All About Decks

So You Think You Know All About Decks - Part 1

Part 2

So what is a deck? According to the dictionary, it is "a flat floored roofless area adjoining a house", but to make it more simple, it is a beautiful part of the outside of your home which you can use for everything from having a barbecue where you can invite all your friends, to just having dinner outside on a lovely summer day. So if you are thinking about adding one to your house, then here is what you need to do and how.

First you have to decide where you want to put it. Do you want it in front of your house, so you can just relax on your deck while having a drink and watching everyone walk by, or do you want it in the back of your house, so you can enjoy privacy and tranquility and have people over for a barbecue without worrying about people complaining about noise or about dust coming from cars driving past your house.

Secondly you need to think of what type of tiles you'll be using. Most decks are built with hardwood flooring but sometimes it's good to be open minded and maybe even oak flooring. Then maybe think about what type of boards you'd like to use. This will mostly depend on your budget, unless you have just won the lottery, you should probably think of an option that would suit your budget. Amongst your options you have thermodeck boards or reversible treated boards, or even grassedeck boards if you're looking to add some green spirit to your deck.

Also remember that you will need steps because decks are usually above ground level. Here the prices will vary depending on how many steps you are looking for. Most decks use 3 steps but you might find yourself needing 4 and sometimes even 6, depending on how ambitious your project is. Another thing you need to consider is whether you will need an additional door that leads to the deck from your living room, dining room, kitchen etc. if you do then maybe have a look at http://flooringanddoors.co.uk/ . A door is something very convenient when you're hosting a barbecue or party because it makes it easier to get drinks and food out. Also, there are plenty more advantages to having a back door to your house, you have an easier time when gardening or taking your dog for a walk, but there are disadvantages as well, a back door could turn out to be a big security issue for your home.

Figure 2 - Wood deck structure

So now you think you might know all about decks, but there is still loads more to keep in mind, so have a look at Part 2 and see what's missing from your bag of knowledge.