Deck Designs, 4th Edition E-Book

Steve Cory

• Herausgeber: Creative Homeowner
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Home Improvement
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 288

Beschreibung

This comprehensive guide to planning and choosing the perfect deck offers step-by-step instructions on how to design and build a deck that enhances the home, while also serving the family's needs. Deck Designs 4th Edition offers guidance for both DIY projects and for working with contractors. The first part of the book covers topics such as how to decide on a design, tips on identifying uses for the structure, and common building themes and variations. Part 2 offers readers some of the best designs from four of the top deck builders in the country. Featuring 30 professionally-built structures, more than 120 full-color photographs, and 230 color illustrations, this book provides countless ideas for creating these beautiful additions. Amenities like overhead structures, railings, benches, and planters are also detailed, making this book a complete, one-stop resource for planning and choosing a new or remodeled deck. "This lovely book of sample deck designs has enough variety to meet most needs and desires."—Library Journal

Leseprobe

Copyright © 2015

This book may not be reproduced, either in part or in its entirety, in any form, by any means, without written permission from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts for purposes of radio, television, or published review. All rights, including the right of translation, are reserved. Note: Be sure to familiarize yourself with manufacturer’s instructions for tools, equipment, and materials before beginning a project. Although all possible measures have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material presented, neither the author nor the publisher is liable in case of misinterpretation of directions, misapplication, or typographical error.

Creative Homeowner® is a registered trademark of New Design Originals Corporation.

Deck Designs, Fourth Edition

Acquisition Editor: Ray Wolf

Copy Editor: Katie Weeber

Cover and Page Designer: Jason Deller

Editor: Timothy O. Bakke, Sr.

Printed in Singapore

Current Printing (last digit)

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

eISBN 978-1-60765-309-7

Creative Homeowner, www.creativehomeowner.com, is an imprint of New Design Originals Corporation and distributed exclusively by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 800-457-9112, 1970 Broad Street, East Petersburg, PA 17520.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

WHY A DECK?

HOW THE BOOK WORKS

PART ONE

DESIGNINGYOUR DECK

HOW TO DESIGN

SIZE AND SHAPE

EASY ON THE EYES

DECK AND LANDSCAPE

SUN, WIND, AND RAIN

THE OUTDOOR ROOMS APPROACH

DINING AND ENTERTAINING OPTIONS

CEILINGS AND WALLS

LIGHTING OPTIONS

GARDENING

HOW IT IS PUT TOGETHER

STRUCTURAL AND VISIBLE MATERIALS

PART TWO

MEET THEBUILDERS

UNIQUE DECK BUILDERSJOEL BOYER

THE OVERALL DESIGN

FINISH MATERIALS

Split-Level with Wood Bar and Spa

Cozy Retreat

Spacious Rooftop Getaway

Versatile Family Room

Private City Loft

DECKS, INC.IVAN ARANA

HIS DESIGNS

FINISH MATERIALS

CRAFTSMANSHIP

Well Rounded

Expansive Balcony

Beautiful Symmetry

Woodsy Retreat

Woody Gem

BARRETT OUTDOORSGUSTAVO “GUS” DE LA CRUZ

DESIGNING AROUND THE FURNITURE

DESIGNS THAT POP

OUTDOOR KITCHENS AND LIGHTING

DECKING AND RAILING MATERIALS

Jewel by the Pool

Curvy Party Deck

Relaxation Station

Zigzag Charm

Half Circle with Wings

ROLLING RIDGE DECK AND OUTDOOR LIVINGBARRY STREETT

THE DESIGN PROCESS

OUTDOOR KITCHENS AND FIREPLACES

RAILINGS AND CURVES

Log Cabin Chic

Curved This Way, Then That

Scallops and Curves

Private Family Room

Rocky Mountain High Life

CLOUGH CONSTRUCTIONSCOTT AND DEANNE CLOUGH

DESIGN APPROACHES

ENGINEERING FOR STRENGTH

Natural Jewel

Sunset Setting

Movie Star Setting

Open Nest among the Trees

RESOURCE GUIDE

PHOTO CREDITS

GLOSSARY

METRIC EQUIVALENTS

INDEX

SAFETY

Introduction

A well-designed, sturdily built deck is an upgrade with plenty of perks. It can:

■ Comfortably extend your indoor living space and make you want to spend more time outdoors, providing a pleasant place to get away from it all to relax or read under swaying branches.

