A deck is a great way to start leveraging the space around your home to enjoy more outdoor time, enhance the way you entertain guests, or simply add value to your home and make it more interesting.
However, when it comes to building a deck, there are a lot of options out there that can overwhelm homeowners.
Whether you’re looking to build a deck from scratch, repair an older deck and transform it, or expand an existing deck, we’ve put together these 4 outdoor deck ideas to help you cut to the chase and find the right deck for you.
Let’s get right into it!
1: Floating Deck
This is a great outdoor deck idea if you’re looking to add a deck to a one-story home.
This is essentially a deck built right on top of your lawn, and it’s not elevated.
Instead of pillars elevating the deck, a single layer of material functions as a foundation, and then another, slightly smaller layer, is placed on top. Think of it as two or more slabs laid on top of each other, but they’re made of wood or another decking material.
Floating decks typically aren’t elevated very much. Their top surface tends to be just a few inches off the ground. This provides a couple of benefits.
First, this makes a floating deck a great option if the deck is going to be detached from your house. For example, you can make an entertainment space in the middle of your backyard with one.
However, it also makes for a safer option.
If you have small children or pets who might not be safe around some more traditional deck options elevated high above the ground, this is an option that produces very little risk of injury while still creating a suitable outdoor area for grilling, partying, etc.
The main con with this type of deck is that it’s more susceptible to damage.
This is due to how the entire deck is in contact with the ground, which leads to more exposure to things that can damage it, and because the ground shifts over time. You’ll have to regularly maintain a floating deck and potentially do the deck repairs more frequently.
2: Planter-Edged Deck
If you want to bring some life and beauty to your backyard, a planter-edged deck is a great outdoor deck idea.
This can technically be done to a floating deck, a typical patio deck, or other ground-level decks, but for this, we’ll assume you’re building a standard elevated deck over your patio area.
For this type of deck, imagine a wooden or composite deck elevated just a couple of feet off the ground coming off your home’s rear entrance.
Instead of being left empty underneath, the edges of the deck are lined with squared planters that come up a foot or two higher than the deck itself.
For the most part, this is an amazing option for most homeowners.
The deck design itself is standard, and while it’s not anything extravagant, it’s easy to care for and highly functional.
However, the addition of planters adds a lot more than you’d think. It visually enhances the space and adds greenery that is sure to be a mood booster, and if you want, you can even use your planters to grow your vegetables and herbs for a grill-side garden.
However, the planters add quite a bit of work. Instead of just getting a deck that you can more or less rarely think about, you suddenly get another responsibility unless you want your deck surrounded by dead plants.
Also, the composite decking material is required since you’re planting things in the deck itself. Dirt, growing plant life, insects, and the abundance of water needed are all trouble for wooden decks.
3: Floating Deck with Living Wall or Pergola
If you like the idea of a floating deck, but don’t like the idea of it being wide open, taking the same concept and adding a pergola or living wall can greatly enhance the space both visually and functionally.
A living wall is a specially designed wall that you grow vines on, and it’s typically accompanied by a plethora of planters.
A pergola is a type of overhanging structure with a slatted “roof”. It’s not waterproof, but it does break up sunlight.
These two deck ideas seem purely visual, but they both add a lot of functionality. Especially for a floating deck design that typically lacks ways to add modular features such as lighting or elevated storage and similar features.
Both of these options give you plenty of ways to attach lighting systems, misting systems, decorations, extendable overhead covers, shelving, and more. So, they can be useful for elevating floating decks or simple ground-level decks attached to your home.
The drawback depends on the feature you choose.
A living wall will require maintenance to keep vines and other plants from growing out of control, and you’ll want to use composite decking, and a pergola will greatly add to the price of your deck project.
4: Shaded Retreat
A shaded retreat design works with elevated decks, floating decks, or patio-style decks, and they’re fairly simple. They’re optimal for homeowners who want to use their deck areas for relaxation, spending time with loved ones, and similar activities.
In essence, this is a railed deck design with a roof built over either the entire deck or a small portion of it. This provides shade, shelter from the rain and a cozy little place to relax.
However, there are some drawbacks. Mostly, you won’t want to cook or light tiki torches and similar things with this design. The overhead structure is a fire hazard in those situations.
This also requires more maintenance as you’ll have to replace shingles and regularly waterproof the structure just like you do on your home’s actual roof.
Get Help Building These Outdoor Deck Ideas
Outdoor deck ideas we presented you with are great for the majority of homeowners, and they can certainly transform your outdoor space in meaningful ways. However, it’s not recommended to build any of them by yourself.
These are complex projects that can be costly, or even dangerous, if not built properly, and because of that it is important to find a contractor for remodeling that you can trust.
Remodeling contractors from PointVertex Construction are experts in deck-building, and they’ll bring your ideas to life quickly, efficiently, and without wasting your money.
Contact us today to get started!
