Wood Deck Design Ideas

Decks are basically an extension of the living space of your home. They provide a comfortable place for enjoying your outdoor space. Although, building a deck may seem a daunting task in the beginning, it can be a lot of fun once you start it. A great deck design allows you to enjoy your scenic neighborhood, and at the same time shields you from the prying eyes of the onlookers. You can build a deck out of the material of your choice. Wood, concrete, tiles are the popular materials for building decks. However, wood is a cheaper and suitable option for deck building.

Wood Deck Design Ideas
There is really no dearth of good wood deck designs. Following are a few design ideas to help you out with your wood deck construction.

Pool Deck
Pool decks are the hottest trend in deck designing. It involves decorating the poolside area in such a way that it becomes an inviting place for barbecuing and sunbathing. You can choose concrete, wood or tile for building pool decks, but wooden decks look particularly appealing. The care that should be taken while building wooden deck is that the wood should be slip-resistant and rot-resistant. Larch wood, redwood, Ipe are some varieties of wood that are rot-resistant and also free from insect damage.

Curved Deck
Although curved deck is not suitable for small yards, it adds a dramatic effect to your yard. Curved decks are not a great way of utilizing space, but some well designed decks can fit very well even in the confined space of the yard. Curved deck in wood adds a great deal of aesthetics to your yard. If you are opting for a curved deck, make sure that your design makes optimum use of the available space.

Architectural Deck
Architectural wood deck designs cover the intricate details of deck designing. They are expensive and complicated to implement. The design may appear simple but the detailing work makes it complicated. The design incorporates drip edges, flashings or roofing, all of which are built to detail.

Formal Deck
Formal decks are the extension of the house in real sense. They are more traditional in their appearance. They have panelized posts and columns, crown moldings, layered trims, wainscot and lattice. A few may even have roofs as in porches or verandas. Formal decks are mostly pre-finished to match with the rest of the house.

Advantages of Wood Decks Over Other Materials
Wooden decks have several advantages over other materials.

• Wood is cheaper and the most suitable material for building decks.
• Wood can sustain extreme climatic conditions, from snowfall to hot and humid conditions.
• Wood is pretty low on maintenance.
• Wood decks are visually much more appealing than decks of other materials.
• Wood is a naturally slip-resistant and safe material for deck construction.

Types of Wood Used for Construction of Decks

• Cedar
• Redwood
• Mahogany
• Ipe
• Teak
• Bamboo

You can also make use of deck railing planters to accentuate the beauty of your wood deck. Building arbors is also a great idea to complement your deck. You can also install a garden trellis or place a portable hammock. If you want to create a soothing atmosphere in your outdoor, go for wind chimes and fountains.