A poorly designed deck is easy to spot. It may be too high off the ground and dominate the house and yard, or it may be too small, making you feel as if you’re stuck on a crowded boat. The color, materials or railing style may be inappropriate for the house. Badly designed decks may be too shady, too sunny or too public. Or worse, they may be unsafe, with poor lighting at the stairs and a lack of handrails and guardrails.
When you’re planning to build a deck, you have many decisions to make. Here are 10 tips most designers agree are essential to a successful design:
1. Select the Best Spot
Take time to examine all of your options. Check out candidate sites at different times of day, spending time at each. Use a ladder to check the view from various elevations. Try to anticipate the views of your deck from neighbors’ windows and yards. If you can see them, they can see you. Will you be able to create the privacy you need with trellises, overhead structures or plantings? What is the best way to build around obstacles that would be difficult and expensive to move, such as natural rock outcroppings, trees and basement doors?
The biggest factor in choosing a location for your deck is usually the interior room (or rooms) you want to connect it to. For a deck used to cook and serve meals, being near the kitchen or dining room is a must. For sunbathing and spa splashing, locate your deck near a family room, basement recreation room or spare bedroom. There are plenty of possibilities for locating elevated decks as well, including bedrooms, bathrooms, over-the-garage recreation rooms and hallways.
2. Choose the Right Exposure
If you have more than one option for location, sun and wind exposure may be the deciding factors. Sun exposure is determined by the deck’s relationship to the sun’s path. If you live in the northern hemisphere, a south-facing deck will receive sun almost all day. East- and west-facing decks get sun in the morning and afternoon, respectively. Southeast- or southwest-facing decks will receive the sun for longer periods than decks that face due east or west. North-facing decks, unless extended beyond the shadow of your house, will receive little or no sun for much of the day.
Of course, take into account the shade cast by nearby trees and buildings. Keep in mind that you can always create shade by planting trees or adding an overhead shade structure, such as an awning, a pergola or a gazebo. Also note that you can wrap your deck around two sides of your house to take advantage of both sun and shade.
In many locations, wind is another factor to consider. If you live in a cool climate where the prevailing wind is frequently gusty, opt for the protected side of your house to increase the time you can spend on the deck. If that’s not possible, you can build a wind screen. In a hot climate, on the other hand, breezes may bring welcome relief from the heat.
3. Determine the Best Height
Depending upon how high your foundation is above grade, you may have some flexibility in the height of your deck. A first-level deck, for example, can go anywhere from a few inches below the level of the adjacent interior floor to a few inches above grade. The height of a second-level deck may be more limited. You’ll have to consider windows above and below deck level as well as door placement. No matter where you’re planning to put your deck, the general guideline is to build it as low as you can. Doing so will make it less complex to construct, safer to use, less expensive, less likely to interfere with views from windows and patio doors, more private and more likely to fit in with the house and yard. It will also take up less of your yard with space-consuming stairs. If you do want an upper-story deck, make it as small as you can while still meeting your needs. Otherwise, you may put a large portion of the lower story in perpetual shadow.
4. Control the View
Where you place the deck will largely determine your view from it. A deck built off of a second or third floor will offer an expansive view. One that’s nearer to the ground will offer a better vantage of your yard and garden but not much else. Unless you have something special to look at, opt for close to the ground for the reasons already mentioned (cost, ease of construction, safety, privacy, etc.). If you do have a great view, make the most of it and locate your deck accordingly. If your view is mixed, block out any eyesores with a well-placed fence (built on the deck) or trellis.
Deck placement will also affect your neighbors’ view of you. Once again, keep your deck’s height low if you can. It will eliminate most privacy problems or make them a lot easier to solve. If you do find that your preferred deck location is in view of your neighbors, use trellises, deck-top fences and plantings. A paneled guardrail, especially for a raised deck, can also create the privacy you desire.
5. Preserve Natural Assets
Rough, steep or uneven terrain in a backyard is normally a liability. When designing a deck, however, you may be able to turn it to your advantage. A moderately sloping site may be a natural for a multilevel deck that steps down (or up) the incline. With a steep slope, a deck may be your only way to have a bit of backyard — and the view is likely to be interesting. Large rock outcroppings or boulders provide natural focal points for your deck project and should also be considered an asset. Many people allow trees to penetrate decks for a dramatic effect. Just make the openings large enough to accommodate growth and movement due to wind.
6. Find a Good Size
Decks are a relatively inexpensive way to add square feet to a home, but don’t get carried away — bigger is not always better. Aside from the obvious drawback of higher cost, a bigger deck will require more maintenance, use up prime space for gardening and other activities and be harder to fit to your house.
Versatility is the operative word if you’re planning a small deck. Opt for small-scale, lightweight furniture that doesn’t take up a lot of space and that can be easily moved, folded or stacked; a grill that can be easily moved to free up space for other activities; and wide stair treads that can double as seating. Multipurpose furniture, such as a bench that doubles as a table and has storage below, is worth considering. A hammock can turn a small deck into a napping place, and you can integrate the support posts into your design so you won’t have to make room for a hammock stand.
If you want a large deck, use planters, screens and trellises to create cozy areas. Otherwise, the spaciousness can detract from intimacy (for example, when you’re planning an outdoor breakfast for two). Canopies and gazebos can create a sense of enclosure. Avoid built-ins that don’t allow you to change space configurations (unless you’re sure you’ll use them a lot). For example, a permanent fire pit surrounded by built-in benches may seem like a wonderful idea. But unless you intend to use it more than a dozen times a year, you may want to consider a portable fireplace and chairs instead.