■ Take you out of the kitchen to prepare meals, whether on a simple outdoor grill or a full-scale outdoor kitchen.

■ Expand your entertaining space, providing extra room to accommodate guests. Its natural ambiance makes it an inviting setting for convivial parties as well as intimate gatherings. Moving some or all of the mess outside lifts a burden from the hosts and makes gatherings more relaxing.

On a carefully designed deck, you will step naturally from inside the house to the deck surface, and you will move easily from one area to the next, guided subconsciously by invisible pathways. You will never feel cramped when cooking, dining, or relaxing, and your view of the backyard will be enhanced rather than obscured by railings and the orientation of the deck. Getting the design right will meet your expectations and will likely surprise you with unanticipated pleasures as your repertoire of outdoor activities grows.

Whether you plan to hire a professional contractor or build it yourself, this book can be your guide. Here you will find a wealth of ideas—both general and specific—for dreaming as well as practical building. This is the fourth all-new edition of Deck Designs. Previous editions have sold close to half a million copies and have helped many homeowners choose and achieve the deck of their dreams. This new edition extends that tradition of excellence; we seek to retain the successful features of the past while showing all new ideas by some great new builders.

Why a Deck?

Let’s start by asking a fundamental question: Why do you want a deck? How will it improve your life? Here are some possibilities:

MONEY. Real estate experts say dollars invested in a deck increase the value of your house and improve its curb appeal. Adding a nice deck will give you a near-100-percent return in value, meaning for every dollar you put in, your home’s value will go up nearly the same amount.

R AND R. An inviting deck will get you out of the house so you can enjoy some fresh air. Life seems to be less hectic outdoors, and meals are more casual. While you hang out on your deck, you can enjoy nature, appreciate your yard’s special features, and perhaps cultivate herbs for your family dinner.

GOOD EATS. Everything tastes better when cooked and eaten outdoors. If you incorporate an outdoor kitchen in the deck’s design—or at least provide ample space for a grill and side table—you may find yourself exploring new recipes and finding renewed enjoyment cooking old favorites. You may also be inclined to host special events more often.

PARTY HEARTY. Entertaining is more relaxed on a deck. You don’t have to worry about the mess, and you have additional space for guests to hang out. Food hot off the grill has a fun factor—creative efforts like grilled s’mores or jalapeno poppers add sparkle to a menu. Lights artfully strung overhead make an evening gathering memorable. A deck lets you simplify the game plan and still get excellent results.

Family entertainment center. This wide deck uses railing design and furniture placement to define distinct zones for relaxing with a book, dining, and enjoying a drink or snack at the bar.

FAMILY CIRCLE. A well-built deck is a great place for kids to hang out, and many families add kid-friendly touches like a sandbox, a water table, a toy crate, or kidsized furniture. It gets young people away from the TV or computer, and when they have friends over—to play or for a birthday party—they can indulge in messy activities that would wreak havoc inside the house.

How the Book Works

The first part of the book, “Designing Your Deck,” is built around a gallery of decks from around the country. But it’s more than just a bunch of pretty pictures. The photos illustrate the points of the accompanying text and walk you through the design process. You’ll learn how to dream up a deck that looks fabulous and is customized for your uses.

You will also find a crash course in deck building—not full instructions, but enough information to make you an educated consumer. You will learn how decks are constructed, as well as some of the major variations due to sites, designs, and building codes.

The rest of the book features decks from five of the USA’s best designer-builders. These builders employ time-tested methods and materials suitable for a variety of deck types and building codes. You will find a profile of each builder that summarizes his design approach and building methods, along with a gallery of his work.

