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Where will the deck be located on the
house?
We suggest you design your space like a
room on your home. You wouldn't end a room
in the middle of a window. Keep the
parameter of your deck away from your
windows by two feet or you will be looking
out the window at a rail. Most decks have an
entrance to the home at the kitchen. Walking
out flush onto the deck is the most
desirable elevation. There are obstacles
that extrude from the house that often get
overlooked. You most likely will need to
deal with or avoid water spigots, dryer
vents, windows below the deck, down spouts,
etc. Building your deck lower than these
problem areas will save you some money.
Site/Plot Plan:
When you purchased your home, your
realtor should have included a copy of your
site/plot plan in your contract. Your local
zoning department will have a copy on file
if you don't have one. This plan will show
you the setbacks and easement lines that
require you to not build past certain
parameters. Your local building department
can help you with this when you apply for
your permit. Not every township or county
requires a permit. Design Layout
Start out by laying out a hose on the ground
to get a feel for what size deck you will
need. Use two foot increments when deciding
the size. Lumber is cut to 8', 10', 12', and
16' lengths. This will save on scrap
materials and save you money. Most decks are
not symmetrical to the back of the house.
Your deck will likely be to one side or the
other. This will be an important
consideration in the layout of your deck.
What are the main uses of the deck, and
how much room will you need?
The average outdoor area is about 12% -
18% of the square footage of the home. Most
people use their deck for dining or
entertaining outside. Built-in hot tubs or
spas, screen rooms, gazebos and outdoor
kitchen areas are becoming more popular in
today's designs. Since the "West Nile" virus
hit North America, screened enclosures have
become more and more popular. Where
will you be dining on the deck?
One trend is to build an octagon or
"bump-out" to push the table and chairs off
the main deck floor and give the dining area
a designated space. Will you need
privacy from your neighbors or your street?
We offer a privacy wall that doesn't feel
like a fence. Try to limit this to just the
sides of the deck to keep it from feeling
like a fish bowl. How will you get off
and on the deck?
The side of the house you walk around to
get to the back yard is most likely the best
spot to enter the deck. The area on the deck
closest to the house tends to be useless.
You may want to keep your entrances near the
house to utilize this space. This will also
minimize traffic on the main deck area.
Staircases are heavily regulated by your
local building department. A width of 36" is
as narrow as you can build. The rise (height
between steps) should be between 7"- 8". The
run or "tread" of the step should be between
10" -12" deep. Large, grand staircases are
nice to look at and are very inviting to the
yard, but most staircases are 48" wide. If
you have a second story deck then you should
consider a landing midway in your staircase.
This will minimize a fall and reduce
injuries. Each township or county will have
specifications of how the staircase is
attached to the deck frame and whether or
not it will need a railing. Where will
your grill go?
Keep your grill close to the kitchen door
but not next to the house. This also goes
for outdoor "smokers" and fire pits. You can
have a permanent gas line run under your
deck to your grill to save you trips to
refill a propane tank. Your builder may
offer a counter or food preparation area or
an entire outdoor kitchen cabana. Outdoor
food preparation is becoming a large part of
deck design to enhance the outdoor living
area. Will you need shade?
One solution is to install a custom
awning over your deck or build a pergola or
arbor into the design of the deck. The team
at Golden Gate Enterprises can install one
of these in a number of different styles,
shapes and materials. Pergolas and arbors
provide some shade to the area they cover.
If you need total shade, you may want to
consider a roof covered deck or screen room. |
