Adding A Deck - Things To Consider Before Building

With the increasing gas prices, more people will be staying home. So why not add a deck? You'll be expanding your space and creating a place to enjoy during good weather. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, adding a deck is probably something you can tackle. For the rest of us, well, there are plenty of contractors to do the job.

The first step in planning a deck is to figure out where you want to put it. You need to consider what size the deck will be, its shape, its location and the surrounding landscape. Some features will be more important than others, but you should keep them all in mind when you design and build your deck. Some additional considerations are:

1. Access. Is the deck in a convenient location? Is there access to easily transition from the house to the deck such as an existing door or a wall that can be removed?

2. Which way does your house face? If you put the deck on the south side of your home, you need to consider how you will provide yourself shade from the heat of the day, or the deck may not be usable. A north facing deck will have less sun and may pick up a north wind. Lattice barriers can be incorporated into your design to offer shade from the sun or protection from the cool north winds.

3. Privacy. Does your design include provisions to provide you with some privacy from your neighbors?

4. Design. The deck should appear to be an extension of your house; you don't want it to stand out like a sore thumb. If you do not possess the skill to design a deck which blends with your home, you might want to hire a professional. Also, many of the home improvement stores over computerized design stations. Here you can get assistance with designing a plan, determining what materials are needed and a cost estimate.

5. Material. You can build with wood, such as cedar or redwood, which can be stained or sealed. There is also composite decking which is made from recycled plastic materials. Both will require yearly maintenance.

You can build a nice deck using the deck "kits", which you can purchase from the home improvement store. But you should be aware that you do need some building knowledge. The deck material is raw lumber, which means that it has no pre-drilled holes; there are no markings that say piece "A" goes with piece "B". You also need to inspect the wood to be sure there are no warped or split pieces.

If you decide to hire a contractor to build a deck, get at least three bids and check their references.

And don't forget to check local laws, you might need a permit.

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