Deck Sealants are Worth the Trouble

If you are wondering why you can’t use just any finish on your deck, think about the abuse decking must handle, in­cluding pounding rain, snow, and ice, abrasion from traffic and furniture, and often many hours of direct sun, day after day. To make matters worse, the joints between the many parts of a deck retain moisture long after the rain stops, making the wood vulnerable to rot, mildew, and wood-munching insects. To combat this barrage, deck-fin­ish manufacturers offer a variety of formulations that in­clude sealers, preservatives, UV-light inhibitors, pigments, and resins. Some are oil based and penetrating. Some are acrylic and film forming. Others are a mix. Here is a list of the most popular finishing options for a new deck:

Clear sealers, or water-repellent preservatives, are the most popular choice for new decks. They help protect wood from moisture, thereby saving it from repeated cycles of soaking up water and then drying out. Unprotected, wood will crack, warp, cup and splinter. Sealers must be reapplied regularly to remain effective then; the wood will weather to gray. Water- repellent preservatives contain a fungicide to fight mildew.

Toners, or transparent stains, offer more than clear sealers. They deepen and enhance the wood, and the grain remains visible. You can use finishes on pressure-treated wood to approximate the look of more expensive woods. The best products in this category penetrate the wood surface, protect it from UV light and mildew, and leave a substantial top layer to resist moisture. They are relatively expensive finishes but will retain the original color of most woods strictly according to the manufacturer’s directions.  Note: Exotic hardwoods like Ipe or mahogany are dense with natural oils and don’t absorb penetrating stains as well as softer woods. Allow them to weather to a teak-like gray or treat them with a hardwood-specific finish according to the manufacturer’s recommendations to maintain the original wood color.

Semitransparent stains generally have more pigment than transparent stains and do a better job of hiding imperfections and unattractive grain patterns. Alkyd- and oil-based versions excel because they penetrate the wood better than acrylic formulations. All are available in a wide variety of wood tones and colors.

Solid stains are more heavily pigmented than semitrans­parent stains. (Think thinned paint.) They offer superior protection against UV rays and hide the color and grain of the wood. They, too, come in a wide variety of colors. Oil-based products usually last longer, but water-based formu­las are easier to clean. Expect wear patterns to show in heavily-trafficked areas.

Deck and porch paints, unlike many stains, are film-forming products. This makes for superior UV and mois­ture protection, and is great for camouflaging lesser grades of lumber—but paint may blister and peel, and will even­tually show wear in high-traffic areas. Use paint if you want a bright gloss or semi gloss finish to match or complement paint on your house exterior. Acrylic- and alkyd-based paints are available and should be applied over an oil-based primer. Mix the paint with clean sand to improve slip re­sistance if desired. Keep painted decks swept free of dirt (it wears finishes away faster), or place outdoor carpets along traffic paths to prevent wear. Sand and recoat as necessary.

Preservatives prevent fungal growth, rot, and decay— and some also protect against wood-boring insects. They are recommended for treating untreated wood as well as the site-cut ends of pressure-treated lumber. Preservatives alone are not finishes. They may, however, be sold in com­bination with sealers to provide moisture protection as well, making them a one-step finish. Some preservatives can be used prior to applying paint for added protection against rot and decay.

Apply one thin coat of finish to penetrate and dry completely. Thick layers of finish don’t penetrate nor dry completely. The wood should be dry before applying finish. Sprinkle a little water on the deck. If it soaks in immediately, the wood is dry enough for finish application. New pressure-treated lumber must dry out completely before finish is applied. Check with the lumber supplier for the proper amount of drying time.

Make sure whatever finish you apply is rated for outdoor use and for a deck surface. Follow manufacturer’s application instructions for best results. And don’t spray or paint yourself into a corner.

Use a deck brightener to clean a deck before applying new finish (page 184). A brightener removes dirt, mildew, and the top layer of sun-faded wood fibers to restore the natural color of cedar and redwood.

Reapply finish to decks approximately once a year. Harsh climates and heavy deck usage may require reapplication twice a year.

Pre-Design Tips for Adding a Deck

While there are many more possibilities open to you when designing a new home, you may be surprised at what you can do when adding on—especially when your deck addition is part of a bigger remodeling project. Think outside the box.

