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Three Ways To Design A Deck That Will Stand Up To Time

12 September 2016 by Felecia Banks

There is nothing wrong with the "she'll be right" attitude, and Australians are well known for getting things done using this mantra. However, when it comes to the design phase of your new deck, you're going to need a little more than "she'll be right" if you want your deck to make it past the first few days of summertime entertaining. The design is critical to your deck's success, so consider these three different ways you can create one that will be a bonus to your home and not a bust!

There's An App For That

Whether you have an Android or an iOS-based smartphone, or you want to tackle the task on your computer, head over to your app provider, and you will find a deck design app to help you deal with this task. Some apps have been put together by home hardware stores, and timber providers are the source of others. Whichever one you choose, they can help you with the initial design process.

However, there are pros and cons you need to be aware of before relying on a digital app to help you create your deck. The most positive are that these apps are usually very user-friendly. With a touch of a button, you can change the colour of your wood, you can visualise how a deck will look using different rail designs, and in some instances, the app will even tell you at the end exactly how much wood you need to build your masterpiece.

Of course, there are also negatives when it comes to embracing technology for design purposes. If you are not particularly computer-literate, for example, you may struggle with the complexities that accompany trying to use your computer or phone to design a deck. Additionally, to accurately gauge the amount and type of wood required for your deck, you want to use a detail-oriented app. Some of the cheaper apps may not be as detail-specific as you need, and you don't want to have a situation where you are given incorrect information.

Draw It Yourself

The next option for designing your deck is to do it the old-fashioned way with a pencil and paper. One of the biggest bonuses of doing it this way is you can sketch out your design over and over again until you get it right. Plus, this method of deck design gives you the opportunity to head outside with your ruler to get the measurements you need. You can pace out where you want the deck to be situated, and you can get the particular depth, width and height measurements you need for the build to go ahead.

Once done, hand your proposed design to your deck construction crew and let them turn your picture into reality. The only real negative with this idea is if you have no home handyman experience whatsoever. If this is you, can you trust yourself to get the measurements right?

Professional Design

The final option is to arrange for your deck builder to map out the deck design for you. Many contractors will give you a drawn estimate of how it could look for little to no cost. If you are charged, you may find this amount rebated once you proceed with the building of the deck through the contractor.

The bonus of doing this is you don't have to worry about any inaccuracies. The professionals know how to measure and get the deck design done right the first time. The negative is you will have to pay for this service, but if you are not experienced in deck building, this is not necessarily a bad thing when you consider what it will cost you if you get the deck wrong.

With the average cost of a deck being $187.50 per m2, you don't want to get your deck design wrong. Instead, consider which design method is most likely to give you a product that will last a long time, and then get designing because summer is just around the corner.

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