Decks provide extra space in your home, which can be used for fun activities such as holding outdoor parties or simply relaxing after a hectic day. When thinking of installing one in your current home, the planning process should put into consideration many factors so that you can end up with a deck which is not only aesthetically pleasing, but which will also be safe and functional as well.
Of course, if you consult a trusted deck contractor to do the job for you, you can rest assured that all these details will be sorted out. However, it’s important to know about some of the critical things which influence deck design and construction, and one of these is the strength of the deck. Since this affects safety, it is something that you should not ignore. Some of the tips you can use to ensure that the deck stays durable include:
Consider the furniture and other equipment that will be on the deck
During the planning phase, you should have a good idea of the type of furniture and other equipment that will be on the deck. These could include a grill, a drinks cabinet and more. This will then give a rough idea of how much weight the deck will be expected to bear, and the design will be made with this in mind.
The purpose of the deck
Why are you building the deck? Is it to provide a space where you can spend some alone time or to provide an area for frequent outdoor parties? These answers to these questions should be clear when designing the deck. In the first instance, you would not need a very strong deck since it would only need to support you and occasionally, a few other people.
The fact that you would be using it on your own most of the time also means that it won’t need a lot of furniture. Such a deck can be built to be weaker than one that is meant to host parties where a significant number of people may attend on a regular basis. In the latter, the weight of the individuals in addition to the weight of the greater number of furniture means that the deck would need to be much stronger than in the former case.
The material used
Many decks are made out of wood, but you can also design one out of other materials such as composites. Either way, your choice of material will always influence the strength of the deck. For a stronger, safer deck, you would be better off using hardwood if you decide to have it made of wood. This is especially in critical areas such as main support beams, which will bear significant weight from the deck. When using wood for the deck, it’s advisable to have it treated so that it doesn’t start rotting or being eaten by termites. This will gradually reduce the strength of the affected wood, resulting in collapse of the deck if not attended to urgently.
The experience of your deck contractor
This is by far one of the most important factors influencing the final strength of your deck. During the design and construction of a deck, variables such as the distribution of force account for decisions such as how to align support beams, the types of material to use and how to use them. Using reliable deck contractors, you can rest assured that all these variables will have been assessed, and that the final product will be as sturdy as possible. This simply means that taking the time to find a deck contractor you can trust is well worth it.