Consider the Unusual Deck

An entry deck, with the addition of trellises for privacy, may provide the tradi­tional front-porch feel you’ve always wanted. Adding a master suite above the garage⁷ Build a balcony to the front or back, or wrap it around three sides. A pocket deck off a first-level bathroom, enveloped with green­ery, might just become a perfect retreat for when you need to take a break from the mad rush of daily life.

Equip it with an outdoor shower, and you’ll come to know what luxury really means.

The Right Height Deck

In many situations, though not all, you will have some flexi­bility as to how high you build your deck. A first-level deck, for example, can go anywhere from a few inches above ground level to a few inches below the level of the interior floor. The height of a second-level deck may be more lim­ited. There are existing windows above and below as well as door placement to consider. 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 build, safer to use, less costly, less likely to interfere with views from windows and patio doors, easier to make private, and more likely to blend 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. Doing so will make it easier to fit with the style of your home and won’t put the lower floor in per­petual shadow. 

Cut Cooling Bills with a Deck

A south-facing elevated deck (on a second or third level] can be an energy-saver. In the summer, with the sun at a high trajec­tory, the deck will shade windows and doors and keep the lower level cool. In the winter, when the sun crosses the southern sky at a lower angle, south-facing windows and patio doors on the level below the deck will receive the sun and its warmth. Such a deck should not be built too deep—about 6 feet in most locations works well.

Maximize Your Best Views with Your New Deck

Where you place your deck will largely determine your view. Off a second or third floor, it will be expansive. Nearer to the ground, you’ll have a better vantage of your yard and garden, but not much else. Unless you have some­thing special to look at though, opt for the latter 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 the eyesore with a well-placed fence (built on the deck) or trellis. Trees, hedges, and shrubs can also detract or hide what you’d rather not look at.

Ensure Privacy with Deck Placement

Deck placement will also affect your privacy. 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, trellises, deck-top fences, and plantings can help. A solid guardrail, especially for a raised deck, can also create the privacy you require. When creating privacy with a fence or plantings, take care not to inadvertently block a view which your neighbor may value (of a lake, for instance).  If you have no choice, install a privacy screen that can be removed or rolled up when your deck is not in use.  Outdoor curtains, made with a weather-resist­ant fabric, are also a gracious solution.

Use Natural Assets for Your Deck Whenever Possible

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 that is worked into the design. Trees are often allowed to penetrate decks, but this can be a tricky detail.  Yes, some homeowners actually build their deck around a favorite tree or two.  It is something your guests will always remember but you will want to consult with your deck contractor first.

Outdoor Wooden Decks

Thinking of adding an outdoor wooden deck to your new home? You’re certainly not alone. Outdoor wooden Decks are America’s most popular do-it-yourself home improvement project.

What is it about outdoor wooden decks that appeal to American homeowners? Being off the ground, away from grass and bugs? Americans like to have a place for the barbecue grill that’s convenient to the house, comfortable and removed from the lawn. Plus, decks are a favorite spot for sunning and outdoor entertaining.  Outdoor kitchens are the latest must have addition for deck and patio owners

About 1.5 million decks are built or remodeled each year, according to the National Association of Home Builders. The average life of a typical outdoor can be expanded to many years with proper care.   Outdoor wooden Decks are not only found in the Sun Belt and the West, where they can be used year-round, but also in northern states where they can be used for just a few months a year.

In a recent survey conducted by NAHB on consumer preferences, 83 percent of potential new home buyers surveyed said they would like their new home to have a wooden deck off the back of the house, including 29 percent who said a deck was “essential.” Just 4 percent said they did not want a deck.

Outdoor decks are offered as an option by home builders on most new homes. Typically, they’re a standard item only in luxury homes.

According to NAHB, when people buy a new home, one of the first projects they want to undertake is adding a deck. About one-third of new homeowners consider themselves handy enough to tackle the job themselves, the other two-thirds have the deck built professionally. .

Over the past couple of decades, the design of decks has changed significantly. Outdoor decks were a simple rectangle or square with no extras. Today’s decks come in all shapes and sizes and typically include benches, planter boxes and posts for hanging baskets of flowers.

Most wooden decks are built off the rear of the house. However, there is an emerging trend of putting the deck in the front of the home, especially by homeowners who live on culde-sacs. In the front of the house, the deck acts more like a front porch.

With all of the advantages and conveniences offered by a deck, and the fact that help is as close as the yellow pages of your telephone book, it’s no surprise that wooden decks are one of homeowners’ most desired amenities.

