Deck Design

When it is time to put your deck design ideas down on paper or into your PC if you are using deck design software, there is a lot to consider. Are you intending a basic rectangular ground level deck with planking at right angles to the joists, or a more ambitious one with curves and herring bone plank patterns, for instance? A two level deck perhaps, with stairways and gate? Will it adjoin your property or be stand-alone in the garden?

Before you get too carried away, measure the area in which your deck will be sited, and give consideration to the main use to which the decking will be put, as this will influence some of the features you will need to incorporate into your designs.

For example, if your plan is to provide additional play area for children, you will need to consider safety factors. Railings would need to be installed around the deck to prevent young children from wandering off, and to stop them falling over the edge, and you would need to minimise the risk of splintering.

If your plan is to create a sun deck, you need to allow enough space for all the deck furniture you want, and easy access to where you store it if the weather is changeable. You may also wish to build in a shade making structure - a deck cover or pergola perhaps. And if privacy from neighbours is a consideration, some lattice panelling or screens.

You may want decking round a pool or hot tub, or a jacuzzi. How much room will you need for benches, and so on?

If outdoor entertaining is your aim, how well would the deck be situated in relation to your kitchen or barbecue area? And would there be enough space for your grill and the extra deck furniture, together with the number of people you expect to entertain at any one time?

You should be mindful of the style of your deck as it would need to complement the style and design of your house. If you had a period home, for example, then period features, such as the type of railings used, would need to blend in with the house.

And if your site is not flat and you will be building on a slope, then you will have to give all due consideration to the building codes and the soil type, when you design the deck supporting structure.

Prioritize all the design features you want your deck to have, take into account the structural requirements, and then sketch it out.