4 Deck Layouts to Consider for Your Addition

By Keith's Construction & Painting Co., Inc.
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18 Sep, 2018
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One of the benefits of living in a house over, say, an apartment is the presence of a yard. A yard gives you space to enjoy outdoor activities. However, a backyard alone might not be enough to facilitate your outdoor lifestyle. That's where a deck addition comes in. Below are four ideas for laying out your deck according to how you want to enjoy the outdoors.

1. Layout for Entertainment

Many homeowners have a deck installed to facilitate entertaining outdoors. If that's your aim, you'll want to create a multi-use space.

First, think about what you need for your deck party. You'll want a place to prepare and serve food and drinks. You'll also want seating. So you should designate one area of your deck for food preparation with a good transition space to the seating area. For example, the two areas can be separated by a counter for dispensing the food and drinks.

For an entertainment deck, lighting is especially important. Install perimeter lights on the deck railings, and illuminate any transition areas. Also incorporate some ambient lighting, such as a dimmer or an array of string lights.

2. Layout With Some Privacy

Most likely, you have neighbors and perhaps a street view from your house. Therefore, you'll want to incorporate measures of privacy for your outdoor space without enclosing it completely.

First of all, try to locate the deck itself so that it's as far from street or neighbor view as possible. At minimum, designate a corner for privacy. You could locate your lounge furniture or even build in seating in this corner.

For the privacy itself, one of the most popular methods is a lattice fence. You can train plants to grow up the lattice, or you can utilize a system of outdoor curtains for additional privacy. However, you can also have screen panels installed for more privacy and even some wind protection. An opaque glass wind wall works, too.

3. Layout With Multiple Tiers

For many homeowners, when they envision a deck, they envision a rambling addition with multiple terraces. Such a layout is one of the most luxurious options because it affords you the opportunity to get more creative with the flow of movement than you can within your house. You can incorporate bridges and even secret hideaways.

A big key here is being honest about your space. A multi-tiered deck can take up your entire backyard. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. You can develop destinations all throughout your yard with bridges leading from platform to platform. Some homeowners even have decks built around their trees.

If that's too ambitious for you, you can still utilize your space with multiple terraces. For instance, you can build up as well as out. A portion of the above deck can overshadow a deck below. Not only does such a layout increase your usable space, but it also affords the lower deck some shade.

4. Layout for Accommodating a Hot Tub

One of the most popular activities for enjoying your deck isn't an activity at all - it's the non-activity of lounging in a hot tub. The deck itself where the hot tub will be located must be flat and level. And it must be able to accommodate the weight of a hot tub filled with water and people.

A special consideration for a hot tub deck is space for disrobing. To that end, you'll want a structure that includes hooks for towels or robes as well as seating. You can design this as part of an installation for privacy, or you can keep the structure open to avoid restricting the views. Additionally, consider if you want a pergola to shade you while you're bathing.

Think about how you want to spend your outside time, and plan your deck layout accordingly. Consult with Keith's Construction & Painting Co., Inc. about your layout goals.