A deck forms a sort of halfway house between indoors and out, a perch where you can sip your coffee and enjoy the birds or the garden–without having to remove your slippers. Very few home improvement projects give you more pleasure for your buck.

There are two keys to a long-lasting deck: It must be structurally sound, and it must be designed so that it drains water. Both issues are matters of proper construction methods. Even if you’re hiring a builder to do the job, understanding proper deck construction will make you a wiser consumer.

Specialty outdoor wooden decks may be built for such things as a swimming pool, above ground swimming pool, hot tubs, multi-level decks.  The cardinal rule is to have the outdoor wooden deck blend with the current surroundings.  This was a lesson in architecture that was introduced by Frank Lloyd Wright.  In other words, if you live in Tennessee, consider having a deck built with a rustic theme.  If you are surrounded by pine trees, consider using treated pine as your deck material.  If you live on a lake or fishing stream, take advantage of the view.  

Adding a Deck onto an Older Home

Designing a deck for an older home can be a real challenge. While decks often look natural on homes built after World War II, such as ranches and split-levels, they are often an awkward fit for Victorian, Tudor, and Spanish-style homes. Even early Colonials, Colonial revivals of the 1920s and 30s, and cape cods can be overpowered visually by a deck if it’s not carefully designed. In such cases, architects often keep decks unobtrusive and low to the ground, often eliminating the need for railings. Another approach is to choose a porch-like design for your deck.

 

New tongue-and-groove synthetic decking looks like the nar­row wood planks often used for porch floors, but it can withstand the elements with little maintenance. It’s particularly important with pe­riod homes to keep the deck in the scale of the house. Some designers suggest that the deck shouldn’t be bigger than the biggest room in the house.

 

Finally, work hard to integrate architectural elements from the house into the deck. Borrow from the profiles of existing columns when choosing balusters; pick up fluting details from columns, and use them on deck posts; mimic the width of fascias and pilasters. Look to your home’s water table (boards installed below siding on some older homes) for ideas on how to trim out the perimeter of your deck.

 

Custom Deck Guardrails for Older Homes

If your home is architecturally distinctive, consider installing a custom guardrail that echoes an existing architectural element, such as flared siding or existing work, and if your house’s architecture is not unusual, you may want to consider a custom guardrail. For example, ranches really have a horizontal look that merges well with garages and landscaping. To retain this quality, you may choose a solid guardrail or one with an open grid rather n using the traditional vertical balusters. Wrought iron steel balustrades with serpentine, curved, or concentric designs can be just the touch to dress up a raised ranch. Keep in mind that custom work will add to the job’s cost. Working through a local fabricator or mill to cut or bend repetitive components may be cheaper (and better) than cutting materials on site.

Railing Kits and Systems

 

Nowadays, handrail and guardrail systems are a great way to add panache to what would otherwise be an ordinary deck. Manufacturers—particularly those of synthetic deck­ing materials—have responded to consumers’ growing de­sire for distinctive railings by creating easy-to-install railing kits. Some systems are as simple as a stack of bowed-steel balusters 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—and one that’s less likely to block your view—consider guardrails made with stainless-steel cable or rods, tempered glass, or aluminum. Make sure they meet building codes in your area before you make your purchase.

Skirts and Skirting

Skirt or fascia boards are typically 1-inch-wide trim pieces that may be 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. They should extend an inch or two lower than the framing they cover. As wood-to-wood contact promotes rot, apply pre­servative and use spacers to create an air space between skirt boards and joists. An air space is not necessary when using synthetic trim boards over pressure-treated wood.

 

To hide the entire space between deck and ground, use skirting panels. Made with wood or composite boards, or with lattice panels, they help keep balls, pets, and other animals from getting under the deck. Lattice is available in both pressure-treated wood and vinyl. A solid skirt gives the deck a more massive, formal look, as if the deck were built on a founda­tion. Open lattice, either in a diamond or windowpane pattern, has a lighter feeling and allows ventilation (important in damp climates). Choosing to use no 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 do opt for skirting, be sure to include one or more access doors to the space you’re enclosing.

Where to Put Your Outdoor Deck

Selecting the right location for your new outdoor deck may seem obvi­ous; nevertheless, it’s worth thinking through all of the possibilities. You’re bound to discover surprises, some pleasant and others not. For example, where are the best views? Hop on a ladder you need with pri­vacy screens or overhead structures? What is the best way to build around items that would be difficult and expensive to move, such as natural rock outcroppings, trees, and basement doors?  Climb to deck height, and check them out. While you’re there, anticipate the views of your deck from neighbors’ windows and yards. Will you be able to create the privacy?

