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Decked Out – Ten Things to Consider Before Building your Outside Deck

Decks are one of the most beautiful additions to any home. They add beauty, value, and a serene home getaway that is unbeatable. Imagine yourself sunbathing on your deck with the rays of summer sunshine dancing on your lawn chair. Imagine having a get together with friends, the barbecue grill smoking away spreading its luscious smells to all of your guests and admiring neighbors. Imagine an evening of star gazing with your kids on the solid surface of your deck. Before you imagine too much, though, think about the disastrous consequences of a poorly built outdoor structure. The media is full of stories about decks crashing in on homeowners leaving permanent disability in its wake. If you are ready to build the right outside deck for your structure, there are ten things you should consider first.

The first thing to think about is the purpose of your deck. Will it be used for entertaining guests on a regular basis? If so, have you considered how many guests you want the deck to hold? That should be one of your primary considerations. More guests will equal more weight. It will also mean you might need extra space for lawn furniture, grills, and people. You also might want the deck to be a play area for you small children. If so, that means a whole host of other issues throughout the planning process. Whatever your deck’s intended purpose, it is best to think it all the way through before starting on the process.

The next thing you should consider is your deck’s location. If you have landscaping issues where you think you will be placing your deck, which is one more thing you are going to have to deal with in the building process. You may also need to consider tree removal, as well as entrances and exits to your home. Remember, you have to have a way to actually access your deck, and if you want it in a place where you do not have an exit, you may need to add one to get the deck in your desired location.

The third thing you need to consider is your deck plan. This will serve as a guide to the entire project. It does not require a professional hand; it just requires someone who can be thorough enough to cover all of the aspects involved.

Another thing you must consider is how your deck will attach to your home. There are many different ways this can be done. It can be freestanding, but that is not always practical or safe. If it is to attach to the house, you have to decide how you will cut away the siding at the joining point. You must also check on the framing of your home where you wish your deck to stand. Is it strong enough?

The fifth thing you must consider are the deck supports as a whole. You need to decide exactly how many footings and posts you will need, and where you intend to place them. If you plan a very large deck, you should plan for a large number of footings and posts. With a smaller deck, you might not need quite as many.

An additional thing to note is the decking material you plan to use. Do you want a wood deck or one made of composite materials? If wood, you should choose your variety. Redwood, cedar, and pressure treated pine are all popular because they resist rot and decay. If you choose another wood decking material, you will, on a constant basis, need to provide protectant and sealant material. Composite decking materials are a good choice because they have been chemically engineered to avoid all of the problems of traditional wood.

The seventh thing to think about is the permits that will be required to build your deck in your area. Different areas have different zoning laws and requirements. Where some areas will require a building permit, others will require only a periodic site inspection. Some require both. It is best to check with your city government to decide what action you need to take to file for a permit.

The eighth thing to consider is the tools required for the project. Do you have everything you need on hand? How much additional expense will this add to the project? At the very least, you will need three different saws. If you do not have this kind of experience, you should consider the next point very carefully.

The ninth thing to think about is whether or not you will need professional help with this project. Decking is a big project to undertake if you are a weekend handyman. Moreover, if you have very little construction experience, decking is not a good first learning project. Poorly built decks are very dangerous, and if you cannot handle the project, leave it to a professional.

The final thing to consider is the extras you might want to build into your deck. You could add flower boxes on each corner. You might want a decorative hand rail. You might even want built in seating for your guests. Whatever extras you add, they will personalize your deck.

A deck can be a great place for a number of activities, but it is a huge undertaking.

When Using Pavers instead of Wood Decking Makes Sense for your Patio

There’s nothing like being able after a hard days work like going outside and relaxing on your deck or patio. Weekends are especially nice to take a few minutes and fix up a dinner of hamburgers or steaks. If you want to build a deck for your enjoyment, you might want to consider looking into pavers or paving stones as some call them. Read on to learn about the advantages of using pavers as compared with a traditional wood deck. You might be surprised to find out that there are some real advantages to using them.

The advantages of pavers are numerous. Read on from the list below to find out why you might want to use pavers.

Deck Building. Building a deck is tedious. Even with the simplest designs you should be prepared to spend more money for wrong cuts and other mishaps. Pavers are simpler to use, and less expensive than wood.

Building Permits. If you live out in the country with neighbors far away you’ll usually have no problems with building the deck of your dreams. The problem comes in when you live in a residential area with tight building codes you’ll have to adhere too. Don’t take the chance and spend your hard earned money without looking into the codes for your area. Neighbors can report you and then you’ll be fined, and you’ll have to remove your deck. In some areas the requirements on deck building include the size, type of wood to use and even color. Usually you’ll have no choice if you want a free standing deck as opposed to one that attaches directly to your house. Because of limited space think about easement issues too because the cities building codes won’t allow you to encroach on another’s property, or stop access to necessary utility lines either. Also look at issues of rot in cases of standing water, and water infiltration from high velocity of water runoff. If your deck is built off of the second floor, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Pavers can easily fit to building codes.

Landscaping. Look at how your ground landscaping design fits in with a deck. Are bushes and flowers shown to their best advantage? Building a deck could cost more that the deck itself for your landscaping needs. Pavers can be sheared to fit you yard.

Space. Decks are meant to give a sense of escape. If you feel cramped in, your deck won’t be used to much. Other decorative items such as flower pots are likely to be kicked off and trampled on. Look at the fact that most people love cooking out on their deck, and a grill just might not fit, or be very useful around the railing of the deck. If the deck itself on the second floor, ashes end up on kitchen or bedroom windows below, and you’ll have an ashy mess to continually clean up during the summer. Pavers give a sense of more space, so more room to move in.

Portability. Decks are stationary once you build them. With pavers you can place them so that if you need to move them, you can. Reasons you might want to move them are to add a new landscape design to your yard, or if you just need a change of scenery. Also consider the fact that if you know you’ll be moving soon, pavers will add some value to your home and at the same time can be enjoyed by you, and easily removed by the new occupants.

Renting. Most landlords won’t approve of any new structure being added to their house. There are varied reasons why such as the design, faulty construction, building permits issue, and liability for insurance in case you or a new renter get hurt. Even if the landlord’s liability insurance does cover it, most don’t want to have any wood or siding removal done on their rental property. This is really true if you live in a historically designated district where the city directs what can be done to a home. Pavers might be allowed if they can be moved by the landlord. When renting always check with them because if you don’t and something happens you could be held liable.

Pavers are a good idea, and really have a lot of advantages over your typical wood deck.