For each builder there will be five or six feature decks. For each deck, you will see a section called “The Design,” discussing the deck’s shape, size, and materials, and why it was designed the way it was. Then in a section called “Building the Deck,” you will learn how the deck was constructed—not complete step-by-step directions, but overall approaches accompanied by a closer look at various distinctive portions of the deck.

The featured decks in this book have actually been built, and most of them have been tested for at least several years in the real world, so you know they are durable. As the writer/photographer, I have visited almost all of these decks, and I have often heard homeowners rave about them. All of these decks are loved.

Relaxing water view. Built low to the ground, this deck gets away without railings, which would detract from the awesome surroundings. The perimeter benches perform double duty: providing seating and preventing guests from stepping off the deck.

USING THIS BOOK

I can’t emphasize enough that this is a book to help you imagine and dream—not a manual for deck construction. It aims to get your creative juices flowing and provide a palette of ideas, both general and specific. Good ideas are sprinkled throughout, so I suggest that you browse through the entire book rather than zero in on just one or two designs.

Houses and backyards are individual, so a deck plan should be just as individual. Even if you find a single deck that is “exactly what you want,” you will probably need to modify it at least a little. More likely, you will find several decks that have elements that you would like to incorporate into your own plan. You may, for instance, choose to mix and match the railing style from one deck and the kind of decking from another.

Building codes for decks have gotten significantly more stringent over the past ten years or so. And these codes vary greatly from locale to locale; even adjacent towns may have vastly different codes. Your deck must conform to these local codes in many specific ways, such as how framing attaches to the house via a ledger board; the size and spacing of framing members; railing construction and height; and many other considerations. This book will help you understand most of those issues.

Before you get into all of the grimy details, however, settle down into a comfortable chair or hammock, perhaps with a significant other, and enjoy this book. After all, a deck is essentially a play area for adults, so every great deck starts with some wishing and dreaming.

Building Your Own Deck? If you plan to build a deck yourself, also pick up Creative Homeowner’s Ultimate Guide: Decks: Plan, Design, Build (fourth edition). It presents detailed step-by-step instructions for all aspects of deck building. It also includes additional deck designs. If, however, you intend to hire a contractor to build your deck, the book you are holding in your hand can certainly stand on its own.

Conforming deck. Make sure your new deck conforms to local building codes by working with your town’s building department. Codes will cover aspects such as foundations, stairs (rise and run), size of beams, railings, and the like.

PART ONE:

Designing Your Deck

The next thirty pages tell how to make a fresh design for your deck, from the basic style and contours, to the materials for decking and railing, to the little details, amenities, and furnishings.

How to Design

You could simply hire a deck designer/builder, or even an architect, to design a deck for you. But do not be afraid to jump into the design process—it will make the deck feel more your own. Even a few hours spent thinking seriously about your deck can ensure against design mistakes and allow you to inject features that will give your deck a personality that suits you.

You probably do not have much design experience. But compared with a house (or even a kitchen) a deck is a pretty simple and straightforward project. You have no doubt seen a good number of decks, and you are a reasonably creative person, right? With a little imagination and some drawing tools, you will be able to envision it pretty completely. Also, your house and yard will likely go a long way toward determining the deck’s shape and size. So don’t be afraid to jump in; designing can be fun and rewarding.

A LITTLE LARCENY. Do as all great writers, artists, and architects do: Start by stealing some ideas. Do not worry that your deck will end up looking just like someone else’s: Your house and yard will make it look different, and even a couple of changes—decking material or railing style, for instance—can make even a copycat deck appear distinctive.

Embark on your “life of crime” by grabbing ideas from this book. Also, ask friends and neighbors about their decks. Most people—even strangers—will be happy to talk about what they love and what they would change. It is not unusual for people who love their deck to recommend one or two things that they would do differently if they had the chance; these mistakes can usually be avoided in the planning stage, but will be hard to fix once the deck is built.

GATHER THE TROOPS. Have a little family meeting, perhaps on the site where the deck will be, and learn what your spouse and kids would like the new deck to do for them. There will be practical considerations, such as a clear pathway to the garbage, or deck and railing surfaces that are easy to keep clean. Some people may want to engage in activities like container gardening. Some may want solitude; others may want a good space for parties. Some may like the yard so much that they prefer a small deck to a large one.

