8 technical aspects of design that will lead you to a perfect deck
The design stage in your decking project is one of the most important ones that will lead your environment to look perfect and to meet all your needs and expectations. To design a terrace space properly, a high level of knowledge and experience is required in the areas of design and architecture.
Unfortunately, when deciding to build their own decking environment, the vast majority of people have very little knowledge in these areas. For this reason, today we will present a list of 8 key technical aspects that must be considered during the design stage.
We hope this information will help you to make better decisions so that your deck design will en up being of the highest level.
Analyze the “views” from your property and define the ideal place to build your decking environment
Generally speaking, in residential decks, the size and location where to build a deck tend to be quite limited. Normally, the most common options available to build them are either an internal patio or a specific place in the backyard.
Large properties drastically increase the possibilities, both in terms of the different spaces that can be generated within a decking environment, as well as the number of locations that can be selected where to build the deck. In these cases, knowing how to value each space properly becomes a task of great importance and is something much more complex than most people could imagine.
Among all the aspects that must be considered, selecting the right "views" tends to be a point of great importance for users; however, it is important to understand that selecting the right location goes way beyond just considering the scenic beauty of a particular place.
There are technical factors that will influence the costs of carrying out the project and that are therefore of great importance, such as: access conditions, remoteness of the site, conditions of the land, access to drinking water, electricity, and many others more
These factors will be critical to the success of your project and will require the assessment of a specialist in these types of environments.
Define the environments and the size of your deck
The environments within your deck should be defined according to the use and activities that you want to give your terrace, as well as the amount or budget that you are willing to invest in your project.
Having a list of clear ideas about the type of activities that you and your family would like to carry out in your space, will serve as an important guide for your specialist when he sits down to generate the initial design ideas and concepts for your project.
During the process of creating your "Dreamlist", you might end up with so many ideas, that you will have to go back through it to prioritize some activities over others depending on the space or budget you have for building your deck; however, with a little creativity, certain areas of the deck can be used for various types of activities.
Always remember that a good architect or specialist will play a critical role in the analysis, design and planning stage of your project; since defining the space and the environments will require good knowledge and experience in architecture. These aspects will be of great importance for the successful development of your project.
Analyze the exposure of the site to the sun and shade.
When defining the proper location for your deck, your specialist will also look at the site's exposure to certain important factors such as sunlight and shade.
They will study the times and angles at which the sun will hit your deck and take this into consideration when generating and evaluating different important design ideas.
In many cases, the design of your decking environment may include important details such as the construction of a roof or a covered pergola, so that users can remain comfortably on the deck and protected from the heat at all times of the day.
Analyze the exposure of the site to the wind and the privacy of your environment
Your deck should also be well protected in case the location you've chosen is very windy one. Linked to this, the privacy of your space will also be a very important factor to consider; as this will allow the people using your deck to feel more comfortable when enjoying the space.
These factors will be even more important in cases in which people will be using bathing suits while on the terrace. So, for example, before building your space, the area should be well analyzed so that the design contemplates a solution in case you require to block a neighbor's view to your terrace.
To avoid wind and give privacy to your space, you can consider the use of some elements such as "Fencing", which must also keep the architectural line and aesthetics of the rest of your decking environment
Analyze the exposure of the site to rain or snow
Exposure to rain or snow are other important factors that should be considered when designing your decking depending on the region in which you live.
This is important in order not to limit the use of the terrace only to the dry season of the year. A roof, a covered pergola, bioclimatic pergolas and even sliding glass doors could be some of the solutions that will help protect your decking environment from the rain.
In addition, in cold places where it can even snow, elements can also be used to open and close the decking area according to the season and use heating systems to protect from the cold so that you can use your deck at any time of the year.
Define the design, shape and layout of your decking environment.
Once all the information mentioned above has been collected, you can enter a more advanced phase of the design.
At this stage, important aspects such as the shape and internal distribution of your deck would be defined, to maintain the line of design, proportions and architecture of your house.
Your deck should look like a natural extension of your space, transitioning seamlessly from the inside to your new "outdoor" home environment.
Your architect will play a very important role in making your terrace a functional outdoor room, while at the same time enhancing the beauty of your home.
Far from competing against the architecture of your home, your decking environment should instead complement it and merge with the surrounding landscape design.
Finally, another important factor when designing and shaping your space will be to include all the details collected in the initial phase, such as: the view, the direction in which the sun hits, the shadows, the types of desired environments, the privacy of certain areas, etc.
This will be the time to incorporate all those factors and needs so that you can end up with a beautiful, functional and intelligent design.
Determine which elements and accessories you will want to use in your decking environment
One of the most common mistakes made by people who do not have much experience in the design or construction of decking spaces, is that they forget about the importance of other products and accessories that complement and help to create a complete decking environment.
It is critical to remember, that there is a big range of "extras" that should be considered for your space such as railings, pergolas, covered areas, privacy fences, blinds, saunas, garbage bins, sun beds, planters, benches, a bar, television, lighting systems, spas, a music system, etc.
The combination of these products can help you to turn your space into a very special place; so you must not forget that the secret to making your decking space look spectacular lies in the details
Properly plan the lighting that will bring life to your space at night
The lighting for your decking environment must be planned very well so that the terrace can be used properly at night. In addition, the lighting systems will provide greater security to its users and will highlight the beauty of your space.
The lights need to be strategically placed in your deck and backyard. Placing the lights may seem like an easy thing to do; but in reality, it is quite complex and also requires an expert to do it properly.
Here are some points to consider when placing lighting systems:
- Know where to place lights and the amount of lighting required for different areas of the deck and garden.
- Know the type of lights to use.
- An electrician is required to wire and install lighting for outdoor environments.
There are different types of lights that you may consider using in your environment:
- Solar lights (Make sure they are bright enough).
- LED lighting, (It will require proper wiring).
Some locations where we can install the lights on our deck include:
- Stairs, steps, and paths.
- Ceilings, pergolas, posts, or railings.
- Walls, floors or decking edge lights.
- Type of ambient lighting: outdoor kitchen, BBQ area, bar, etc.
- Landscaping spotlights.
In short, remember that the design stage is a highly complex and is a part that requires a lot of knowledge.
In addition, achieving a good design and good planning will bring great benefits to your project and will allow you to fully enjoy your deck with your loved ones for many years to come.
It is very important to work with specialists who have all the required knowledge and experience in order to develop your space into a masterpiece.
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