How to Plan the Deck of Your Dreams

The perfect deck can compliment your landscaping, provide privacy or a relaxing retreat, define a gathering place for friends and family and improve the value of your home.

The best deck compliments not only the area around it but also the style and living preferences of the owner. Before adding a deck, there are several questions to address. Consider the location, the setting, the purpose, and the style of your dream deck. Will the deck construction be a do it yourself project or hired out? Answering these questions will save you time and money. Knowing this information will help ensure that your dream home improvement doesn't turn into a residential nightmare.

Location: Where will the deck be built? Will it be added on to a home or other building or will it be on its own, serving as a separate extension of your landscaping? Are there restrictions that apply to decks and other home improvements?

Setting: Once you decide where the deck will be built, look at the area it will be built on. Is the setting level or hilly? Will you have to move dirt, rock or debris before starting the installation process? Will the deck be built around trees or will trees have to be removed?

Purpose: Why are you building the deck? Is it a home improvement to help your home sell? Will it be used for privacy? How many people will be using it at a time? Do you need room for a large gathering or an intimate deck for two? Will the deck compliment and surround a pool or some other portion of landscaping?

Style: Once you've determined what you expect from a deck in terms of purpose and setting, it's time to consider your personal style. Are you going for elegance or convenience? Deck designs run the gamut from plain to luxurious. Browse home improvement and deck devoted magazines to see what others are doing.

Materials: Decks are built from a variety of materials, depending on location and other variables. Redwood, cypress, cedar and new composite materials are some of the options available. Prices will vary according to location and type of material. The new composite materials often cost a bit more but are free of chemical side affects and reported to last longer. Some materials, like the composite, offer built in protection against the elements while others will require treatment with deck protection products.

If you don't already have a vision of the deck of your dreams, take photos of the area where the deck will be located. Visit home improvement centers and look at the decks on display. Browse deck plan books. Local libraries are a good source of deck information as are deck devoted Internet sites. Drive through residential neighborhoods and look at decks.

When you know the location for your deck, it's purpose and place in your landscaping, and the style it should reflect, you'll need to decide whether to build the deck yourself or have it built. Many home improvement centers sell deck kits, complete with everything you need (including instructions). For more elaborate or larger decks, inexperienced homeowners may want to consider hiring a contractor.

Dream decks can become reality. They're not only home improvements, they can be life improvements. A dream deck can provide the perfect setting for quiet time with that special someone, host a gathering of friends and family or just focus attention on a certain portion of landscape.

Whether you plan to build your dream deck yourself or have it built, you'll need to gather basic, important information first. Know where the deck will go, what preparation will be required of the setting, the purpose of the deck and the style. Write down the information. Take the information and photos of the deck setting to your local home improvement store or local contractor and let the dream deck begin.