With winter behind us, it’s coming to that time of year to start thinking about summer and enjoying outdoor living again. Adding a beautiful new deck or patio or remodeling your existing deck or patio, can greatly expand the usable space of your home and allow you to enjoy your backyard. May is also Deck Safety Month and while it’s not quite May yet, it’s not too soon to start planning and designing your next outdoor project. Deck designs and outdoor living have evolved considerably over the years.
Multi-Tier Deck
No longer are decks and patios just a place for the backyard grill (although a nice barbecue grill is still a popular feature). These days, decks are often one component of a multi-level and multi featured outdoor living space that can include decks, patios, covered porches, screened porches, pergolas, outdoor kitchens, hot tubs, firepits, pools, and much more. Having an experienced designer is really important when designing your deck or outdoor living space. Some things to consider is how you intend to use the space, how many people may be in the space at one time, what direction your backyard faces, how much of a tree canopy you have in your backyard, and, of course, your budget.
Deck with Patio
Terrel White, one of Summit’s designers takes a comprehensive approach to designing your space. One thing that he puts emphasis on is the decking material and how it will stand up to the elements and perform over time. All of our clients say they want a low maintenance deck, but not all materials are created equal. Looking at your property and considering what the deck material will be exposed to is part of his analysis. Types of decking materials include various types of wood, composite deck materials, and PVC decking. In the wood category you can use the common pressure treated pine or other hardwoods such as cedar, mahogany, teak, or the exotic Ipe. Ipe is also known as Brazilian walnut or Brazilian ironwood. Of the composite materials you can have decking that is a mix of wood and plastic fibers, capped composite decking, and solid PVC decking. Each of these materials has pros and cons and a different price tag. In the coming months we will be focusing our blog on decks and outdoor living including detailed information on the various deck materials and how to choose one from another.
Deck with Composite Materials
We will also focus on deck lighting, outdoor kitchens, and how to extend your outdoor living season. In the interim, click here to view Summit Design Remodeling’s gallery of beautiful deck, patio, and porch projects. Hopefully, you will find some inspiration. To learn about deck safety also check out the NADRA (North American Deck & Railing Association) Deck Safety Consumer Checklist.
