We painted them with multiple coats of grey textured masonry paint. It gave the steps a much more professional and neat look than just the bare concrete as after angle-grinding them, they were still uneven colour.

Hi Emmeline, We completely agree with Aye Gardening. Softwood requires maintenance, and if you do not have the time to keep it good looking, we recommend you go for composite decking, such as Millboard. We have also seen some amazing transformation with Millboard Composite Decking, as it requires very little maintenance, it has good slip-resistance, it doesn't age, and can be used in damp areas as well - such as pool surrounds. Have a look at more photos here: https://www.houzz.co.uk/ideabooks/81725744/thumbs/how-composite-decking-can-transform-your-outdoor-space  Kind regards, London Stone

I have been using this for three years, i jet washed the decking first and did two coats, it did last well over a year to be honest , the following summer, just one coat was enough, it did pretty well on my decking the whole summer with extensive walking over. thats my feedback , so i am not sure why it came off so quickly on yours.

The design strips can make it look more authentic if you choose the right tone strip. I thought you meant do the floor in a straight lay like a ships deck. I think it also depends on the actual floor chosen ,I personally don’t find that they match in terms of what looks realistic