Homeowners often ask us what size we suggest for their new deck. Some homeowners know exactly how large they would like their deck to be and consult us to see if that’s possible. Here is some information to help answer this question.
1) How large can your deck be?
2) How do you want to use your deck?
How large can your deck be?
There are a number of factors that may limit how large your deck can be. These include setbacks, property lines, sewer lines, and any other restrictions set by your local jurisdiction. This may frustratingly limit what you had hoped would be possible. Another factor that may limit the size of your deck is large or mature trees. If you have a prized mature tree in your yard, protecting the root system of that tree may affect the size of your deck.
How do you want to use your deck?
Restrictions aside, this is a fun question. Here is how we guide homeowners. There are 3 primary functions a deck is used for. These are eating, seating, and cooking.
Eating
Is having an outdoor eating area an important reason you are interested in building a new deck? If so, you will want to think about outdoor eating in a couple of ways; private escapes, family meals, and entertaining. Most people who want a deck can envision stealing away with a cup of lemonade, coffee, or hot chocolate depending on the season and temperature. Regardless of your new deck’s configuration, you will have room to accomplish this outdoor living objective.
Do you want your family to regularly enjoy meals outside? How many are in your family? A 6-person table can take up a lot more space than you think. When trying to determine the space requirement, consider not only the table size but the additional room that chairs require when family and guests are both seated near the table eating and when chairs are pushed back after eating. You would be surprised at how much space this requires.
Seating
The seating area is generally in addition to the eating area. The primary outdoor living objective for most deck owners is eating. A seating area allows for anything from a family member stealing away with a good book, to girls’ night, to loud and rollicking boys’ night when talking about a sports game. Think about the number of people you want to provide comfortable seating for and make sure to consider your seating requirements for the number of guests you regularly host. Then consider actual furniture. Are you thinking about a couple of outdoor sofas with a coffee table in between? Are you thinking a 3 or 4 Adirondack chairs with a fire table in the middle? Take a trip to a local store. Arrange the furniture in the configuration you would like and measure how much space that will require. Don’t forget to include space for moving around the area.
Cooking
Whether you’re considering an Oakville or Mississauga kitchen or a nice grill for your new deck, you are not alone. Most deck owners want to enjoy cooking on their deck. Like above, take a trip to the grill store, measure the grill, and add space for comfortably standing in front of it. Consider that grilling isn’t always a solitary experience. Many times the person grilling wants a seat nearby to take a load off in between tending to food. And, that grilling time is often more fun sharing it with someone who also has a seat nearby.
After reading this blog, you can see that determine the best deck size for you is not such a simple formula. It’s important to work with a reputable deck builder who can consult with you to ease in making your decision. For a free consultation, give us a call at (877) 362-5802, email us or fill out the form on this website. We look forward to meeting with you!
