Deck Design Guide
Backyard Deck Questions
How do I get my backyard deck looking like new? We moved here a couple of years ago and slowly getting things to look nice. The previous owner did not give a crap about the yard or anything. The backyard deck looks as though it has never been treated. Is there a way I can make it look nice? What are the steps? My son pressure washed a piece of it, and it's much cleaner, but what can I put on it to make it look pretty??
backyard deck building but have a underhouse access under the backyard door? I replaced a window with a door to my backyard and want to build a deck but under the door is a access area. I have pics of my predicament but do not know if I can post them. Do I need to build around the access or break the cement boarder of the access area? Had I known I would have moved the door access over 6'' to the left.
building a backyard deck? I am getting started on a backyard deck project. I will install footers in the dirt. The deck will be 18-24 inches off the ground. It will be about 150 sf and not attached to a structure. How far apart should my footings be? I am in Nor Cal where it rarely freezes and rains some but is mostly sunny. What is best wood to use? Is pressure treated OK? And how deep into the ground should my footings be? Any other thoughts? Thanks.
to keep a backyard deck warm, add hanging insulation underneath the floor . does that help? say the deck is turned into a room with roof and insulated all corners. The room is suspended on wood blocks just like a usual deck. I've put insulation underneath to prevent spiders from making corners..and most of all keep the room warm and sound proof or little sound as possible just remember that the room is suspended on wood with air all underneath. is it necessary and useless? I like to know so I would remove it. thanks
How much would it cost to get my full backyard deck replaced? I'm just wondering, because my family's deck thing is horrible... does anyone have any estimates? I'm not sure about the exact size of it, but it's pretty big =P
How much do contractors charge for a 18X18 backyard deck.? Just wondering if anyone knows how much just labor would be to build a back deck.
Is it bad for a home in Colorado with its most windows and backyard deck facing west? Would it makes the home too hot in Summer? What's the disirable facing direction?
Mosquito repellent for backyard deck? Our deck outback (there's woods behind our backyard) has a terrible mosquito problem. I am looking for a natural and or homemade solution to getting rid of them. I would like to get something that will repell them from the deck, possibly the backyard. I don't have a lot of money to spend on all of the products advertized, not to mention I wouldn't know which one to get. I also have grandchildren and a dog, so I am looking for something safe. Please Help!!
How much would a deck for my backyard cost? I was thinking about having one installed/built in my backyard. How much would it cost to have a contractor build one? And are there aby good websites where i can find out more about Decks?
If an hawk,owl, or eagle swoops down attacks a kitten on my deck or backyard can I shoot him with a gun? I have some kittens that are like 8 weeks old.They are getting a bit restless in the house. I noticed the other day, either a hawk or an owl was flying very low.The kittens were out. I gathered them up and came back in the house. I know some species are protected, but in a case of self defense, I would think it would be okay if you killed a preditor.
where can I find pictures of all natural backyard arbors, canopies and deck covers built of limbs with vines? I am looking for ideas for my backyard. I am thinkingtree limbs cemented into the ground with branches for cross members and bamboo or palm fronds for the top. Then add climbing plants to overgrow the structure. Also plan to add a misting system and outdoor speakers.
Large bird possible hawk siting on my deck in backyard.? There is a large bird about the size of thanksgiving turkey that comes to sit on my deck outside. Is this a hawk ? He is whiteish. 18 lbs ? He's too low isn't he at deck level to be a Hawk ? I thought Hawks stayed higher. he's very large . i do not think he looks exactly like a buzzard,owl or hawk. he does not eat bird sead/ mor interested in baby rabbit, baby bird, or larger bird. housekeeper / squared large bird away with broom... we laughed. bird not back. it was pretty though... maybe it will come again. i am curious. thanks for help; in ididefication. i wil learn study more this winter so we won't freak out each year. thank you
Best location for my telescope -- My deck or backyard? I got my son a Meade 130mm goto telescope for Christmas. Now we're about to set it up and look through it. How do I choose the best location to view through? I have a deck upstairs or we could use the patio downstairs or the backyard. In either case trees block the north sky. Will this be a problem during set up? Also, if I set it up on the downstairs patio (with the goto), and decide to go on upstairs deck will I need to recalibrate the goto features, etc?
do you like viewing your backyard on your deck or have some sort of view? is there anyone who just loves drinking a tea
leaky handle in backyard, also need extension from under the deck.? water comes from handle itself. also had deck built, now have to crawl under to turn water off/on. i was told I could buy some time of extension pipe so that i won't have to crawl under the deck. is this true?
