When is one deck better than two decks?
1: When the deck wraps around two sides of your home, with entrances on both sides, and plenty of room for a table and chairs!
2: When Archadeck of Central Georgia designs the perfect deck to replace your two-deck logistical inconvenience.
3: All of the above!
This deck-lovers’ home in Gray, GA, originally had two wood decks on the main level, but they weren’t connected to each other. Each deck was too small to be functional. To move from one small deck to the other, the homeowners had to walk in through the home and out through the other door. While one deck was covered by the eaves, and they kept the grill there, only the other deck had room for a table and chairs. Grilling and dining outdoors was not very relaxing here!
Gray GA Deck Design 101: How Will You Use Your Deck?
Their Archadeck of Central Georgia deck designer immediately knew these homeowners would get much more use out of one bigger deck. They couldn’t use the two smaller decks together in any way, so they were missing the basic functionality that one continuous deck would provide.
When your Archadeck design consultant meets with you to talk about your deck project, we follow a process called a comprehensive needs analysis. Whether you’re replacing an existing deck or starting from scratch, we want to understand how you plan to use your deck. This process works well! From this conversation, we receive the information we need to design the perfect outdoor living space for the way you want to live outdoors.
Our initial conversation with these clients confirmed our hunch: one larger deck would serve their needs more completely and elegantly. We designed the new deck with access through the same two doors to the home. Now they can reach any point on the deck through whichever door is more convenient at the time. This may seem like a simple point, but it makes all the difference! It also illustrates the importance of using a Macon and Warner Robins area deck builder who specializes in custom deck design. Not every deck builder will have the experience—and the design chops—to create the best solution for your home. You can always count on Archadeck of Central GA for functional and innovative deck design.
Homeowners’ Top Design Decision: Wood or Composite Decking?
One of your most important decisions is whether to use wood, composite or synthetic decking materials for your central Georgia home. These Gray, GA, homeowners wanted to make the switch from a wood deck surface to one built with Fiberon Good Life composite decking. They were more than ready to enjoy a low-maintenance deck. Note: the larger your deck, the more significant that decision will be for you!
With composite decking, their new decking boards won’t splinter, crack or decay. And Fiberon’s three-sided cap layer resists staining and fading. Speaking of decking boards that resist fading—it’s all about the color!—these clients chose Fiberon’s popular Bungalow color.
To complete their new deck design, the homeowners selected Fortress pickets for the deck railing. These pickets (also called balusters) are thinner and less obtrusive than the wood pickets many older decks have. Also, because of the black color, the pickets seem to disappear when you look out across the yard. For cost savings, the clients selected pressure-treated wood for the deck railing and posts. For reduced maintenance, they wanted the top railing capped with Fiberon boards.
We used pressure-treated wood to build the framing that supports the deck. That’s not unusual. It’s what we always use for framing, regardless of whether the support structure will be visible or hidden from view by deck skirting. In this case, our design required a good bit of complex framing to support the large deck with minimal posts.
The deep center section of this wraparound deck gives the homeowners a little more room than what they wanted for a table and chairs. They didn’t mind that at all! The new design gives them easy access to the entire deck from either of two doors to the home. And here’s an added bonus: because the side section is under the eaves, the homeowners can even sit on the deck while it’s raining.
Are you ready to talk about a new deck design for your Gray, Macon or Warner Robins-area home? Archadeck of Central GA is ready to help! We offer *“virtual design consultations” with video conferencing to keep everyone safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.* Get in touch with us by calling 478-745-2000 or send us an email.
