Source:goodhousekeeping.com

How To Build The Perfect Outdoor Patio Or Deck For Your Home

Building an outdoor patio or deck can be done the easy way or the DIY way.

Granted the DIY way is the most satisfying way, seeing that you’ll take a lot of pride in making something your own, but it does come with a caveat or two.

It takes plenty of research to build an outdoor patio or deck. You’ll have to enquire about the materials, the position, and lots of other things. And that’s why we’re here to tell you all about the building process.

In this article, we will talk about how to build the perfect outdoor patio or deck, one that will complement your home and provide a resting area for the whole family.

With all that said, let’s start.

Source:diynetwork.com

1. Permits

First things first, let’s talk about permits. Permits are the sort of things that not every wants to talk about when needing to build something. Unless you happened to work in the construction industry, you’ll rarely know that you need one to build a patio.

But you will indeed need one, and you’ll need to get it from the proper authority body. You can easily enquire whether you need a permit or not by looking at your local building codes.

There you’ll also find information about the size and height of the thing. You do this to avoid a costly mistake later on. If your local building code doesn’t allow for a patio or deck, then you certainly can’t go through with it.

2. Materials

Source:hgtv.com

Once you’ve got the permit sorted, it’s now time to look at materials.

This part is very important as the wrong material can not only make things complicated but also damage the patio. Choosing the wrong decking material is a mistake to avoid. Some materials need high maintenance, some are very durable and long-lasting, while other types are a combination of both.

Composite decking has shown to be the preferred decking material for millions of Americans. It is cost-effective, long-lasting, and doesn’t need high maintenance. Other options include wooden deck boards, cedar deck boards, redwood, vinyl, ipe, and more.

3. Location

Once you’ve sorted out the materials and permits, it’s now time to find the location for the patio or deck. If thinking of building a patio, then the best location for it would be the yard. Decks, on the other hand, are meant to be attached to your home.

When it comes to building decks, since they’re meant to be attached to the house, it makes it more complicated. Namely, a lot of people prefer decks to be attached to a back door or a second story. The latter is particularly popular as it gives the second story some sort of terrace.

Patios are super popular in suburban neighborhoods and for vacation homes. Regardless of what you go for, it’s important to find a reliable builder to get the project going. This doesn’t go down the DIY route as you’ll be hiring experts to do it for you. For more information, make sure to visit deckbuildersanjose.com.

Source:getgaslogs.com

4. Designing

Once you’ve found the perfect location, it’s time to do some design work. Most people, of the vast majority, want to design the patio or deck themselves. And that’s exactly what you’ll be doing as well.

The great thing about designing yourself is that you have creative freedom. You can go detail-heavy or go down the simplistic route.Do you want to install a water fountain in the center? Or have a fireplace instead? If you’re undecided between the two, you can check out Soothing Company and browse some of the fixtures yourself so you can compare them properly.

And don’t be afraid to make a mistake or make a bold decision. Chances are you’re going to be making changes to the initial sketches one or multiple times.

5. Foot Traffic

By foot traffic, we mean how people will move around it. This is where size is important. If there’s plenty of space on your deck or patio, then people will be able to move freely regardless of what sort of furniture you add.

If there’s limited space, then you might need to consider getting furniture that will complement the small size.

While discussing foot traffic, consider whether or not you plan of adding stairs. The discussion will be helpful if you’re going for a deck on the second story.

Source:thespruce.com

6. Building

Now that you’ve drawn up everything, it’s time to build the thing. First things first, you will need to create a solid base. The base will be the surface on which the deck or patio will be built on. And make no mistake about it, it needs to be solid to support all the people that will use it. Proper installation is yet another thing you need to take into account as you cannot afford to make the thing unstable.

This is why it’s recommended that you build a ledger. A ledger is especially important when building decks. The ledger is attached to the house and the deck will go on top of it. The reason why this is important as it gives the entire structure a lot of security. It will make sure that everyone that walks on it feels safe and secured.

When installing the ledger, you’re mean to add a network of support frames that will serve as the base of the structure. On top of the support frames, you’ll be adding the decking material.

Building a deck is no easy task as it requires accurate measuring, professional fastening, and access to plenty of tools to get the job done.

Not only that, but you’ll need to do a good job when placing the decking material on top of the support frames. We talked previously about decking material, but do take the time off your busy schedule to enquire about the best one for your needs.

Lastly, you’ll want to add a layer of protective finish to protect the decking material from outdoor damage and of course, the cruelty of the outdoor elements.

Certain decking materials aren’t as durable or long-lasting as others, and that’s precisely why you need to add a layer of protective finish.

Peter is a freelance writer with more than eight years of experience covering topics in politics. He was one of the guys that were here when the foreignspolicyi.org started.