The Joys of Adding a Deck to Your Home

Friday, January 12th, 2018

If you live in a region where good weather comes all-year-round, then you must enjoy it to the fullest. In order to do this, you to be able to go outside, to begin with. If you live in a home, though, that is lacking in lovely outdoor space, then that’s a reason for you to become a little more creative because outdoor living is simply in these days and adding a deck is a most-requested project among many designers.

There are now a lot of durable materials, accessories, and outdoor furniture to choose from as well as shade options. These are the reasons why more and more homeowners want to have their own deck.

An extension outdoor is also a way of extending your living space while enjoying outdoor beauty. This can be a great area for just hanging out with friends, lounging with family, reading a book or dining.

Differentiate Deck from Patio

The first thing that you need to consider is if you really need a patio, a deck or both.

A patio sits on flat ground is often made of pavers, concrete, flagstone or wood. It would be costly to set up a patio on a sloping surface since you will need retaining walls for the level surface.

A deck is a kind of platform that comes with decked tiles or boards. These are usually made of hardwood or a composite material.

The deck is the best kind of outdoor extension if your property comes with sloped yards. This is a place where you can finally have a flat surface where there used to be rolling hills. This is also a wonderful option for homes that sit above the ground.

You can go as high as you want with a deck. A platform deck is the best choice for homes that sit higher than 14 inches from the ground.

You can choose the patio or the deck on their own or you can build a deck that steps down to your patio.

Deck Uses

Typically, homeowners want a multipurpose deck.  This is an area where the family can eat, hang out or cook. The sky’s the limit, actually, with regard to the activities that you can do in this space. Depending also on your budget, you can even consider installing an outdoor television, a fire pit, a fireplace, a small outdoor kitchen, a water feature, even a hot tub.

Figure out what you would do with the deck that is about to be set up. Doing so will let you realize what size and safety measures will be set. You also need to know what the level of foot traffic would be. If you will be hosting a lot of parties, then you need a more durable material for your flooring as well as your outdoor furniture.

The last thing that you would want is to build a deck that’s too small or actually too large for your actual needs. Think also on how you can still have privacy on the deck. You wouldn’t want the entire neighborhood spying on your latest party.

Accessibility

Another thing that you need to consider when building a deck is how you and your family will be able to access it. If you already have a door that leads directly outdoors then, congratulations, that’s the perfect spot to begin.

But if you’re setting up a deck in a place where there’s no door, then you will need to make a budget for the opening of a wall. If you are going to break down a load-bearing wall, then that’s going to be a bigger issue.

Material Choices

Flooring options for decks are composite boards and wood. Wood has always been the more dominant of the two. The former are engineered pieces compared to the natural beauty that wood offers.

Consider also the shade options for your retractable awnings, umbrellas, or screened-in porch. Lastly, don’t forget the lighting. Whatever theme you chose, just make sure that the lighting fixture that you get will complement the rest of the design elements.

Tags: deck, deck design, deck style, deck vs. patio, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, patio vs. deck
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