Backyard redwood deck revitalization? has anyone used a hudson (bug, weed killer) sprayer to spray decking? If so, what is the best product to use that involves only spraying (no wiping etc.)? dm 'n socal
I'm looking for some opinions, which do you think is nicer a deck or paver patio in the backyard? We're putting an addition out the back of our house & we're not sure once its done whether or not we want to do another low deck like we had or a brick paver patio. I was leaning more towards a patio but now I'm not sure because I've always had a deck. I was just looking for some opinions & if anyone has any good websites that display pictures of some nice ideas of either I'd love to see! Thanks!
when your camping in your backyard which would sleep on grass or a deck? which is better? Which is betetr for you?
my 4 adult dogs use our back deck as a toilet.now i have a young son.how can i get them to use the backyard?? yes they range in age from 4 to 13 years old....and i need them to make the jump from the back deck to the bushes in the backyard???Can anyone help?
backyard patio/deck expansion.....need ideas or suggestions please...not sure what to do? I just bought a house...it sits on an acre...each house in the neighborhood has an acre...i have neighbors to each side but noone behind me so privacy is not an issue.....the backyard has nothing! It currently has like a 10x10 regular cement patio slab with the roof extending over it like most houses.....well I want to put some money into the yard to make it look nice cause i love cooking out/relaxing outside.....I am going to buy a hot tub and had thought about building a nice deck and dropping the hottub in the deck...well the more I thought about it is that the current cement slab will not blend in well or look good with a deck...so I have thought about building a huge patio with cool looking cement...I am not sure what I need/want to do...I want to be able to grill, have the hot tub in a good looking area, possibly a portable firepit, outdoor furniture..ect...what should I do?? price range is approx 8k....suggestions please!!
How much money do you think it should cost me to build a 17Ft x 17Ft wooden deck in my back yard? I recently hired a contractor who had been doing some work to my home to build a 17Feet x 17 Feet wooden deck in my backyard. The deck has two staircase entrances. It probably comes off the ground about 3 or 4 Feet high. The contractor charged me $3,000.00 for the entire job that included his labor. The problem is that he has finished the building of the deck, but he did not stain it or include side panels on the bottom portion around the underside of the deck. Should the painting and the closing of the bottom of the deck beincluded in the work? He told me that he would need to charge me another $3,000.00 to stain the deck, place paneling along the bottom sides to close it off, plaster those paneling sides and build a small bar that I want included on the deck. The total for the deck is averaging out to about $6,500...Is this fair, or am I getting overcharged? Please Help! Teddy
How big is too big for a deck on your house? We live in a 2 story colonial home that is 2100 square feet. We are adding a deck to our backyard this year and are having trouble deciding on the size. We have two proposed sizes from our contractor: 370 sf, 450 sf. We want the size to be large enough for a big patio set, bbq, chairs, etc. However, we don't want it to look too big. Does anyone have any suggestions?
How much washed rock for under my deck? I'm about to build a deck in my backyard and was told that I needed to put down weedblock and washed rock under the deck. I'm not sure how much rock I should be purchasing to go under the deck. The total area that I'll need to cover is approx. 320 ft. Anyone know how much rock that works out to be?
Roughly how much would it cost to build a 12x12 deck around a hot tub? I am looking to T-off a landing on an existing staircase I have on the back of the house that goes from the deck (which is 10' off the ground) to the ground. I want to T-off the landing towards the middle of the backyard, and then build a deck around a hot tub which will be there (hot tub is 7' x 7') Deck should be flush with the top of the hot tub. I am using Pressure treated pine. It's probably about 100 sq. feet of decking, plus the railings, stairs, and supports that I will need. I live in Massachusetts if local prices matter.
