A Guide to Deck Plans, Porch Designs and Patio Ideas

People are increasingly bringing their daily lives outdoors. This article will help you choose an outdoor space that's right for you. First, identify your outdoor lifestyle. Do you want your outdoor spaces informal or formal, intimate or outgoing? Next, work with your existing plan, builder, and landscaper to blend your needs with the surroundings of your new house.

Decks

A deck is an intermediate space between the controlled environment of a house and the raw elements outdoors. Since a deck can expand the living area of a house it is important to consider traffic patterns in your planning. Avoid paths that cross through activity areas, and arrange for them to be as direct as possible. A deck can accentuate a good feature of your home and minimize the bad ones. It can conceal a fuel tank, or be designed around a tree. Decks are great for hiding ugly foundation, service meters, or old concrete patios.

Deck Material Choices

The right material can make all the difference in creating a beautiful, long-lasting deck.

Lumber is divided into grades based on the number of obvious flaws, such as knots, sap pockets, splits, and other blemishes. Use the straightest, best-looking boards for deck surfaces that will show, but save a little money by buying mid-grade lumber for the unseen underpinnings of the deck's structure. Stay away from the lowest grades, however. Knotty or warped lumber will be difficult to work with and can weaken your deck.

When it comes to durable decking materials, there are three basic choices: wood that has been treated to resist rot, wood that is naturally rot resistant, and synthetic materials.

Pressure-treated lumber. The least expensive and most popular deck material in use today is pressure-treated lumber. It's usually made of pine or fir that is treated with preservatives to resist moisture. Look for lumber labeled either "kiln-dried" or "kiln-dried after treatment," and choose from either green or brown to suit your aesthetic preference. You should allow pressure-treated lumber to weather for at least 90 days before you stain or paint it. Arsenic-free preserved lumber is treated with a preservative that is easier on the environment, and comes out darker so it doesn't need to be stained.

Rot-resistant wood. Species such as cedar, cypress, and redwood naturally resist rot and decay, and they are easier to saw and nail than pressure-treated lumber. While these species are structurally strong, their surfaces are soft, making them prone to denting and marring. They may require careful handling during construction. Costs for these species vary depending on the region in which they're sold, but across the board, they're more expensive than pressure-treated lumber. You may want to try reducing your costs by using more expensive wood species for visible components, such as railings, built-in benches, and decking, while substituting less-expensive, pressure-treated lumber for the structural framing.

Synthetic materials. If low maintenance is your key concern, consider synthetic materials.

Plastic lumber, which is made of recycled milk jugs and grocery bags, does not absorb moisture. Molded in various colors, plastic lumber can be painted, but it will never quite take on the look of wood. For proper installation, you need to use sliding clips because plastic expands and contracts in temperature extremes.

Vinyl lumber comes in white and several additional colors. Its pros and cons are similar to plastic lumber. Purchase brands that have the UV inhibitors impregnated directly into the vinyl and not sprayed on after production.

Wood-polymer lumbers are another option. They contain up to a 50:50 ratio of waste wood and recycled plastics and can be stained or painted. These products look and feel like wood but never require maintenance.

Rubber lumber is relatively new to the market. This material is composed of 50 percent plastic and 50 percent old tires, helping to solve the problem of what to do with worn-out treads. The material, used originally for commercial applications such as flooring in livestock trailers, is tough, durable, and impervious to water, insects, and UV rays. It comes in three colors, but the color isn't warranted to last.

Features to Consider

Strength. Only real wood can be used for structural support, and pressure-treated lumber is the strongest of all. Plastic lumber, vinyl lumber, wood-plastic composite, and rubber lumber are all either not strong enough or too flexible.

Maintenance. Wood may require occasional refinishing, and you will want to check annually for popping nails, splinters, or warped boards. Arsenic-free preserved lumber needs to have water sealer applied every other year but never needs to be re-stained. Synthetic materials are maintenance-free other than occasional washing, although rubber lumber can lose its color.

