Owens Corning
Deck Planning Pointers
For most of us mortals with no sense of design and a real sense of budget restraint, planning a deck doesn't come easy. It's difficult to visualize what a cedar or redwood appendage will look like hanging off the back of your house.

Before you begin planning a deck, take a walk around your property and try to positively identify the boundaries of your yard. The most accurate way to do this it to refer to the survey that was taken when the house was built or when you purchased it.

Check with the local building department to see how close to your property lines you can build a deck. Also check the area you want to place the deck for buried oil tanks, air conditioners or heat pumps, and other obstacles that could obstruct the deck.

Next analyze who will use the deck and for what purposes. That sounds easier than it is because it requires input from the whole family. This poll helps determine what your family plans to do on the new deck and will influence its size and shape and the type of furniture you'll need. Those interested in some serious snoozing will vote for a chaise lounge, others who like to party will opt for plenty of seating, and the chef will most definitely need a barbecue. If space is at a premium, consider building in benches with storage or planter boxes for added interest.

If you have a wonderful dogwood tree that's sitting smack dab in the middle of your make-believe deck, make it the focal point and design the deck around the tree. Tree experts warn not to disturb the roots with pilings so take this into consideration in your design. Be sure to include access to the deck from existing doors. Also tie-in steps from the deck to walkways and out to the garage or shed.

Multi-level decks are one of the "hot ticket" items today. This type deck goes a long way to unify the back of a house. It can tie together different areas of a yard with a walkway as well as define the space and create some interesting areas. For example, you might like one level near the house for a small plastic swimming pool so little ones will be close at hand. Another level with a grill and table could be used for outdoor meals. How about a raised deck with a built-in hot tub or a lower level for a recessed firepit?

Another advantage to a multilevel deck is that you can build it one module at a time, clearly a way to ease the budget. For example, over a three-year period you can build a three-level deck, one level each summer.

Angles are another popular design feature that add architectural interest to an otherwise ordinary rectangular deck. Angles add about 15% to the overall cost of the deck because of the additional framing work that's required.

To help you visualize the design, create a full-size outline of the deck on the ground where you plan to build it. Place ladders, rakes, volleyball net poles, whatever you have handy, on the ground around its perimeter. Admittedly, this hodgepodge of stuff strung out on your lawn looks a bit awkward, but it will help you conceive the shape and actual size of your planned deck.

Try this make-believe deck on for size. Have the full family give the space a work out. If you have furniture, put it in place to see that there's plenty of room for it. When one shape isn't right, change the shape of the deck by moving the rakes where it doesn't work.

Leave the "deck" in place for a few days so you can observe how and when the sun's rays affect the area. You might find yourself shifting the position of the deck because of a strong afternoon sun.

When you're happy with the basic size and shape of the deck, and its position on the house, measure its dimension and commit it to graph paper. An average-sized deck will fit on a single sheet if you make each square equal to three in. or a 1/4 foot.

With your refined deck plan in hand, you can approach your local building department for a permit and a deck builder or carpenter for construction bids. If you plan to build-it-yourself, use your plan to get a cost estimate from your lumber yard for the materials you'll need.

Written by the editors of HouseNet.
Copyright HouseNet Inc.

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