Some homeowners feel that certain activities are mutually exclusive — for example, grilling and sunbathing — and need their own dedicated space. An on-deck play area for children might be better kept separate from adult entertaining areas. In such cases, consider two or more “rooms” for your deck. “Multiroom” decks can be designed to provide other advantages as well: for example, to capture a view or take advantage of a sunny exposure. Such decks often wrap around one or two corners of a house. “Rooms” can be separated by changes in level, jogs in the footprint of your house, planters, trellises, privacy screens and even drapes.
7. Choose a Fitting Shape
The design of your house and backyard are often the deciding factors when it comes to selecting a deck shape. In fact, it’s a good idea to start the process by deciding whether your deck is a “house deck” or “yard deck.” A house deck is closer and more connected to the house. A deck that’s raised 4 ft. or more is typically a house deck. A yard deck is more connected to the landscape. It’s generally close to the ground and may incorporate planting beds and other natural features, such as trees and rocks. In general, house decks look better if they echo the shape of the house, which in most cases is rectangular or square. Yard-oriented decks can take on more irregular or organic shapes.
Curves are sexy, but when it comes to decks, use caution. Curves rarely relate to the architecture of a house, are often misused and are expensive to produce. One exception is half-round peninsulas off a square or rectangular deck — especially when half-round windows are present or when there are natural curves in the landscape, such as trees with rounded crowns or conical shapes. Gently curved deck shapes can also help to integrate a ground-level deck with a hilly terrain.
8. Provide Easy Access
Most decks benefit from having at least two access points from the yard and two from the house. That way one yard entrance can permit a short walk to the back door of the garage, for example, while the other leads to a garden or pool. Small second-story decks are the exception to this rule; one yard entrance is usually all that is feasible.
On decks lower than 3 ft., wide entrances to the yard are more graceful and can open up a view that would otherwise be obstructed by railings. They also allow the stair treads to be used as seating for watching backyard activities without restricting traffic. Wide entrances may not be feasible for decks over 3 ft. high because the stairs would consume an unacceptable amount of yard space.
On decks that are less than 2 ft. off the ground, you may be tempted to eliminate guardrails altogether and allow access from anywhere. Be cautious about doing so, however, especially if the deck is small: It’s too easy to inadvertently step off the edge. Furniture placement is more challenging, too — you may need to put the dining table in the middle of the deck so no one accidentally backs a chair off the edge.
Patio doors are the most practical house-to-deck transitions. They afford you a view of the deck and yard and come in a wide variety of configurations. Choose the widest door that will fit your plan. French-style units (where both doors open) make the roomiest and most graceful transitions. Sliders save space, as there is no need to accommodate door swing. Adding a second door from the house to the deck will take the pressure off a heavily trafficked back door. This is especially important if you want to avoid bottlenecks during parties.
9. Select the Right Railings
Handrails and guardrails are a great way to add style to an otherwise ordinary deck. Manufacturers of synthetic decking materials have responded to consumers’ growing desire for distinctive railings by creating easy-to-install railing kits. Some are as simple as a stack of decorative steel balusters, screws and a spacing tool to ease installation. Others offer preassembled balustrade panels that you cut to length and snap between specially extruded rails. Some builders mix and match, using preassembled balustrade sections set into conventionally framed wood posts and rails. For a lighter, contemporary look — one that’s less likely to block your view — consider balustrades made with stainless steel cable, rods, pipes, tempered glass or aluminum. If your home is architecturally distinctive, consider installing a custom guardrail that blends with existing architectural elements, such as columns and balustrades. Whatever railings you choose, make sure they meet building codes in your area before you make your purchase.
10. Consider Skirting Options
Skirt or fascia boards are typically 3/4-in.-wide trim pieces used to hide rough framing such as header joists. You can paint them to match your house trim or finish them to match the decking or railings. Run skirt boards under overhanging deck boards, or cover decking edges and ends for a flush look. Skirt boards should extend an inch or two lower than the framing they cover. Because wood-to-wood contact promotes rot, apply preservative and use spacers to create airspace between skirt boards and joists. Airspace is not necessary when synthetic trim boards are installed over pressure-treated wood.
To hide the entire space between the deck and the ground, use skirting panels. These wood or composite boards or lattice panels help to keep balls, pets and pests from getting under the deck. A solid skirt gives the deck a more massive, formal look, as if it were built on a foundation. Open lattice, available in both pressure-treated wood and vinyl in diamond or windowpane patterns, has a lighter appearance and allows for ventilation (important in damp climates). If you opt for skirting, be sure to include one or more access doors to the space you’re enclosing.
There’s no rule about screening off the underpinnings of your deck with lattice panels or other materials. Leaving off skirting panels will make the deck look as if it were floating — especially if you have cantilevered the joists and decking around the perimeter. If you have the headroom but don’t plan to use the space for storage, the area can be left open to provide a shady retreat when the sun is high and hot. Decks that are a few feet off the ground can be screened with plantings, such as evergreen shrubs. Wisteria and other flowering vines can also be planted around the deck perimeter. They will screen the rough framing beneath the deck and can be trained to grow up the balustrade.