DRAW AND REDRAW. Software programs for designing decks have proliferated in recent years, but may be difficult to use and expensive. By making a series of rough sketches, you can think through the basic contours of your deck and how it will work. (If you try to do this in front of a computer, you may miss the nuances and character of your space.) Some suggestions for creating initial drawings: try taking overhead photos of the space from a ladder, making several copies, and penciling in deck contours. Or draw on graph paper to get everything to scale. Hang your favorite designs on the refrigerator, and let everyone think about and discuss them for a few weeks. You will end up discarding many of your attempts, but you will gradually develop a plan that will work for your home and your family.

Comfortable retreat. It may take a little effort (and family collaboration) to design your deck, but benefits will outweigh the trials once you have a lovely spot like this to relax with the family.

Size and Shape

Consider the overall contours of the deck to be sure it will feel comfortable next to the house and within the landscape—and so it will meet your needs.

SIZE. A deck should not be so large as to make the house look small, nor should it look like a midget appendage.

To size the deck for family activities, think about your home’s living room to gauge how much space is needed for comfortably hanging out. One common mistake is to make a deck too narrow. To accommodate both seating and a traffic path, a deck’s depth should be at least 7 feet (2.1m), and preferably wider. Another common mistake is to make a deck so large that it creates an awkward situation in the yard—for instance, you have to go up and down the deck stairs to get from one side of the yard to the other.

Browse furniture while you are planning to be sure you will have space for a table, chairs, and a path around the table and chairs. Even a modest size table usually requires a 12-foot (3.7m) square area. That means that a bargain-priced 10 x 10-foot (3m x 3m) deck will probably be frustrating. Other use areas—cooking, sunning, play space, hot tub—also need traffic paths. Think carefully about where your deck stairs will go; it should be easy for people to get from the house to the stairs without interfering with the chef or diners, and the stairs should lead to a good place in the yard.

SHAPE. The shape of your outdoor space and the back of the house will help determine the best shape for your deck. A good design will feel at home in the space and call attention to the advantages of the yard. While a simple rectangular deck works well in some situations and may be a good starting point, consider adding definition to use areas with curves, tiers, geometric angles, or bump-out sections. For instance, a bump-out for a grill gives the chef a separate cooking space that does not interfere with traffic patterns on the rest of the deck.

Many houses have a straight or near-straight rear wall, and a deck design with some complexity can feel less tacked on and more interesting. The addition of curves or angles, especially when complemented by judicious landscaping, can attractively soften the add-on effect and give you a unique design that works for the space and your family’s needs. If your house exterior is formal and stately, on the other hand, too many curves and angles can look out of place.

Curvy showpiece. This deck could have been a typical add-on, but the materials, curved perimeter, and inlaid star in the main part of the deck add up to make it a stunner.

Easy on the Eyes

Once you have established basic contours for your deck, envision how it will look. Some considerations:

COLOR. Your deck will introduce new colors to the palette in your yard, and these colors will occupy one-third or more of the overall back-of-the-house view. The way the color of the finished product will look can be difficult to visually gauge, even with software, and the appearance will be different in direct sunlight versus the shade. Before you choose, take boards home to see how they look from a distance against the house.

If your home’s exterior is brick, most wood or composite materials will be a pleasing complement. But if your home is painted or has vinyl siding, take your time choosing decking materials. A home exterior that is painted a grayish putty color, for instance, may clash with decking materials that have reddish stain tones, especially if the two colors are the same intensity. It may be preferable to choose colors in the same family. Railings, fascia, and skirting often look better in a different color or material from the decking.

Complementary colors. The white railing on this deck echoes the white house trim. The cedar decking, with its reddish-yellow hue, would clash with house siding that had cool tones in its color.

Classy deck. The soft gray tones of the decking boards on this large deck blend well with the white siding, giving the whole setting a classic look.

