Decks

Let’s talk decks. Again, the beauty is in the execution. A neatly executed deck will end up serving you better than a sloppy one in both the short and long runs. A good deck is where you can congregate as a family, hold barbeques for friends and family in the afternoons, and get rowdy with the neighbors at night should you be so inclined. A good deck is a destination, not merely an extension of flooring outside the boundaries of the roof. It’s where the action is. So what makes a good deck? Here are some considerations.

First off, size matters. Not necessarily large size, mind you; appropriate size. How much of your back yard do you want this deck to take up? That is the first important question. To answer it, ask yourself “What purpose will the deck serve in my life?” If you are getting a lot of answers (as I personally think you should, but this is you we’re talking about, eh?), then the deck has large importance. Then, ask yourself “What purpose will the rest of my yard serve?” If you are not coming up with as much, the the deck can afford to loom large in your life. If you are getting a large response there as well (perhaps you have a lot of kids over all the time, and you want some grass for them to run, wrestle and play with each other on) then the deck can afford to be smaller. Me, personally? Depends on the use of the deck. If the deck is for entertaining, I think that it should be at LEAST twice the size of the largest gathering-type room in your house. For instance, if you entertain friends, family, and yourselves in a living room; that means you are used to a certain amount of space. If you are building a deck for entertainment purposes, that means to me that you are looking to expand your entertainment capabilities. More space to entertain means more personal space for everyone invited (a big thing in American culture, not near so big most anywhere else in the world), more room to maneuver, room for more people! Layout of food and drink becomes instantly easier. Bigger is better in this case. Man, you’d think I was selling lumber, huh?

            Now if you are looking at just providing a nice little outside area for yourself and a couple of other people to have a sit, sip a drink and watch the sun go down and the stars come out to play, you can get away with a lot less space. Make it fit into the yard so that it is visually pleasing, and has enough square footage to do the job. In this case, how you dress it up to evoke a certain mood is much more important that merely slamming down a large construction in the back yard so that you can have a bunch of buddies over. It’s all about the extras here. A few potted plants, some wind chimes, maybe a sun dial off to the side. A bit more elegance, perhaps. A little more personality. Something that reflects you. Now, the temptation could be to go overboard here. Not really a good idea unless you are defined by excesses, and then by all means go right over the side! A few strategically placed potted plants can make the statement rather than a line of them down a side. It’s all about making a statement in this case, rather than screaming that statement out for the world to hear.

            Enough on size. I think you’ve got some ideas there. Now, on to design. The traditional deck is rectangular, and sits upon one plane. That means it only has one level to it, usually a few steps up or down from the rest of the house. This is perfectly fine, however it is not your only option. You can use a lobed design to work your way around trees in the yard. If you are looking at decking up a large square footage, that gives you the opportunity to go a little nuts with it. You can actually make a couple of decks, joined by small walkways or even footbridges if you have gotten far enough off the rest of the level of the yard (if you have a sloped yard you know exactly what I am talking about, and are reminded of it every time you mow the lawn, like it or not!) I built a deck with my dad once (in particular) when I was a kid. We worked hard, and were repayed with a deck that was gorgeous. It fit right in amongst the trees in the back yard. We used that deck endlessly, and it contributed to quite a number of pleasant family memories. Barbeques, parties, friends over, and a number of things I STILL won’t admit to in public. Believe me, it was worth it and so much more.