All decked out

When it comes to enjoying the outdoors at home, it’s hard to beat a deck

Adding a gazebo provides shade during the hottest months. Custom Deckworks photo
Adding a gazebo provides shade during the hottest months. Custom Deckworks photo

Whether you're looking for a quiet spot for morning meditation or a place to call party central, decks offer an easy way to connect with the great outdoors and expand livable space. Decks can be elaborate, multilevel outdoor living space limited only by your imagination ... and your budget.

When the economy slumped and the housing bubble burst, homeowners looked for ways to improve existing homes instead of moving. Decks evolved from simple squares or rectangles with a couple of chairs to intricate outdoor living rooms.

"It's not just a deck anymore. It's a deck with a pool. It's a deck with an outdoor kitchen. It's a screened porch with a deck extension so you can grill and then eat inside the porch in a bug-free environment," says Terri Duncan, owner of Archadeck of Central Arkansas. "The possibilities are endless."

Chris Peterson, owner of Custom Deckworks in Bryant, says that the number of options available to homeowners make every deck a custom job, so

understanding the intended use for the deck and evaluating the site is essential.

Items to consider include:

• Orientation

Summer in Arkansas can be a scorcher. Consider incorporating screens, shades or blinds to block out the intense afternoon sun.

• Weight

Planning to become the next great outdoor chef? That outdoor kitchen can add hundreds of pounds to the deck, which may require extra support (as well as electrical outlets or gas lines). Ditto for the hot tub or fire pit that's on your wish list.

• Flow

Introverts may crave a serene nook for meditation while extroverts may be looking for open areas to accommodate extra seating and room to party.

• Proportions

Everything is relative. A giant deck on a small house can be visually disturbing, so consider breaking the expanse up into multiple levels or smaller visual chunks.

• Existing structures

That concrete stoop or patio isn't going to magically disappear. The builder will have to frame around these structures to build over them. In some cases, these structures may dictate how the deck is constructed. For example, if the house is built on a slab and the existing patio already comes within a couple of inches of the door jamb, the builder can't deck over it all the way to the doorway. You may have to step onto the concrete and then up to the deck.

• Restrictions

Some neighborhoods have style and size requirements for decks, especially in historic districts or neighborhoods with design covenants.

• Materials

Budgets dictate most of the decisions related to material choice and deck size. Duncan says, "We've done decks between $5,000 and $59,000." She finds that clients may not know how much a deck will cost coming into the project, but they do have some sense of the maximum they want to invest. Knowing this number helps the builder make recommendations that will fit within that budget.

The number of choices of types, brands and grades of decking materials may seem overwhelming, but they generally fall into these four categories:

• Pressure-treated lumber

Most pressure-treated decking is cut from Southern yellow pine and chemically treated to resist decay, fungus and wood-boring bugs. The wood needs to be resealed every few years to protect it.

• Redwood and cedar

Tannins and natural oils in these woods make them resistant to rot, decay and insects without chemical treatment.

• Composites

Composites are composed primarily of wood fibers and plastic in varying ratios. The material is virtually maintenance free, and manufacturers mold it into a variety of sizes, colors and textures.

• Tropical hardwoods

Hailing from exotic locations in Africa, South America, Malaysia and the Philippines, woods such as Massaranduba, jatoba, meranti, batu, abaco, tigerwood and ipe are valued for their beauty, denseness and natural resistance to rot and insects. Buy these woods from a Forest Stewardship Council-certified company to avoid buying an illegally harvested product.

Each type of material has pros and cons. Pressure-treated lumber is cost effective but requires more maintenance than the other choices and is prone to twisting or warping. Redwood and cedar resist the elements well, but the soft wood soaks up a lot of water and can swell. Composites are good choices for people who want low maintenance and to use around water features, but the high plastic content causes the material to retain a lot of heat. Tropical hardwoods have low maintenance and few structural problems, but the cost may be prohibitive and some consumers have concerns about the environmental impact of harvesting the wood.

"Do the math," says Buddy Jolly, owner of Creative Solutions Remodeling in Benton. Weigh the up-front cost of the lower maintenance materials against the convenience. "Think about your lifestyle ... if you're willing to re-stain or reseal pressure-treated wood every few years, you can put the money you save on materials toward other features," he adds.

Casey Huie and his wife, Darla, of Little Rock chose ipe (pronounced e-pay) for their deck. They were sold on the material when they saw a 25-year-old ipe deck at a friend's house.

"I was amazed at how clean and good the wood looked," Huie says. He worked with Custom Deckworks to create a deck that wraps around their house to the pool. "It's a really dense hardwood ... Just simple things like drilling into it required a larger-than-normal quantity of drill bits," he adds.

Don't Be Square

Homeowners can rev up their creative juices during planning to customize their decks to reflect their personalities and lifestyles.

Think beyond the square and the rectangle -- soften the look by cutting the corners at angles or creating gentle curves around a pool or garden feature. Or wrap the deck around a corner to create an "L" shape.

Or add other creative touches to personalize the space:

• Have the material laid in creative patterns.

• Choose multiple colors for the decking material or stains.

• Create the feel of a pergola or arbor by using overhead crossbeams.

• Incorporate multiple levels to separate the deck into smaller, more intimate areas, or to create transitions down a sloping yard.

• Add features such as built-in benches and tables.

• Include a gazebo as a focal point at one corner, or add a screened-in area.

• Use a different material for the balusters/railing.

• Include built-in lighting.

By planning carefully and choosing designs and materials suited to a home's particular needs, a homeowner can create an outdoor living space that will enhance the home's value and provide many years of pleasure.

HomeStyle on 06/07/2014

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