Deck Design Options

Handrails and Guardrails

• Adding some personality and style to even the simplest of decks can be accomplished by choosing a winning design for your handrails and guardrails. Your choice of materials for this aspect of decks includes stainless steel tubing, solid glass panels and aluminum balusters. Those balusters are available in an array of styles that can complement or contrast with your home's overall style.

Screened Enclosures

• Screened enclosures are an option that allows you to use your deck even during inclement weather. Designs range from freestanding models to three-sided models that attach to the house to create the fourth side. Deck enclosures are available in kits to make them an easier DIY project. The most durable enclosures feature frames constructed of high-quality aluminum with an enamel finish baked onto it. More affordable screen enclosures use galvanized steel framing finished to make them more resistant to fading.

Storage Space Below Deck

• Decks built at least 42 inches high provide storage space below. The higher the elevation of the deck, the more versatile its storage capacity. Adding storage space beneath your deck can be a convenient place to keep firewood, tools or garden supplies. A larger area will allow storage of things like riding mowers, bikes and patio furniture.

Cooking Options

• Cooking outside on the deck means choosing from a variety of design options. You build your deck with the addition of a grill or fully equipped outdoor kitchen in mind. If your outdoor eating plans are not as extravagant, a more affordable option is a fire pit around which is a semicircular area for dining. A deck designed to feature a fireplace will benefit most from a masonry unit built in and located near the perimeter of the deck to take up the smallest amount of space.

Decking Materials

• Wood is no longer the only viable option for your material when designing a deck. Wooden decks require consistent maintenance but do provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Composite decking material utilizes a variety of synthetic components that offer the substantial benefit of requiring far less maintenance than wood. Another option is vinyl decking that is available as decorative or textured surfaces attached to a deck's surface using either latex flooring cement or contact cement.