Do decks attract rats?
Of all the possible places for rats to set up home, underneath a properly installed deck is one of the most inhospitable of places. This is because a sterile area is created before construction using a weed-suppressing sheet held in place with a layer of gravel. Because a gap is left between deckboards to help drain the surface dripping rainwater does not make for a dry, secure home. A small pea, let alone sufficient food to feed a single rat, could not find its way through this gap. As with the underside of garden sheds, precautions should also be taken to prevent leaves and other windblown litter accumulating by using boards or close-mesh wire netting. If you compost your waste food then it is best to use an enclosed/covered composter rather than an open heap which do tend to attract vermin. The TDA exists to set standards for the materials and practices used in deck construction. You should have no qualms whatsoever about rats moving in if the TDA guidelines on deck construction and