Need and good, slow growing tree to plant along fence and cool deck? I have about 3 feet between my pool decking and my backyard fence. I would like to plant some small slow growing trees that will give me some privacy above my 6 ft fence. Add a little height above my fence line. They must also be fairly clean, maybe an evergreen? Any help would be appreciated.
How do I remove an old deck? Hello, we recently started ripping out an old deck that was in our backyard. It was rotting and falling apart and so we ripped off the top layer of wood. Well whoever installed it did a crazy good job, there are huge bolts (like they use on street lights) holding these HUGE boards together & on top of that they cemented posts into the ground. Not being the world's best at working in the yard, should I hire someone to complete the removal? If so how much will it cost? IF you think I can do it by myself, where do I start? Thanks so much!
There is a mom cat who brings her two kittens to our backyard at dusk. They sleep under the deck, while mom la lays nearby. They are a few months old and I was wondering if she plans on leaving them with us. They are gone in the day time. Thanks
I am building a big deck in my backyard in Houston, but am worried about mosquitos ... (read more)? My back yard has a small drainage problem and right now (without the deck) the water dries up quite quickly. But I'm afraid that once the deck is built and the water will run under the deck and not have access to the sun to dry out it may be the perfect breeding ground for mosquitos. Does anyone have any firsthand knowledge or experience with this problem in the Houston area? ADDED DETAIL: The drainage problem is somewhat permanent. We have already installed two French drains and it naturally flows out to the street, but sometimes it rains so much that everywhere around will "flood" a little (and by flood I don't mean it even gets to the point of getting near the house - just some residual water that soaks into the ground within an hour or so).
Should I build my own deck in my backyard... or hire someone to do it?? I have an older house... and want to add a 12x18 deck in back with railing and benches. I just got a quote from a friend to complete for 3200 w 2100 of that being all labor. I have really no clue how to build one myself. Would it be better just to go ahead and eat the costs to have it done right?? Or try to figure this thing out with the help of friends who know a thing or two and try to save some cash?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! BTW.... is 3200 a good price for treated lumber, hand rails, benches, and steps???
How can I hide a 12 foot fence in a small backyard? My neighbours just built a 12 foot fence at the back of my very small backyard (12ft long). I have about 2 feet between my deck and the fence. Any suggestions as to landscaping that would hide the face that the fence is practically bigger than my backyard? It actually is an 8 foot fence on top of a 4 foot wood retaining wall (yes... the city was ok with this, unfortunately). The fence is on the west end of the property (cutting the sun out very early in the day).
there is a stray cat living under my deck. how do i get it to leave?? This cat keeps coming into my backyard and hiding under my deck. At first it wasn't too much of a problem but now I can't send my puppy out in the backyard to play because the cat tries to attack my puppy! Then it hisses and snarls at me! How can I get the cat to leave without harming it?
How do I go about building a bench seat along my backyard fence? I have wood from an old deck that was taken down and instead of throwing it out I've decided to recycle it and use it somewhere. The plan is to build a seating bench along the fence in my backyard but haven't come across any building plans online, just plans for benches on a deck and regular benches. Has anyone done anything similar to this and if so, how did you go about doing it. Thanks in advance!
What web site can i go to to see tons of backyard design pictures? I want to remodel my huge back yard. I want a pool , deck and a pond..i know i can afford it, but i dont know what to place where and what plants to use. My backyard is basically a block of dead land.Only weeds and stickers are alive. What site can i go to so i can get a basic idea of what i can put in it.
Is there a natural non-chemical way to deter spiders from living in my backyard? This year my backyard has become a spider metropolis, we have never had this problem before. I don't mind them in my garden but they are all over my deck too. I have been hosing them off with water but they come back! I don't like spiders! Last year I lost a batlle with aphids, I am not losing against the spiders too! typo: batlle=battle
How stop dog from chewing on deck, etc? My 7 month old retriever puppy loves to chew on everything and will eat wood when it gets a hold of branches in the backyard. But the problem is the pup also likes to chew on our wood deck and destroy it. How do I stop this? Any suggestions on chew toys I keep in the yard?
