How to enhance your backyard by building a beautiful deck

Decks are a great, multi-functional way to enhance your outdoor space. Decks are structures that are located adjacent to, or connected to, your house. Though decks are typically thought to be at the back of your house, decks can be situated anywhere in relation to your house; the front, side, or back. Decks are multi-functional as well; they can lead to a pool, or a patio area with a firepit, or just host an outdoor dining set. They provide an opportunity to enhance your backyard with flexibility, helping you create a beautiful outdoor space.

How to choose a design for a deck

There are a few things to consider when choosing a design for your deck. The first thing to consider is the purpose of your deck. Do you typically entertain a lot of people outdoors? Do you want it to lead out to something else? Are you planning on just adding some nice decorations to the deck? Combine this with how much space you have available to build, and you can start to visualize your design. Sometimes, it helps to make a drawing on paper, even if it’s just a rough sketch, with some rough measurements.

Next, you want to start thinking about the visual aesthetics of the deck. Your purpose of the deck will influence what you decide upon here. It might also be helpful to look online for inspiration pictures for the design as well. Once you’ve decided upon some of the beginning details, a contractor like us can often help you mock up a full design of your deck, helping to bring all of the small details to life. At this point, you’ll also want to think about colors and materials as well. We’ll get more into materials in the next section. Your aesthetic of the deck shouldn’t stand out from your home’s design and style; it should serve as a natural extension of what you’ve already built.

What materials should I choose for a deck?

According to This Old House, there are several different types of decking material. Wood decking is the most common choice; it can be customized to your liking by staining or painting it. There are also environmental benefits to choosing wood for your decking material. However, it can splinter easier than other materials, and it’s the most susceptible to things like rot and insects if the wood isn’t properly taken care of and maintained over time.

Composite decking is another eco-friendly option. Made from wood fibers and recycled plastic, it’s more resistant to rotting and insects, so it can last a bit longer than a wooden deck. It’s definitely an investment, though, because it costs more than wood decking, and there are limited options for you to customize things like the color or exact wood used.

PVC decking is even more expensive than wood or composite decking but it also provides more benefits as well. It is very low maintenance and is very resistant to rot and the elements. It is also more customizable, compared to composite decking. It also can be very slippery after it rains, which can be a concern for Massachusetts builders. It also might look less natural than other materials mentioned in this blog.

Lastly, metal decking provides strength, durability, and fire-resistance, but it’s also more expensive, and it’s quite limited in terms of customizability.

How long does it take to build a deck?

There are several factors that can influence how long it takes to build your dream deck. The first is whether you are re-building a deck that already has a solid foundation, or building a completely new one. If you’re building a completely new deck, that can take much longer than simply building on the foundation of a previous deck. There might also need to be some yard prep that needs to happen before the deck goes in. You might need to flatten out your yard, or at the very least dig holes to pour concrete for your foundation. Before digging, we recommend calling 811 to ensure that your yard is safe to dig, and that there is nothing running underneath your yard that could be a cause for concern, like pipes or electrical wires.

The size and complexity of your deck also factor into how long it could take to build your deck as well. For a smaller deck with a more simple design, it would take shorter than a larger deck with a more intricate design, and lots of extra finish work to do.

To summarize, depending on several different factors, it could take anywhere from a few day project to several weeks to complete the construction of your deck.

Looking to add a deck to your backyard?

SJ Carpentry can help you design and build your dream deck, to instantly elevate your outdoor space. Whether you’re building a new deck from scratch, or just updating what’s already there, we’d love to help you bring your vision to life. Contact us below to get the conversation started, and we’ll reach back out as soon as we’re able.

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