Points of interest. Coming out of the house, the “Z” benches are an effective focal point on this geometric, symmetrical deck. Approaching the deck, the home’s chimney, centered within the deck structure, is the focal point.

Continuity. The design and coloring of the pergola framing members, the railing posts, and the support posts are all of a piece, giving the deck a uniformly classic appearance.

THEME AND VARIATION. A good design often has a theme that repeats itself in a couple of different places to add unity and appeal. A curved or angled section may occur in two places, for instance, once in a bigger section and once in a smaller section. Or the railing design may echo the design or color of the fascia, skirting, or house trim. If your design includes a large octagonal or circular bump-out for a dining area, consider adding a smaller bump-out in the same shape at the other end, perhaps for a grill or reading spot.

FOCAL POINTS. A focal point is an area of distinction—a view from the deck or a feature like a fire pit to enjoy on the deck itself—that sets a deck apart from others. You may also (or instead) want to add as a focal point details to the design, perhaps in the railing or the flooring pattern, to break up the monotony and make the deck more interesting. A herringbone pattern in one section of the flooring would work, for instance, or a diamond or circle-shaped inset, or planters along the railing to frame the view. It is all about personal touches to make the deck more memorable.

TO BLEND OR TO CONTRAST? A deck that uses colors and materials that complement the house will make for a unified appearance. But you may prefer a deck that contrasts strongly with the house, to provide a sense of a different space and perhaps give the feel of a rustic retreat. In that case, natural wood is often the best choice. If the deck will not be on display to neighbors, a style disconnect need not feel awkward.

DECK HEIGHT. Most decks are near the height of the interior floor. You may want to step it down, however, for several reasons: a lower deck will be less likely to inhibit the view from inside. And if you go low enough—24 inches (61cm) or less above grade in most areas—you will not need a railing, which can make for a cleaner look and a simpler building process.

Decks built near ground level with no railing tend to visually emphasize the decking boards, while decks elevated a few feet (about 1m) have additional features that catch the eye, like the railing, stairs, and skirting. Decks higher than 6 feet (1.8m) aboveground usually have visible undersides. If your view of the deck from the backyard is private—that is, not visible from the street or sidewalk—you can permit yourself more creative latitude with the design, not worrying so much about its matching the house exterior.

LANDSCAPE. When first built, a deck may look a bit stark. But as nearby plants grow, the appearance can change dramatically. Tall plants near the fascia and shorter plants away from the fascia can gracefully draw the eye down to yard level. Similarly, wide stairs with room for planters can accomplish the same thing. Planters at railing or floor level help tie the deck into the landscape, especially if the colors of the plants or the design of the planters play off colors or structures in the yard.

THE VERTICAL STUFF. Decking is the dominant surface, of course, but railing, skirting, and fascia materials are actually more visible from outside the deck. The same is true of add-on features like planters, benches, or an overhead structure.

Check out the many railing possibilities available today. Older decks almost always had balusters (pickets) made of the same species of wood as the rails and the top cap, but these days metal balusters of various shapes and colors are popular. They not only perk up the visual appeal but also are usually more durable and sturdy.

Visual appeal. The elongated S-shape of this railing’s balusters provides a dramatic design statement and welcome relief from the common square balusters seen on so many decks.

Consider the View

Many decks have a fundamental flaw—their railings, which are typically 42 inches (1.1m) high, block the view of the yard from inside the house and/or from a sitting position on the deck.

One solution is to make the railing nearly invisible. Railings made of tempered glass panels are literally see-through, but they require fastidious attention and cleaning. Horizontal cable rail systems or rails made of thin metal balusters (pickets) barely block the view.

Another approach is to lower the deck. If the deck is 3 feet (91cm) or more aboveground, lowering can have the added virtue of making the underside of the deck less visible. And if the lowered deck is less than 2 feet (61cm) aboveground, you will probably not need a railing at all; check with local codes.

To lower a deck, you may have two or three steps leading down from the house’s door. Make the first step a landing that is at least 16 inches (40.6cm) wide to prevent tripping. Or build a series of level changes, perhaps cascading down to the lawn level. (As a number of decks in this book show, creating different levels is also a good way to define different “rooms.”)