The location of most decks will often be determined by the interior room (or rooms) you want to connect it to. For an outdoor deck used to cook and serve meals, connecting to the kitchen or dining room is imperative. For sun­bathing and spa splashing, locate your deck off a family room, basement 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.

Other site considerations include the style of your home’s exterior. The best location for a deck may be trumped because it will destroy a key feature of your home. Or, the best site may be too expensive to build on be­cause of uneven or unstable terrain. Exposure to sun and wind are also important considerations, although they can be mitigated by careful plan­ning. Finally, call all utilities to learn the locations of buried water, gas, sewer, and electric lines.

The Importance of Weather Exposure on a Deck

Assuming you have more than one option for where to build your deck, exposure to the sun may be the deciding factor. Sun exposure is determined by the proposed deck’s orientation to the sun’s daily path. A south-facing deck will receive sun almost all day. East- and west-facing decks get sun in the morning and afternoon, respectively. Southeast­er 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.

To decide what’s best for you, think about when you’ll be using your deck. If it’s for your morning coffee, south­east- or east-facing may be your preference. An afternoon and evening user would probably prefer a southwest- or west-facing deck. If you live in a climate where summers are cool, perhaps south-facing is the ideal orientation. Conversely, if you live where it’s warm most of the time, a northern exposure may suit you.

Of course, you will need to take into account the shade thrown 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 a pergola or 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 your deck. If that’s not possible, you can build a wind screen. If you live in a hot climate, the breeze may bring welcome re­lief from the heat.

Fit the Deck to Your Floor Plan

In addition to creating outdoor living space for you, your family, and your guests, a good deck design can improve your home’s floor plan. For example, a deck can extend the area of a small room, such as a bedroom or dining room. It can also connect two areas of the home, improving traffic flow from one part of the house to another. Decks are often used to join a kitchen and family room. Multilevel decks can connect an upper level of your home to a lower level or to the yard. Wraparound decks can connect two parts of both your house and yard, which is especially useful when the terrain around your home is rough. Your design can also allow for an entirely new room, such as an outdoor en­tertainment area or a secluded retreat.

Locate Hidden Obstacles in an Outdoor Deck

Check out the location of everything on your property that is near the planned construction site. Chances are, the outdoor deck will limit access to, or interfere with, at least one of them. It’s common, for example, to have exterior spigots end up below deck level. You can either relocate them or build a small trap door for access. Also, do not plan to build near a septic tank. Setbacks of 15 to 20 feet are usually required. Other in-ground obstacles may include buried water piping, electrical lines to the garage or pool, gas lines to the barbecue, sump pump and rainwater drains, basement doors, and buried oil tanks.

A good contractor will help you with these details when planning and designing your outdoor deck. These details will ensure that you will enjoy outdoor living to its fullest for many years to come.

Select Good Lumber for Deck Building

Hiring a good professional contactor for deck building can ensure a worry free outdoor deck for many years to come.  However, one should become familiar with the dreaded dry rot that can creep into a deck and what precautions you can take yourself.

Dry rot and damage sneaks up on you after the laborious process of deck building. Boring insects and wood rots operate just under the surface of a board, weakening the wood slowly and invisibly. But termites and ants give themselves away by leaving little piles of sawdust or mud tunnels. Occasionally they bore through the surface of a board, exposing a portion of tunnel. Sometimes in the quiet of the night you can even hear them munching! But these social insects don’t live in your house; they maintain queens and brood in nests in the soil. Their entry can be barred by keeping wood out of direct contact with the ground and inspecting frequently for the paths or tunnels the critters make into the house, or by hiring an environmentally responsible exterminator.

But dry rot fungus doesn’t need a pathway to your outdoor deck. It sprouts from tiny airborne spores that are literally everywhere. Once a spore is wind-blown onto moist wood, it sprouts microscopically and begins to grow down into the wood–silent, invisible, and insidious.

Only when the dense network of dead-white filaments that make-up the body of the fungus plant have permeated and fed off the wood will the plant make its presence evident by sending out fruiting bodies that range from foot-wide gray-white half-rounds of shelf fungus to the small pink, black, or grey fleshy blobs or mini-mushroom-tipped branches of less grandiose species.

