Things People Often Don’t Think About When Planning a Deck

I think just about everyone living in Brisbane can see the value of having a deck, creating an extension of our homes and allowing us to enjoy the wonderful indoor-outdoor living that is part of the Brisbane lifestyle.

Often Forgotten in Deck Design

However when planning to add a deck to your home, there are probably a great deal of matters that in the design of your deck you have not even considered. The purpose of this article is to try and cover those aspect that are little thought of, but are often of great importance.  This often forgotten items in deck design can hugely impact hugely on the deck that you have built – or could leave you very dissatisfied with your deck once built, because these matters were never considered either by yourselves or your deck builder.

Outdoor Furniture

If you are going to buy yourself some lovely outdoor furniture then you really need to consider having a roof built over your deck. Whilst there are a million other reasons for having a roof over a deck, outdoor furniture completely exposed to the elements, will not last long.

Lighting and Electrical

If you are going to want to use your deck at night then obviously you will need an electrician to install lighting for you. At the same time you may consider whether or not you might need power points on your deck as well. Power points can be very useful for connecting fans, an electrical bbq, or a leaf blower and maybe later down the track a high pressure cleaner etc…

Gas

If your home already has a natural gas connection you could consider adding one to your deck so that you don’t need to keep filling gas bottles for a gas BBQ. You can also use the gas connection for heating your deck in winter.

Applying your Deck Finish

You will probably be surprised to hear that it is often recommended that a deck finish is not applied until around several weeks after the deck has been constructed. This allows the timber to shrink and dry out.

Swimming Pool Deck and Decks near the Ocean

When building a pool deck, due to the moisture and the salt, it is highly recommended that stainless steel fixings are used to prevent rust and corrosion.

Live in a Bush Fire Zone?

If you live in a designated bush fire zone then there are regulations specific to the deck that you can build. This includes the type of timber that you can use, the need to keep an area open underneath the deck, regulations regarding the size of the gap between boards etc. You can find more information from HIA.

Trees

Will your deck need to be built to accommodate a tree or trees. Whilst aesthetically a deck with a tree poking through it wonderful, really combining nature and living. However there are some difficulties with having large trees within or in close proximity to your deck. This is due to potential damage that the tree roots can cause as well as damage to the actual deck itself.

All We Do Is Decks

All We Do Is Decks are licensed builders in Brisbane and – all we do is decks! Thus you will find no-one more qualified or experienced in building and designing decks in Brisbane. I firstly need input from my clients as to what they are seeking to achieve with their deck, then we look at the budget and together we determine how to create the most magnificent deck for them.

PS I also won’t forget about any of the items listed above!