Deck

Porches can add an element of charm and relaxation to your home. Whether you're planning on building a porch of your own, or enhancing the porch you have, browse through our collection of imagery for some popular porch styles and find the inspiration you need for your project. Popular porch ideas include the wrap-around porch, which is most common on older Victorian-style homes. Another option is a screened-in porch that allows you to enjoy the fresh air without getting bitten by insects. Whether you are narrowing down your ideas for your porch or just getting started, our collection of images and ideas can serve as a springboard for your next project.

With the arrival of cooler weather in the fall, many homeowners begin preparing their landscaping for the cold winter months - planting bulbs, mulching, trimming and general yard maintenance. Your deck should be on the list, too. Cold weather deck preparation is equally important, especially if it's made of natural wood or you're in an area where winters are particularly harsh. It will prolong your deck's lifespan and save you time, effort and money in the long run. It'll also give you a head start on enjoying your deck in the spring and summer.

The homeowner watched with dismay as her old under-deck ceiling was removed. As each section of ceiling was pulled away, large splinters of wood also came down. Her drainage system had failed to protect the joists, which were rotten and would need to be replaced. Some homeowners will paint the exposed joists (on three sides), which can cause further damage. As the wood on the top gets wet, there's no way for the painted wood to release the moisture. If you're building the deck yourself, choose an over-the-joist system that's easy to install.

If you are planning on using a large amount of concrete and don't want to spend your time mixing hundreds of concrete bags by hand, you may want to hire a concrete truck to deliver a few yards of ready mix concrete to your site. This will be somewhat more expensive, but you can be sure that the concrete is properly mixed and it will save you the large hassle of doing it yourself. Don't get the wrong impression though; dealing with big machinery doesn't necessarily add complications. Follow our step-by-step instructions below and you'll be ready to build and enjoy your deck in no time.

There is no substitute for a good set of plans for your DIY deck project. Our plans are based on the International Residential Code to make it easy to apply for building permits from your city building inspections department. Many of the deck plans include features to make your deck unique including arbors, pergolas, built in benches and planter boxes. Our plans include a framing plan, front & side elevations, footing layout, 3D rendering cover sheet, material list and a typical details building guide.

Due to its longevity, low-maintenance and resistance to rot and mold, composite fencing has become one of the most popular materials for building a fence. Composite fencing offers the look of wood, minus the drawbacks. Composite fencing can last up to 20 years or more, making it more durable than most traditional wooden fences. So, what makes composite fencing last so long? Composite fencing is made from a blend of recycled plastics and wood pulp. Using recycled materials makes composite fencing easier on the environment than virgin plastic.

While wood has traditionally been the most common type of decking material, alternatives to wood like composite and PVC are becoming more popular each year. It's easy to see their appeal, as they offer lower maintenance and longer lifespans and, when considering maintenance cost differences, can actually be economical over time than wood. Ultimately, different materials are appropriate for different circumstances. But what is PVC decking, and how does it compare to composite vs wood decking? Answering those questions is an important step towards determining which type of alternative decking material would work best for you.

Entertaining friends and family on your patio can be a great way to spend a summer evening until pests start to show up. Warm bodies and cold drinks can attract mosquitoes, ants, and other unwanted guests. But there are a few simple ways to keep bugs away from a patio and help you enjoy the outdoors without enduring any unpleasant interruptions. Nature has provided plants with a variety of natural defenses to repel insects, but there's no one perfect solution to using plants to keep bugs at bay.

If your deck ranges between 24 inches and 30 inches from the ground, local building safety codes require your deck to have a railing that is at least 3 feet (36 inches) high, extending from the deck's surface to the top of the railing. Although this is a general rule, it's best to check with your local building codes when securing a permit to build your deck to be sure your deck is up to code. However, if your deck is near a steep drop off, embankment, or cliff, you should include a railing for safety purposes.

With the frame of your deck built, one of the final steps is overlaying the substructure with decking materials. Depending on the finished look you want to achieve, you'll need to determine just how much material you'll need to carry out your deck design plans. Use our deck flooring estimator to find out how much material you'll need to complete your project. Once you know how much material you'll need, use our pricing calculator to get a feel for the cost of materials, depending on whether you plan to use a specific species of wood, composite, or other type of material (such as PVC flooring).

Every good deck starts with a firm foundation. When building your deck, you'll need several bags of concrete to create the footings, walls, and piers to support your deck. This concrete calculator gives you the built-in formulas you'll need to help you calculate how many bags of concrete you will need for deck footings, supports, walls, pads and/or patios. From there, you'll be able to plug in your specific project measurements to find out just how much concrete you'll need to get the job done. In addition to calculating how much concrete you'll need, you can also use this page to learn more about the basics of working with concrete, cost, and some simple calculations.

Every deck needs great lighting. The best outdoor deck lighting ideas for your deck will suit your style, as well as provide illumination for ambiance and safety. From recessed lighting to string lights that give off a soft glow, outdoor lighting can set the mood for more enjoyable moments on your deck with family and friends. We've gathered some of our favorite deck lighting ideas to inspire you. However, before we share some ideas and photos of some attractive outdoor lighting ideas from Trex® OutdoorLighting™ and other spots across the web, let's address some key questions about what types of lighting you can use on an outdoor deck.

A pergola is a structure built to provide overhead shade. It is usually supported on four sides by vertical posts that hold in place a lattice of wooden members. Some pergolas are attached to the house at one side with a ledger board. If you plan to do this, make sure you take all the same precautions to maintain a watertight connection using flashing and caulking. The sizes of the overhead members can vary, but the lowest boards in the assembly will be the heaviest. Beams attached to posts will support one or more layers of cross members.

Much like adding furniture to a room, adding an outdoor table to your deck can make a big impact. During warmer months, a well-placed table can make it much easier for friends and family to gather and enjoy the outdoors. Deciding to build your own patio table isn't just a good way to save money, it's also an opportunity to customize a table that works best with the dimensions and style of your deck. From coffee tables to dining tables, there are a variety of patio tables you can make yourself -- each suitable to slightly different circumstances.

Having a stable, sturdy set of stairs leading to and from your deck is one of the most important-and complex-parts of the deck building process. Building stairs for your deck is often considered "the most difficult part of" the construction project. Having the right calculations before getting started can make the task a lot easier. To simplify the process, we've created this deck stair calculator to help you determine the correct measurements needed to carry out your project.