When spring arrives, most of us want to make our yards and landscapes look their best. Decks are very popular, but if they are several feet off of the ground, they might not look so great. The easiest and cheapest way to hide that empty space under your deck is to add lattice to the bottom.
Lattice is fairly inexpensive and you can even get it already painted so that you don’t have to paint it yourself. Lattice provides a covering while at the same time allows for air to flow underneath the deck which will help it to dry after a rain. And, it even makes a great trellis if you plant climbing vines around your deck.
If your deck is several feet off the ground you might want to consider adding a door to your lattice enclosure. If you add a door you can use the empty space underneath your deck for storage. And, it will also allow you to be able to clean up any dead leaves, grass or trash that finds it’s way under your deck.
To add lattice to your deck you’ll need the right tools and materials. But, if you like to do home improvements you’ll probably already have everything that you need to do the job. You’ll need a ruler, a circular saw, drill, square and a level. And, you should always use safety glasses.
You’ll need enough lattice to cover the entire bottom of your deck and you can either use galvanized screws or nails to secure the lattice to the frame. You’ll also need some pressure treated 2″ x 2″ boards and enough 2″ x 4″ boards to make a frame around the bottom on the ground.
You can attach the lattice to the frame in two different ways. You can nail or screw the lattice directly onto the frame posts, or you can purchase lattice molding. Lattice molding will give your job a more finished look. It’s a molding that has slits in each side where you insert the ends of the lattice.
Before you start measuring your deck to see how much materials you’ll need, keep in mind that lattice comes in sheets that measure 4′ x 8′. It’s very unlikely that the boards supporting your deck are going to fit these exact dimensions. So, you’ll need to construct a frame to attach the lattice to.
If your deck is really close to the ground, you probably won’t have to make a wood frame for the bottom. To begin, you’ll need to cut your 2″ x 4″‘s so that they will fit between the deck posts. Then just nail them into the posts all the way around the bottom about 3 or 4 inches off the ground.
Once you’ve gotten the bottom frame work done, it’s time to start adding the vertical frame. It’s very important to measure each one before you cut it. Since the ground probably isn’t entirely level, the posts will all measure different sizes.
You can attach each vertical post as you cut, that way you won’t get them mixed up and need to remeasure to find out which one goes where. The post should begin at the bottom of the deck and extend to the frame that you’ve made near the ground.
Since lattice comes in sheets that are 8 foot wide, you’ll want to install a vertical post every two feet. By placing them two foot apart, you’ll have something to attach the ends of the lattice to. And, they’ll provide support for the center of the lattice as well.
If you want a finished look but don’t want the added expense of purchasing lattice molding, you can use 1″ x 4″ boards. The boards can be cut and placed over the seams of the lattice to give it a nicer look. The boards can be painted to match the lattice, or painted with a contrasting color to add a splash of color.
If you decide to add a door so that you can store things under the deck, make sure that you choose hardware that is made for the outdoors. Hardware that is for use inside the home will quickly rust. And, make sure that you attach the door to a sturdy board so that it won’t sag.
