installation of balustrade glass due to incomplete surrounding walls

All of these were accommodated without impacting the final appearance or performance of the system.

Time on Site

• Day 1: Delivery and distribution of materials

• Days 2–4: Full installation of decking and balustrade (excluding bridge glass)

• Additional visits:

  • One visit to re-survey once walls were completed

  • Half-day visit to install remaining glass panels

Completed Result

The finished BalcoDeck® installation provides a clean, contemporary communal roof terrace that meets planning requirements while offering residents a durable, attractive outdoor space. The aluminium construction ensures long-term performance with minimal maintenance, making it ideally suited to residential developments and green roof applications.