So, you’re thinking about building a deck, eh? Stop right there, Dexter. Saying you’re planning on adding a deck to your home is kind of like saying you’re going to out buy sneakers. Have you see what passes for sneakers for these days? Justin Bieber? Really? Decks come in a variety of types and not each style is perfectly suited for each need, whether aesthetic or topographical in nature. Make the right decision before you start to build in order to save a huge degree of frustration.
Loft Style Deck
What is the defining feature of a loft apartment of the type that hipsters and bohemian yupsters love so much? Well, besides lots of uninterrupted space? Elevation. No elevation, no loft. Same principle with a loft deck. This is a deck that has been elevated above the ground, usually so that you can get into the house on the second story from outside. You don’t necessarily have to include a second story entrance on a loft deck, but it’s kind of pointless otherwise. Or is it? A loft deck which can be accessed only by exterior steps that offers no immediate entrance into the house can have the power to discourage unwanted visitors as well as keep burglars frustrated.
Privacy Deck
Technically speaking, any deck can be a privacy deck provided care is taken to obstruct peeping eyes. Those that are referred specifically to as private decks typically feature solid barriers like walls that provide protection from outside visitors on at least two and up to all four sides. These walls can either be integrated into the deck design or added later. Among the materials offering the greatest privacy are bricks and concrete blocks. More aesthetic choices like a variety of bamboo are not just easier on the eyes but allow the walls to be planned as part of an overall deck theme. Unless you have big
Platform Deck
Consider this type of deck to be the opposite of the loft deck. Whereas a loft deck rises above the ground, the platform deck hugs tightly along the surface. Platform decks are therefore generally safer than loft decks, multilevel decks or decks with stairways. The downside is that unless the spot on your property is notably level, you may have to invest in ground fill or some heavy digging to even the horizontal line necessary for a proper platform deck. Keep in mind that ornamental features like decorative walls are generally not part of this type of deck.
Leveled Decks
A deck can have one level or two or three or more. If you are totally deck crazy and have a big bank account, you can live the dream. The levels can be connected by just a few steps or actual stairway or even a gently sloping ramp. Think about what you would like to accomplish by building multiple levels. The largest area could be where you situate a table or an outdoor kitchen. The intimacy and relative seclusion of a small level could be enhanced with a gazebo big enough for two. That idea you’ve got about using different building materials or colors to differentiate each level? Think it over.
