Deck and Patio Designs - Consider These Tips Before Starting

Adding a deck or a patio is the cheapest way to add more living space to your home without disrupting your household. It also helps the resale value of your home should you decide to sell.

It also invites your family and friends to go outside and wander, rest, eat and play.

As you begin to start the process of planning your outdoor space, think of your family's needs and your landscape style, then look through magazines and take pictures of friends and neighbors decks and patios that you like.

• Keep in mind that decks are more a part of your house and patios tend to be thought of as more an extension of your garden.
• Check local building codes, regulations, zoning restriction and property lines before you build.
• Place your deck or patio with easy access to your kitchen, living room, or family room for optimal use.
• Patios and decks on the north and east will have less sun and more cool breezes in warm climates and seasons.
• Study wind and rain directions in your yard.
• Watch for sun and shadow patterns and see how they vary with the season before choosing a site.
• Remember that cool air moves downward over land and if you build your deck on the uphill side of your house, you will be more comfortable on chilly evenings.Decide on size. As a general rule, outdoor rooms need to be about the same size as the largest indoor rooms of your house.
• A deck needs a minimum of 5 feet by 6 feet in order for two people to sit and relax beside a table, but it will be cramped if others join you!
• Once you get your plans finalized, stake off the area and connect the stakes with string, place furniture if you already have it, visualize the height of the benches and railing, and check everything for scale and unity.

One good option is to have a deck at the floor level of your house with steps leading down to a patio in your garden.

Renters can even build portable decks which may be built in a day and moved from sun to shade with the season, and stored away for the winter, and taken with you when you leave!

For instance these hardwood floor slats make are easy to snap together without using nails, hammers, or glue. Perfect for first time home owners or renters with few tools and a strong possibility of moving in the future!

Also, modular deck walkways like this Cedar Garden Walkway can also be useful too in a new yard. When final plans are made, move the units or arrange them into a deck.