In some cases, codes may allow you to install benches, which are typically 16 inches (40.6cm) tall, instead of railings to avoid blocking the view.

STYLE POINTS. If the style of your home is Victorian, Southwestern, Modern, or something else, how do you find a deck design that will blend? Often the way the deck is “framed” by its railing and trim elements will help establish a style connection with the house.

Contemporary homes have clean lines and simpler design elements. Metal cable or glass railing may be a good complement.

Traditional homes have more detail in the architecture or the decoration. For a Colonial home, consider white molded railings and decorative post caps. You can further beef up details by adding built-ins like benches or planters. For a Victorian home, look for molding, post caps, or balusters to echo the home’s design.

DETAILS. The more you use your deck, the more you will appreciate any touches that add personality. Details bring a deck to another level. Sometimes you can add these after the basic deck is in place, as with planters, post or railing caps, or benches. Other times, you will make the call at the beginning of construction, as with the choice of fasteners, the distance between deck boards, or the choice of trim materials.

Take a look at other decks or at photos in this book to get an idea of which details will add the most bang for the buck. Hidden fasteners may be worth the extra expense, for instance, because they give the decking a cleaner look than exposed nails or screws. Next to the floor of the deck, the railing is probably the most visually noticeable section and a good place to spend extra for distinctive details. It is usually worth paying more for better-quality railing-top-cap lumber, for instance; this is also true for other noticeable places: the trim on top of a planter or built-ins for seating or storage.

Extreme style. The homeowners and deck designer-builder conspired to make a dramatic statement by incorporating in a radical way a favorite old tree into the deck’s design.

Details make the difference. From the complementing brick and wood color to the choice of decking and the fine carpentry, the thought put into this deck is evident in the details.

Deck and Landscape

The contours of your yard can certainly affect your deck design. If your landscape is fairly level, construction should be uncomplicated. Slopes, even gradual ones, may require grading a level spot at the bottom or building a retaining wall. You may build a deck at the top of the slope, so its front will be raised high; depending on the situation, you may or may not need a set of stairs going down to the lawn. Or you can build a multilevel deck to take even better advantage of the site.

There is no rule that says a deck has to be attached to the house at all. You may find that a detached location, in the rear part of your yard, provides the perfect spot for a natural getaway.

Consider the features of your landscape—the slope of the grade, any existing vegetation, views, and climate. All of these can affect the design of your deck and where you build it. Do not draw the final plans until you have looked around your yard to see whether anything needs changing or not.

Work with nature, not against it. Trees, large stones, or other salient landscape features need not push your deck out of an otherwise perfect spot. With a little extra framing to support the decking, you can build your deck around the obstacle instead of trying to remove it. If you are building around a tree, check with a garden center to find out how much growth room the tree will need. Be careful to avoid damage to the tree during construction.

A slice of nature. The dark wood and rounded shapes used for this deck make it blend seamlessly with the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Sun, Wind, and Rain

If the sun beats down on your deck mercilessly for most of the afternoon and early evening hours, you may not want to spend much time there. If you put the same deck where trees provide shelter from harsh sunlight, it will be much more enjoyable. Weather patterns can greatly affect the enjoyment of an outdoor space, and planning to minimize discomfort will ensure that your deck will be one that bustles with activity. Strategies range from simple umbrellas to substantial overheads. A well-placed pergola with open rafters or lattice roofing can provide dappled shade for a large deck. Lattice screens or fence panels tone down the wind (and add privacy). A small roofed structure over your dining spot lets you enjoy the space in inclement weather. A rollout awning can do the same job, and you can retract it when it is not needed.

Privacy plus. The slatted surround and overhead structure of this deck offer protection from the sun at certain times of the day and provide privacy as a bonus.