Dry rot, by the way, isn’t “dry” at all, but consists of a group of terrestrial fungi (related to common mushrooms) that, like all land plants, need plenty of moisture, oxygen, and moderate temperatures. Colorless and lacking chlorophyll to work nature’s magic and create organic carbohydrates from sunlight and components of inorganic air and water via photosynthesis, they live in the dark and feed on dead plant material, indeed they are the prime medium of nature’s recycling process.

“Dry” rot got its name because it attacks timbers of wooden ocean-going boats that have been hauled out, “high and dry,” so that planking shrinks, seams open up, and the hull needs to be “soaked up” before launching or pumped out continually for hours after . . . or the boat will be on the bottom next morning. It is rainwater trickling in to moisten boat wood that supports “dry” rot. Sea water (though it does harbor wood threats of its own) does not support fungi. A deck post that’s sunk into consistently wet ground will remain sound below the soil and above it. It rots right at the surface line where it stays just moist all the time. Temperatures must be moderate for fungus to grow–above freezing but less than 100 Degrees Fahrenheit or so–so if you build your deck somewhere above the arctic circle or in the Mohave Desert, it will last with little care, though its utility will be limited.

New or Old Ideas for Deck Building?
Especially when adding service life to wooden decks made from cedar and other un-treated woods, carpenters are using an old material–tar paper, or more properly, heavy building paper or builders felt. This is a loosely woven, absorbent paper-cloth infused with asphalt that is commonly tacked over wooden roof sheathing to provide a waterproof underlayment for roof shingles.

Cut into strips that are wider by an inch than deck framing, it is stapled to the top surfaces of joists so it overhangs each side by a half-inch. Decking is fastened over the paper. Especially if planks are fastened tight with deck screws, sun-heated asphalt will soften and form a watertight gasket between bottom plank and top of joists, and seal around fasteners. Rain water flowing through cracks between planks can’t soak into bottom of plank or top of beam, but drips off the edges of the paper.

You can cut tar paper strips from standard rolls, or buy precut strips at most lumberyards. The black paper will make a sharp color-contrast with decking at first, but after stain, sealers, and preservatives are applied, wood and asphalt will gradually fade to a uniform shade.

Water does its worst damage at frame joints–where several rim joists meet at corner posts.

To minimize water intrusion, sandwich sheet tar paper between butting surfaces of posts and beams and fasten tight with lags. Then use a modern clear, flexible silicone sealer to caulk all the top-side and vertical seams.

Cut a gasket to fit over the top of the entire joint–covering top of post and meeting joists and overlapping all edges by at least a half-inch. Spread a bead of caulk around the edges of paper, and apply it before fasting planks.

If some water does get into tar-papered joints, creosotes in the tar will give your wood the same protection that keeps creosote-soaked railroad ties and telephone poles standing for 50 years–but in your deck it can’t wash off.

A modern-caulk-and-old-fashioned-tar-paper-protected deck should last as near to forever as a wood structure can hope to.

Lumber and Hardware for Deck Building
Pressure treated lumber, or PT, used in most deck building is made from standard “dimension lumber”–square timbers and nominal 2″ thick boards cut in even-inch widths from 2″ to 2″ and in even-foot lengths from 8′ to 20′ or more–from a good-building wood such as one of the southeastern yellow pines or western Douglas fir. It is heated and dried to less than 10 percent moisture content in a big kiln, then saturated under pressure for an hour or so in a bath of hot preservative. By standards promulgated by regional wood-treatment associations, the lumber must be impregnated to at least 85 percent of its thickness and to a preservative content of between .25 to .60 pounds per cubic foot of wood. Low-rated timbers are cheaper than the higher rated. But using them in your deck is false economy. A .40 rating certifies that lumber will survive full-time ground contact for 40 years. Kept off the ground and treated annually with preservative and waterproofed, the wood should last as long as the rest of the house. Use .25 outdoors, but for sheltered applications (a roofed deck), and save .60 for especially hostile environments such as along the ultra-humid Gulf Coast, inland in subtropical southern Florida, or as posts for a freshwater dock or saltwater pier.

The standard wood preservative is CCA, or Chrome-Copper-Arsenate. It is a long-acting but relatively benign heavy-metal poison–but a poison nonetheless–that kills mold spores and bacteria and deters bugs and gnawing animals. Older formulations give the wood a corroded-copper-green tint that fades to a pleasant silvery grey in 6 months or less. Newer compounds lack the green color.

