Adding More Living Space with a Backyard Deck

By investing money in building enhancements to your deck, you will increase it's worth to you many times over. For instance, adding some type of roofing or awning over your deck will allow you to use it on days when the sun is just too brutal or when the rain tries to ruin your outdoor plans.

We've all been in the situation where you've planned an outdoor get together at your home and the weather just doesn't want to cooperate. Rain isn't a problem if you have a covering over the deck. You can still enjoy the outdoors no matter what the weather. Sitting on your deck during a nice warm summer rainy evening is actually relaxing.

For people who have trouble sleeping in the heat, a lounge chair on a covered deck is the perfect answer. The cool night air can allow you to enjoy sleeping outside but yet enjoy your pleasant sleeping accommodations.

If you'd prefer to have the option of sunning on your deck, a retractable awning may be the answer for you. This way you have the option of allowing the sun to reach your deck or not.

This will depend on a large amount of factors as you common sense will tell you. You also need to have your deck meet certain building specifications depending on the area you live in. The contractor should be able to fill you in on the requirements needed.

Assuming you are paying someone else to install your deck, you will undoubtedly have to spend a minimum of $3000 to just add a small deck with minimum railings and a set of stairs.

The cost depends on:

The size of the deck: You can install anything from a simple 10x12 deck to decking that covers most of your yard. Decks come with small nodules where hot tubs and grills can be permanently located. The size all depends on you.

The material for the deck: Your deck can be made from cheap wood, expensive wood, pressure treated wood, composite materials, and PVC decking. For the materials that will last the longest and require the least amount of upkeep - you are likely to pay the most money.
Railings for decks: The railing of a deck can be a different material from the deck and can be used to add quite a bit of cosmetic appeal to the deck. The cost will hinge on the material and complexity of the design you want.

Optional Stuff: The options can greatly affect the price but it is often worth investing them either at the time the deck is built or in future years. Sometimes people spread out the cost of the deck by investing in different stages. For instance, wait until the following year to add a roof or awning. The important thing to keep in mind, you should mention your future plans to the contractor. This may affect the way he builds the deck. Another addition that can come in the future is the addition of electric outlets and lighting on your deck. This is also important to mention to the contractor.

During the planning stages of your deck, be sure to mention any desire you might have for having permanent benching installed in the deck. I would only recommend this if you will be constructing a deck of substantial size. Once they are built into the design they cannot be removed.

Once your deck is built, you have the fun of adding some attractive outside furniture. Hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowes usually have a larger selection to choose from than department stores. The styles are many. Furniture built for outdoor use now has a more sophisticated sheek look compared to the old webbed folding chairs from the sixties! Now we have weather resistant cushions and patio conversation sets made from a variety of materials.

Conversation sets come in wood, wicker, aluminum, steel, rattan, and wrought iron. For people that are "green" conscious you can even purchase a set made from recycled plastic.

Considering the great benefits you'll enjoy with your deck, it really asks very little of you. Just an annual maintenance day. This is a project that can get the whole family involved to a certain point.

First thing to do is remove everything from the deck. Any furniture, plants, or items that sit on the floor has to be moved.
Next, using a broom, remove all of the loose direct, foliage and debris that lands in corners and crevices. You should be able to do the majority of this task with an outdoor long handled broom. For smaller area that you just can't get to with the big broom, use a hand held broom and do the best you can.

Once you've cleaned up loose dirt from the deck, then it's time to apply a wash with a pressure washer. Although it's the best tool to remove imbedded dirt, it can damage your deck if it's built with wood. You very rarely need to use more than 1500 psi. Be cautious with this step as you don't want to do any damage during the process. Hardware stores carry a wash formulated for cleaning decks or you can make your own mild cleaner. Once the cleaning is completed, you need to fill your pressure washer with clear water to rinse off any remaining chemicals from the cleaning.

And that's about it. Usually this is only required once a year. It's a good time to get any algae or moss growing on your deck removed and cleaned off and the cleaning process described here should do the job.