Thinking about building a deck this summer? It's an ideal project for home-owners with basic carpentry skills and it will certainly make more of your outdoor living environment as well as adding value to your home.
Before you get started however there are a few design and safety aspects that you should consider.
Size and Design: Take into account how much space is available. The amount of ground you are permitted to cover may be restricted – check with your local council.
Consider what effect trees will have on shade and whether the deck will fall within the drip line of protected trees – see below.
Consider the prevailing wind direction and design shelter that will help you to get maximum use out of your deck.
If you are building an elevated deck, consider stepping it down on different levels to connect your living space with the garden. Check out our ideas for creating the ultimate outdoor space.
Consider built-in seating.
Consider the different materials available. Kwila and pine are popular decking choices, however there are many others. For classic, long term good looks, consider building a tiled deck using Hardie Panel Compressed underlay.
Legalities. When you are building a deck or paving an area you may need a building consent. You will definitely need a consent for a deck that is 1m or more above the ground. You may also need a consent if you are building on land that is prone to flooding or instability. You will also need to satisfy height to boundary regulations and site coverage restrictions. A resource consent may also be required depending on the depth of excavation required and how close the works are to your property boundary. Check with your local council for exact requirements as they can vary from region to region.
Work undertaken within the drip line of protected trees also requires resource consent.
Even if your deck doesn't require a building consent, it must still comply with the building code, which means it must be built properly.
Safety: All decks 1m or more above the ground must have a handrail at least 1m in height above the deck. Any vertical slats must not have gaps of more than 100mm between them. There must also be no horizontal railings or supports that can form a ‘ladder' up the slats. A solid handrail lined with Titan or Linea avoids this problem. (see picture above).