Decks and Porches Can Brighten Your Life

Porches and decks can be wonderful things, particularly in warm and sunny climates, where their shade and their openness to any passing breeze make them welcome additions to a house. But they may be equally valuable in wet climates, for there they provide a chance to be outdoors when the weather is showery, a place to enjoy the music of the rain or simply relax or to hang out. But porches can also be dank, neglected, cobwebby places, presenting a barrier to our natural impulse to be out and in the garden. That is to say that, like any other house or garden effect, they require careful planning.

Do you want a Deck or a Porch?
Pool decks are an architectural consideration, requiring a good architect or a local deck craftsman whose work is proven, to evaluate its appropriateness to the house itself and its structural soundness. But the services of a good landscape designer might also be secured in order to determine how an existing porch or one proposed as an addition can best be an enhancement to the pool. For a porch, when spacious, well built, and successfully related to the landscape around it, offers the magical sense of being both indoors and outdoors at once. Furniture too fragile for exposure to the elements can be left there, and pots of shade-loving flowers and cool ferns can be gracefully staged about. A flowering vine, perhaps a wisteria or honeysuckle, can be trained about the eaves, forming a fragrant bower of shade. Tall evergreens or old-fashioned flowering shrubs might be grouped below the structure, their tops just equal to its floor. There should be a swing, certainly, and as often as possible a frosty pitcher of lemonade or of iced tea. Such a picture tugs at our collective national memory, and those over whom it has most power will want nothing else.

Decks might well be considered a sort of midway structure between porches and terraces; like porches, they are made of wood, and when attached to wooden houses, provide both structurally and materially a transition from house to garden. Like terraces, however, decks are open to the elements, suggesting much of the expansiveness we often associate with lawns. But the emotional resonances of decks are quite different from those of porches or of terraces. The word is nautical and suggests an adventurous, free-floating quality. Decks are, in fact, best when they convey this feeling, of being on a raft, perhaps, with the plants of the garden pressing close about; or of being in a tree house, surveying the terrain (but not, if it can be helped, the neighbors) from a platform high above the surrounding vegetation.

Decks are enormously popular, for they are the least expensive way of achieving a hard-surfaced outdoor living area, and their construction is not beyond even the unskilled house owner. But decks are not appropriate to all areas or all house styles. Wooden decks are best where the climate is warm and dry, or where stiff breezes periodically blow away muggy conditions. In dank, wet climates, the wood can become slimy with algae; and though the algae might eventually support moss, creating a moody Japanese sort of effect, it will still be treacherous and uncomfortable underfoot. And in climates that know snow and sleety rain, decks can become genuinely life-threatening, shovel, sweep, and sand how you will. Decks are also a fairly recent concept, virtually unknown in American garden design before the fifties, and so they seem best when associated with contemporary house designs. Though they can sometimes be tactfully associated with houses of traditional design, they can often look stuck on, a concession to economy where more traditional porches and terraces would have better served, at least from an aesthetic point of view.

Then there’s the question of the wood itself. If your deck is to be frequently and laboriously painted, you can use almost any wood you please, and the effect will be as glossy as any millionaire’s yacht. Generally, however, people who build decks want a softer, more natural, weathered effect than frequent painting can offer. So rot-resistant wood must be used. Both West Coast redwood and East Coast cedar are highly resistant to decay, and both weather to an attractive shade of gray that harmonizes well with plants. Much less costly–and much less nice–is pressure-treated Southern pine. Apart from any concerns you might have for the health of the carpenter who must work with this chemical-laden wood, there are several other reasons why this might be a poor choice for decking. Pressure-treated wood holds its unattractive yellow-green color for a long time, looking poisonous whether it is or not. And timbers of pressure-treated wood are often very unstable, since they are impregnated with preservatives while still green and remain so, it appears, even after considerable exposure to the elements. Because of this treatment they will twist, crack, and checker in the alternating wet and dry conditions of the outdoors.

Of the three types of outdoor living spaces under consideration, terraces are by far the most elegant. Nothing consorts so beautifully with plants as stone or brick, for they are of the earth itself, and they may be set on the earth in such a way as to become an integrated part of the garden. Plants can even be allowed to seed themselves in the cracks between stone or brick laid on sand, thus intensifying the harmonious blending of hard surface and living garden. Further, there is not style of architecture that will not gracefully accommodate a carefully sited terrace of the appropriate materials.