Patios

The first thing most people start with is the concrete patio. Rest assured, it's not just the plain old gray slab anymore. Today's backyard concrete patios are as unique as the homes they highlight. Modern stamping and texture and coloring techniques complement any landscape and provide a touch of uniqueness to your back yard.

Across the country, companies that specialize in patios are seeing an enormous increase in elaborate outdoor living spaces. And decorative concrete and stone is quickly emerging as the new material of choice for patio today.

The number of different uses for patios leads to a number of different building methods and materials. The first major distinction in building materials is the use of a prefabricated concrete material or natural stone. As with any choice, there are pros and cons to each material.

Prefabricated concrete comes in an almost endless number of shapes, sizes, and colors. These are generally referred to as concrete pavers. They are similar to brick pavers and are sometimes grouped together, but are much stronger and longer lasting than a typical brick paver. These products offer an incredible amount of freedom in style and design. Individual paver shapes include, circles, triangles, squares, and rectangles, and can be arranged in an array of patterns to suite your needs. The pieces are built strong enough to be used for driveways as well as everyday foot traffic. A properly built patio or walkway will never crack like your typical poured concrete walkways and patios.

Limestone or flagstone are two of the most popular products for a natural patios. They are available in fewer colors but can provide a more natural look to your walkway or patio. The lure of natural stone is in the shapes of the stones; no two pieces are the same. Every shape is different; therefore there are an endless number of patterns and designs. Natural stone does not have the strength of concrete pavers and is generally more porous in nature. Natural stone may also break more easily if not installed properly, and can be more susceptible to freezing and thawing problems. Natural stone will also typically have large gaps between each piece due to the unnatural shapes of each stone. In some cases, the gaps can be many inches wide and are filled with sand, pea gravel, mulch, or grass.

Installation of a patio or walkway is very time consuming. However, if it is done right the first time, a patio can last for many years.

Cost can also be an issue when building a patio or walkway. There are obviously a number of different options, but a high quality natural product can have a material cost double that of a high quality concrete paver. Installation costs are almost impossible to estimate without seeing the work sight. Soil conditions, access, and product selection are major variables that change at each job site. As a basic general rule, natural stone costs more than prefabricated concrete.

Durability is also an important factor to consider. Concrete pavers are clearly stronger, but depending on the specific use of your new patio or walkway, either option can be utilized.

Finally, there is the all-important aesthetic appeal. This is a category where natural stone is often preferred, but with all the designs and patterns available in the concrete pavers, it is really a matter of personal choice.

Porches

The size of the porch you need depends on how much you intend to use it. A four foot deep covered porch will protect your house and doorway from the elements, but you'll need at least six feet of depth to comfortably sit on your porch, and a porch should be eight to ten feet to accommodate a small dining table and four chairs or benches around it.

The length and height of your porch should also be in balance with your home. Don't let the porch overwhelm the homes architectural features. Similarly, don't make your porch too small, or it will look like an addition.

The direction the porch faces is an important consideration and depends on where you live. In the Southwest a south-facing porch during the summer heat can render your porch unusable. In northern states, however, a porch facing south may provide just enough sun.

Porches are usually built with the same materials used elsewhere in a home. Wooden porches remain the most popular choice, but there are other options if you don't want the burden of maintaining the wood. For example, you can use vinyl lattice for skirting the underside of your porch or as screening between rails. Molded polymer millwork mimics wood but has lightweight, closed-cell construction that prevents water absorption, resists decay and insects, and can be painted or stained to match your home. Wood-polymer lumber resists moisture and insects, as well, and can be used for porch floors and railings.

Key decorative elements define a porch's style and character. These critical millwork elements are seen at the eaves, columns, railings, steps, and the tops and bottoms of posts. Millwork is available in a cornucopia of styles ranging from Colonial to contemporary. Try to incorporate design motifs - such as roof pitches, materials, and trim - from the main structure.

Similarly Dream Home Sources' collection of Deck Plans, can help you identify a deck plan that suits both your lifestyle as well as your home whether it is simply enjoying the view of a well manicured lawn, or enjoying the space as a peaceful retreat.