The Outdoor Rooms Approach

When space or budget is limited, some folks build a large rectangle and hope they can adjust use areas to fit afterward. But this is lazy planning and is likely to mean wasted or inadequate space and frustration. It is better to take the time to pencil in invisible walls and traffic paths you will need so that your deck will work well and make you happy; at the same time, consider modifying the overall design with bump-outs or angles to improve the sizing and flow of use areas. How much space do you need for various deck rooms? Some accumulated wisdom from deck builders follows.

DINING ROOM. A 12 x 12-foot (3.7m x 3.7m) area works for a round table for six; anything smaller will make it difficult to navigate around the table: for someone to reach or get out of a far seat, you may have to have other diners stand up and push in their chairs, or a server might have a hard time reaching the far end of the table. For best results, measure the area your table and chairs require and add 3 feet (91cm) on all sides so that you can slide chairs in and out. Some deck designs create a section with a bump-out, circular or angled, to accommodate the table and chairs.

COOKING. A space at least 5 x 10 feet (1.5m x 3m) will allow room for a cook plus a consultant or two. A small bump-out for a standalone grill is a popular feature of many deck designs. Or you may want to incorporate a full-blown outdoor kitchen (see page 19). Be sure your cooking area is not in a traffic path, and check that prevailing winds will not blow smoke toward diners or the back door of the house.

LOUNGING OR SUNNING. A comfortable reclining chair or two add welcome creature comforts to your deck. A small table nearby makes it the perfect spot to relax and read or soak in a few rays with your favorite beverage. A 5 x 8-foot (1.5m x 2.5m) area will handle one chair and a small table, and an 8 x 8-foot (2.5m x 2.5m) area is a good size for two chairs and a table.

Welcome. There is no mistaking this handsome deck for anything other than it is: a cozy outdoor “living room” complete with a welcoming stone fireplace.

Divided spaces. The deck’s design and the furniture placement combine to create distinct social areas within this deck: conversational, lounging, dining, and cooking.

SPA OR HOT TUB. With a bit of adjacent seating, a spa or hot tub generally requires a 10-foot (3m) square area. Check whether you need additional space to store the cover when the spa is in use. And think about how to make it as easy as possible to get into and out of the spa.

TRAFFIC PATHS. Make sure people can move easily from one section, or “room,” of the deck to another by allowing clear space for traffic paths. These should be 3 to 4 feet (91cm to 120cm) wide.

Outdoor Kitchens

Outdoor kitchens are growing in popularity, and people who have them rave about the convenience and entertainment possibilities. An outdoor kitchen gets the cook—and the mess—out of the home’s main kitchen so that everyone can hang out together on the deck. Typical amenities include plenty of countertop space, grills and side burners, a refrigerator, a sink, and perhaps even a warming drawer, kegerator, or pizza oven.

Adding an outdoor kitchen may not be as expensive as you think, especially if you are willing to devote a couple of weekends to doing the work yourself. The biggest expense will be the grill, but the structure itself and other amenities like a sink, side burner, electric outlet, cabinets, pullout garbage, etc., are more affordable. And with planning, you can add amenities over time as funds become available. Creative Homeowner’s Building Outdoor Kitchens for Every Budget will help you choose inexpensive materials and perhaps build it yourself.

A kitchen counter on a deck is commonly built using wood or metal studs covered with concrete backer board and finished with stucco, tile, or faux stone. Countertops can be granite slab, tile, or concrete.

Be sure to position the counter and grill so that the grilling smoke will not bother diners or loungers. If a deck is small, you may choose to place them off the deck in a nearby spot, perhaps on a patio surface.

For food preparation, allow plenty of countertop space and at least 12 inches (30.5cm) on each side of the grill or burner. If you will use the kitchen at night, incorporate plenty of lighting.

Dining and Entertaining Options

The traditional dining table with chairs is what most people choose for everyday eating and dinner parties, but if you like buffet-style eating, you might prefer a living-room arrangement with comfortable chairs and side tables around a coffee table or fire pit. Larger decks often have multiple seating areas, sometimes built in or sometimes at a counter by the grill. Many people enjoy an open, spacious feel on their deck and want to minimize furnishings; for them, folding tables and chairs for special occasions are a good solution.