Where stone is used, the first choice should be of stone native to the place, if possible, for then the terrace will be of a piece with the boulders and outcroppings in the garden itself or in the surrounding countryside. Where native stone of adequate quality is unavailable, imported stone can be used, assuming one’s pocket is deep enough, for it is always costly. Imported stone should be selected with great care, however, for it can often look anomalous. Before incurring its expense, a homeowner should try to see a garden in which it has been used, rather than settle for the mounted samples offered by many stoneyards. And if one intends to lay the terrace oneself, it is wise to talk with an experienced mason, paying for an hour or two of his or her time, to determine whether it is best to lay the stone on sand or concrete, what provisions should be made for drainage and heaving from frost, and especially what percentage of waste there will be in one’s choice of stone, for it usually comes in pallets that may include fragments too small or uneven for use in terracing.

Brick is a desirable alternative to stone, though it creates a more formal and dressy surface, and so should be in harmony with the house it is meant to enhance. When choosing brick, it is important to be sure that it will withstand the rigors of one’s climate; for in the East, particularly, the most beautiful brick–antique “common” brick salvaged from old warehouses and factories–will quickly become punky and flake away when exposed to repeated freezing and thawing. As an alternative, one may be offered brick suitable for outdoor paving, usually called “water struck brick.” Though durable, it always looks hard, cold, and somehow institutional, and no amount of wear or age will soften its appearance. Attractive brick that combines the visual softness of antique weathered brick and the durability of water struck brick is available, and is worth both the search and the price. But again, before committing to any brick, the homeowner should see terraces and walks where it has been used, and preferably endured two or three winters. Probably no brick is indestructible in harsh climates, however, and so brick terraces are best laid in sand so that the odd rotten one can be easily lifted and replaced.

Though porches are always attached to the house, the siting of terraces and decks depends on the use they are intended to have. Most will be places to gather socially, to eat and drink, talk or sunbathe, and so they should be attached to the house or be conveniently near it. The closer to the kitchen they are, the better. They should also offer possibilities for sitting in sun or in shade for most of the day and in most seasons. So, if the shadow of the house does not offer shade, a pergola, arbor, or small tree should be placed to one side. Above all, any outdoor living structure should suggest privacy and gentle enclosure; so a hedge, trellis, or thick planting of shrubs becomes an important component of these spaces, as much for the feeling of security they give as actually to battle the gaze of passersby.

Though most people will be chiefly concerned with outdoor living spaces that serve social functions, there are other values, essentially contemplative ones, that such spaces might have. When no one else is around, almost any of the features discussed can provide a spot for the busy gardener to sit, to settle into the garden, and to stare at it. The values of contemplation are so important, so spiritually necessary, that a quiet spot might well be contrived just to provide them. Thus, any garden, however small, might include a small terrace tucked into a corner of the shrubbery. Such a place might be thought of as the gardener’s study, a place to retire to, sheltered from the world, even from friends, family, and responsibility. It should be a place to read, to put down the book and think, to come to harmony with one’s self and the world beyond. Such a place needn’t be large; indeed, it shouldn’t be.

Designing and Planning Your Deck

Decks are the least expensive way to add square feet to your living space. They are relatively straightforward o build and don’t require elaborate foundations, and adding one won’t interfere with your day-to-day routine nearly as much as a kitchen remodeling. Because of their simplicity, however, many homeowners and builders don’t stop to consider all the possibilities that decks can offer. With a little forethought, they can be a lot more than rectangles with guardrails.

The Many Uses for a Deck
Decks can be places to cook and en­tertain, soak in a spa, gaze into a fire, exercise a green thumb, or sunbathe. They can be made comfortable— with protection from sun, wind, rain, and bugs—and private, too. In addi­tion, decks can feature structures such as screened rooms, gazebos, per­golas, and trellises. Decks can even help you save money on cooling bills if built to shade a lower level. Best of all, an upgraded deck does not need to cost a lot more than a bare-bones one. Good ideas and advice for decks and patios will help you get the most from the deck addition you’re planning for your home.

To design anything, you must gather all the bits and pieces you’d like to include and then try to put them together in a coherent and elegant way. Desks are no exception. You’ll want to know where the sun passes over your property in the summer, which architectural elements to borrow to help the deck blend with your home and much more.