Do I need dirt to build a gazabo in my backyard? Hello Planet: My backyard is truly uneven I would like to maybe build a gazabo or put a patio in my backyard but my problem is the dirt is uneven I don't want to pay $800 for someone to someone to make the whole backyard even. Since, I only want a gazabo can I just have someone dump dirt in that area or can I build a deck under the gazaboo in that area an put bushes around it?
Wood Deck - what type of wood? For durability, what is the best type of wood to use to build a backyard patio deck? I have heard that redwood is more water/insect/sun resistant than douglass, pine, etc. Cost difference between the wood types is not a factor. (note: I do not want to build with composite materials)
Problems with backyard patio? The portion of my backyard patio that is attached to the stabilizing post, the deck in other words, has come loose from the post. I believe that the problem is snow from last winter may have caused the post to sink into the ground. Is this an easy fix or do I need a professional patio builder/repairer to look at it? If the latter, is that generally expensive? I will get estimates of course. This is just a preliminary inquiry. Thanks.
Cleaning moss off wooden deck and bricks? Help!!!!? My Backyard deck which starts out wood and then is brick. I am not so much of a proud gardner and moss is covering my bricks and moss stains are all over my wooden deck. If you have any outstanding or ideas that would solve this issue that would be greatly appreciated!! :D *i'm not so much a gardner but i am a proud outstanding car builder and fixer. Thank you for your help. I will vote best answer to the person who has the best answer :D
How should I fix my small backyard for 3 small dogs? My problem is that the backyard is only about 30/20ft. and half of it is wood decking. The other half is wood chips and mud and I have 3 small dogs and if it rains at all thier small paws go through the wood chips and get very muddy. To compound the problem my back door is off of my bedroom so the minute I let them in they jump on my bed w/ muddy paws and track the mud all over my small 700sq ft. living space. So, what I would like to know w/ out wasting more money on solutions that have proved to not be helpful is how can I create a MUDLESS backyard? Something besides grass becasue that hasn't worked and I don't want astro turf either - any suggestions besides getting rid of my lovely dogs?
A clan of hobbits has invaded my backyard? Yesterday I was raking leaves in my backyard, when a short little man crawled out from under the deck and into the woods. I peeked under there, and there were like four more of them. They kind of look like hobbits from Lord of the Rings. Should I just leave them there, or should I bribe them with food or something to make them come out? Or should I just attack them? What would you do?
Ideas for covering dirt in the backyard? My backyard is hard dirt. I just layed sod in one area, I am doing a little at a time to keep the cost down. We want to do half the yard sod and trees and then the other half (to make it a little easier because the ground is so hard) something else. We were thinking of concrete and we could just decorate with table/chairs... BBQ, ect. Because this is our first time doing anything like this and we are learning we found that cement is just too hard. Is there anything else that you could suggest that would be inexpensive and a little easier. I was thinking of a deck, not one that is raised, just a little one that is flat on the ground but I do not know what it is called so I havent been able to look it up online. Also red brick? I live in CA, if you happen to know someone that is a handyman on the side and does not charge as much as a contractor in the the phone book please let me know too. Thanks so much for any advice.
Backyard squirrel problem? I have a very large untreated (not painted or stained) cedar deck and gazebo in my backyard and I have squirrels chewing on it. I need to figure out something to spray on it that isn't stinky (since this is an area that we entertain in) that will repel the squirrels. I have read all over the internet that they don't like hot pepper but all of the advice is for keeping the animals off plants. Does anyone know what I can mix the hot pepper into that won't discolor or damage the wood? I would prefer a "home remedy" on this so I don't have to keep ordering stuff over and over - I have a feeling this is going to be a long term problem. Thanks! Let me add a few details to clarify. 1. We have indoor cats, so getting a dog isn't an option. 2. Anything that needs to be sprinkled around isn't going to really help because they are chewing trim boards that are about 12 feet up and on vertical posts. 3. We live in a very established neighborhood with TONS of huge trees, it is seriously squirrel central around here, there is no way I could trap enough of them to make a dent in the population. What I need is something I can spray on my wood to deter them from my property. Thank you!
just moved. Deck is 8 ft from ground. what can i do with space underneath deck. it about 15x15? Ground to deck height is around 8 ft. space is around 15x15 under deck. rest of backyard is grass
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