Consider These Things When Remodeling Your Deck

If you want to upgrade your home and add instant value, remodeling your deck is a great place to start. Whether you have a large, spacious backyard or live in a housing tract home, a deck remodeling project can offer your outdoor enjoyment an energetic new twist.

Understanding Design

Look at your home’s existing deck and decide what you need to change about its placement or design. If it is a stand-alone deck that doesn’t attach to the house, do you want to tear it down and redesign it? If the deck joins the house, do you want to change the shape or position of the structure? Or perhaps you want to add levels, seating and a kitchen to the existing area? Once you know how you would like to remodel the deck, contact a contractor to help you draw up a design.

Supporting Structure

Depending on the lay of your home, your deck could stand 12 inches off the ground or hang 10 feet in the air. No matter how high your deck stands, it will need posts and footings to support the structure. The supports will be the primary physical frame and will be in place for as long as the deck remains standing. The size of the footings will depend on how large the deck remodeling project is.

Adding Safeguards

If your deck is more than a foot off the ground, most contractors recommend adding rails to ensure the safety of any visitors or family members that use the structure. Your local state or county building codes may also have regulations about railings that determine the minimum height and how far apart vertical supports need to be.

Your deck remodeling project can open your yard for outdoor enjoyment, but it can also add value to your home. Contacting a qualified deck contractor should be the first step in creating a safe, supported structure that your family can enjoy for many years to come.