One way to gather the pieces is the scrapbook approach. Clip photos of deck you like from home design magazines, and then hand them over to a designer or builder and say, “I want something like this.”  However, it is well worth the effort to go one step further and look at all the op­tions an architect would. By taking the time to consider all the angles, you will end up with a deck that per­fectly suits your home and lifestyle. Successful deck design is about seeing all the possibilities. We’ve identified those that the most important by focusing on the fundamental deck design principles. It will help you envision key aspects of your deck, such as where to put it, how big to make it, and what height and shape it should be. It also addresses key concerns, such as material selection and safety.

Take the time to plan and design your deck carefully.  Consider how you will use your outdoor spaces.  Do you plan to barbeque on the deck?  Would a hot tub be a relaxing addition?  Will large groups of people gather on the deck for parties? Make certain the deck design meets as many of your desires as possible, and if you plan to add elements such as a spa in the future, make the structure strong enough now to save you extra work in the future.  Read and research enough books and articles on the Internet to help you find just the right design idea for you and your lifestyle.

A good initial plan will make your deck building project as easy and stress free as possible.  Plus careful planning will ensure your deck is a source of pride and satisfaction for a long time.

Look at many examples created by top architects and designers.  After looking at the photos and drawings of different types of decks you’ll have a clearer understanding of the deck design process and its possibili­ties whether you go on to design your own deck or turn your notes and sketches over to a professional deck contactor, you will be on the right track.

Screened Porches and Decks Make Prime Outdoor Living Space

On a balmy spring day or a hot summer weekend, one of the greatest joys of home ownership is relaxing on your deck. A back deck or a screened porch creates the perfect refuge from hot weather, by creating shade and keeping out insects.
Some decks and screened porches develop in phases. Often your home already has the outdoor space, but it needs fine tuning, perhaps an expansion of the space, or some more windows. Enclosing a porch in screening creates a barrier against animals, insects, and detritus like leaves and twigs. Screening in a porch gives you a shaded sitting area to sip lemonade and while away a hot afternoon.

Often the porch is not quite big enough to do a sitting area justice. A deck is the answer for a home where the porch is too small. Incorporating the outdoors into the livable space of your home is a wise and satisfying home improvement that benefits everyone, from your family to future buyers. Not only will a deck make your home dramatically more valuable, it will bring a smile to your face every time you step onto it and see the dappled sunlight playing across the floor of your outdoor living space.

Building a deck is a more involved and exciting project than screening a porch. You get to choose what sort of shade structures and traffic flow you would like on your deck. On the hottest of days you can still enjoy a refreshing light breeze. You can even create a custom cookout nook. Kick back on your deck during a long, bright summer day reading a book by natural light.

Beyond the beauty a deck or screened porch adds to your home, consider the value. A recent survey by Remodeling Magazine found, in 2007, that a wooden deck is the most cost effective home improvement you can perform on a mid range home. Installing a moderately sized, pressure treated deck can raise the value of a home so much that the deck may be over 80% paid for by the time it is completed. Screened porch or full size deck, an enclosed outdoor living space immediately adds several thousand dollars to the value of a home. That home could be yours.

Many people love the idea of a deck but feel that screens compromise the open-air feeling of a deck or porch. Though this can be true, there are many innovations in screening that will remedy the problem. Let’s say your deck is surrounded by a garden, for example. You want to enjoy, without barriers, the beauty of the plant life on your property, but during the hot times of the day, the bugs start buzzing around and invade the deck. There are several types of removable screens, even convenient Velcro-mounted screens that can be quickly put up or taken down according to daily needs. Using methods like removable screening you can convert your screened deck into an open-air pavilion and back again all in the same day.

A deck sounds great! Where do I start?

The best time to start is before spring and summer actually arrive, so your deck will be ready when you are. Of course, any well-executed home improvement project begins with research. Before buying any materials or calling in any professionals for an estimate, you must call your local city government. Check with zoning and building officials in your city to make sure you can get approval to build the deck you envision. Most zoning codes will allow you to install a patio near your property lines, but not an open air structure with a roof.

After checking in with the city, find a professional remodeling contractor. If you’ve never built a deck or screened porch before, you may find it challenging to draw up plans, and prepare a shopping list for materials. Call around town and speak with several contractors. Find someone you can communicate with, who is willing to answer your questions and help guide your design. An experienced builder will be versed in the conventions of decks and screens. This way you will get the best materials, maintenance, and product for your time and money. Even if you still would like to build the deck yourself, get a couple of free estimates to give yourself a ball park sense of the scope of your project. Good luck!