Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Clean-lines, but not boring – how?

Hi All,

I am currently working on a design for my deck and have run into a problem. I would like a simple but finished look with clean-lines. We are in coastal area, and I would like to keep that feel with the deck. I don’t mind adding some complexity to the construction, just not to the final look of the deck. Anything too heavy or overdone would feel out of place with our house (smaller, newly re-done cape).

Here’s where I’m struggling – how can I do this without the deck being just boring?

For reference, here’s where I’m at right now:
- 18’ along house, 12’ deep, and ~ 30-36” high
- 2 sets of stairs – 1 out to the yard, 1 to the right, near the house, to the driveway
- I’m open to both with or without a railing (unless I have no choice due to the height). If there is a railing, I’m partial to putting the posts on the inside.
- From the house, access to the deck is from a regular door on the right side of the deck.
- 3 kitchen windows looking out into the back yard span most of the wall where the deck will be

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Scott

You have to have a 36" railing with balusters 4" apart. That goes for the stairs too. You also need footings to the frost line. Let the posts come up through the floor & tie them in to the railings. That way you don't need a ledger board. The deck will be free standing a few inches from the house.

mgmidget72,

Welcome to the forums.

First, check with your local bldg. dept. and find out EXACTLY what they require. At 30" or more above grade, you will need a railing. Pulpo mentioned 36" high, but where I'm at, railings now have to be 42" high at ANY place on the deck or steps that's more than 30" above grade. For the steps, that means you have to have BOTH the 42" high GUARDRAIL and a grippable HANDRAIL that is 36" (give or take an inch) above the nose of the treads.

Openings in the guardrail have to be less than 4". That means that a 4" ball cannot be passed through it. As CA has applied it, the opening in the guardrail on steps is less than 4-3/8" -- we can space the balusters out a little bit more there, but I don't.

At the triangle formed by the stair tread, the stair riser and the bottom rail of the guardrail above them, that opening has to be such that a 6" ball cannot pass through it.

Certainly mount your posts INSIDE the corner formed by the joists running in one direction and the rim joist that is perpendicular to them. (They can be done outside, but that requires a lot of extra parts and bracing to keep the guardrail upright.)

The look that I prefer is to "pictureframe" the deck -- deck boards running in the 18' direction, but a border of at least one board on the ends running in the 12' direction, with the corners mitered. That eliminates all of the butt ends of the deck boards being exposed.

Given your deck width of 18', and since deck board don't come in 18' lengths (I work almost exclusively with composites), I would make the "pictureframe" at least 2 boards wide, so that I could use 16' boards for the field. I work a lot with Azek, and I would use contrasting colors for the perimeter. Mix and Match -- whatever fits best with the colors of your house. If grays work -- slate gray and clay. If browns work, brownstone for the field and the new color -- Kona -- for the perimeter. (And adding a white 1X4 in the center of the "pictureframe" is simply killer, IMHO!!)

Hi mg, I ran into the 30" height rule and just hated the look of 42 inch railings and where you are looking for simple and finished, that is getting off to a tough start. Here is what I did and the home owner loved it. We created a terrace where the deck was going and planted shrubs and flowers out 3 feet so the deck height was considered below the 30 inches. Created an extension of the terrace for a landing area for the steps. Then we used posts and ropes around the perimeter for simplicity, yet some boundry for people drifting too close to the edge. Our corner posts were boxed 2x6's so we could run electric for hanging lamps. Not sure if any of this is applicable, but when you listed 30" to 36" and are just over the required height (in some places), thought it might help.

Post pictures when done, we enjoy hearing "the rest of the story".

Bud

Oh yeah bud, I've "cheated" the rules myself. One customer had a door that was about 4' above grade , and they didn't want railings ANYWHERE. Solution was a 'landing' at the door, a couple of steps to another 'landing' over 3' wide, then a couple more steps to another 'landing' over 3' wide, ... It didn't give them a usable deck until we were below 30" above grade, but there aren't any rails on it!! (Of course, they have 10 acres -- we can build 'landings' forever!!)

Thanks for all these suggestions!

The picture frame design and built-up terrace to avoid railing restrictions sound interesting.

Regarding railings, are the opening restrictions that Lefty described required only if a railing is required, or any time a railing is present? Example – deck is 28” off the ground, but, for aesthetics, I decide to put a railing. Am I still bound by the max 4" opening, etc…?

Thanks,
Scott