Name some nice features for a deck

sound system?

Not to mention the fact that they make a lot of people motion sick...

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~*~Erin~*~
SAHM, ranch wife, sub and quilt shop proprietress
the Back Gate Country Quilt Shop

It would at least make them look stern.

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Less barking! More wagging!

Our deck is on the 2nd story, in the front of the house and wraps around the side, to the back of the house, where it's nearly grade level. Jut two steps down to the ground.
It's a bit over 800 sq.ft. and irregular shaped. One section 12 feet long, out front sits under an 8 foot overhang, which shades it & keeps the rain off. The rest is open.
The DGrandkids love it.

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Be Intense, always. But always take the time to
Smell the Roses, give a Hug, Really Listen, or
Jump to Defend your Friends & What you Believe in.
'Til later, Have Fun,
Old John

We put a wheelchair ramp on our back deck as we have a handicapped DGS. It turned out to be a great thing for us too. We use it all the time.It's so much easier to get things into the house. We can bring a wheelbarrow full of firelogs right up to the door instead of having to carry them up the steps in our arms. Also easier and safer on our aging bodies too.

A wood deck? Ewwwwwww! If and when I build a deck, I want to use the fake wood - so it doesn't need all those waterproof coatings, shouldn't change color, will never rot, and most importantly - you will NEVER get splinters from it. I know it costs more - but it will last a long time. Oh yeah, and bugs won't eat it.

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Michael W. Smith in North-West Pennsylvania

"Everything happens for a reason."

I'm envisioning an aircraft carrier deck.....

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

I am not sure if they are all the same, but my mother's fake wood deck is so slippery when when it snows that it dangerous. Other than when it snows, it is a beautiful maintenance free deck.
Tom

I'll try to hit them in order:

We ruled out the cast iron chimenea, afraid that someone deep in their cups or small hands might reach out to steady themselves without thinking. The fire ring at least screams 'I'm hot down here'.

My best guess on size 28' x 26-28 (depending on the size of the lower section--this would include the current wheelchair ramp which does make bringing in firewood a lot easier).

I'll have the wife snap some pictures when it's finished--maybe she can catch some of the hummers at the feeder also.

Promised her two benches with planters on each end with the flip up seat for storage, one for cushions and one for my boots.

No poop deck, but once a few of us toss down some Irish and get to telling tales boots might be advisable.

No fire on the deck, but rather on the ground surrounded by creek rock flagstone.

Not so much the sound system, but I will put a couple speakers under the soffet on the back of the house and run to the stereo/reciever inside. Also opting for a coax cable outlet for movies and baseball.

Thought about the composite decking, but the color is already there. I didn't want to have to try and match a stain to it and if I was lucky enough to get a good match, it would fade after a year and not match again. Sides, splinters are part of livin on the farm.

Hmmmmmmm aircraft carrier. As much as drones are coming up in every nook and cranny of the news and country maybe me and the Mrs. should look into buying our own---maybe call it Air Farce Won. We could send it up when somebody beeps at the front gate. Our own little Confederate Air Command.

Aha---see you folks got me thinking now. Tiki torches. I bout missed that.

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~Only the rocks live forever~

You could at least paint on the deck the markings for a helicopter landing pad.

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

It sounds like you are going for the open air plan.

If I was going to do this, I'd have to screen it in!

That pic reminds me of a deck we had at the lake. 3x20 walkway leading out to an 8x16 sitting area. The whole thing floated on plastic drums so one day after several beers I decided to strap my trolling motor on it. It became a regular thing and I was the Captain. The walkway which was a twist-o-flex when floating, became the men's pee spot and there were many "man overboard" occurrences.

Outdoor ceiling fan(s) for the pergola?
Screened in area?

Do they make a fan that can be exposed to the elements?

We talked screen and decided that would make it feel too much like being in the house.
We're lucky enough not to be pestered by skeeters, and flies don't after dark.

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~Only the rocks live forever~

What do we want on a deck?
Well, spades and clubs, hearts and diamonds.
Swords, staves, cups and coins.

If your kiwifruit or grapevines or chayotes or scarlet-runner seven-year beans don't cover everything, think of shade-cloth. Believe me, that REALLY drops the temperature where it shades, and if it keeps the sun off the house, then it cools the house tremendously too. Keeps insects out too.
While you're in the general area, painting the roof with a zinc-oxide-heavy white paint, or aluminum silver, will be worth doing to cool the house too. You could do the white on the house walls too - the light reflected will make the house cooler, but your deck lighter.
Experiment with a solar oven out there?
Maybe even experiment with a solar-powered grill? Reflect light up from underneath, onto a steel plate? Think seriously about safety issues here, but it would save fuel.
Maybe experiment with a three-way fridge scavenged from a camper trailer, but make it four-way by reflecting solar heat in to replace the propane flame.

one of my favorite features of my deck are the railings. DH used 2X6's for the top so you can set a plate on it or a window box full of flowers. It is also wide enough for a bum if you are brave enough.

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So lucky on the skeeters. Remember they are attracted to CO2, perspiration and various scents.

Fans? Keep a case over it when not in use. I can't answer your actual question, but I'm sure they do.

We're using more of the 5/4 flooring as a hand rail cap, it is wide enough to hold a drink, but I like the nice rounded edges on them as well. We also settled on a shelf, below the hand rail on the outside of the rail for keeping plants/planters on, figured that be more flexible than fixed flower boxes, and less prone to having plants knocked off.

Rick, we are indeed skeeter lucky. I studied on this and I think what I may do is cover a small section of the pergola with the clear corrogated plexi the lumber yard sells, maybe a 5 x 5 area and I can hang a fan under it. I know I've seen fans used on covered porches and such, but it would need shelter from the rain and snow.

As it stands today, the flooring on the upper deck is secured but for the last run, and it needs to be fitted around railing posts. Tomorrow we'll trim the floor boards, fit the floor around the posts, attach the rails and hopefully start on the pergola. Oh, and pick up shredded cardboard---never let your bassett hound help build a deck. She's not real bright but she is enthusiastic and means well, leastways the Mrs. says so.

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~Only the rocks live forever~

I like the rails this guy made for his, I like the design.


Don't let the old man scare ya!

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and that cloud is coming from Rome.
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my son built his deck, it is about 5 ft. off the ground, he made one part of the rail to swing in like a gate, so he can back a truck up to it and unload furniture, fire wood ect. make it real handy..

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LIVE LIKE SOMEONE LEFT THE GATE OPEN