Deck Photos

Now that warm weather has arrived, you’ll be outside more; your outdoor space should be an area that you truly enjoy and are proud to show off to guests. You may not need a complete deck remodel to achieve that level of perfection. With some smart deck upgrades you can create an upscale look for less.

Start by looking at the deck railing itself. More than just a safety feature, the railing is one of the most prominent design elements of any deck, and changing it is a cost-effective way to make an eye-catching statement.

Remember, your railing doesn’t have to match your current deck material. If you have a wood deck that doesn’t necessarily mean you need wood railings. Think outside the box and blend different colors and materials - such as aluminum, glass and composite - for a complementary look that increases the aesthetic appeal of the entire house.

Aluminum railings are increasingly popular because they allow homeowners to introduce curves and angles to their deck design. Durable yet lightweight, aluminum won’t rot or corrode, making it a good choice for the outdoors. One example is Deckorators aluminum railing kits, which come in a variety of designs that are black or white powder-coated to weather the elements, plus they’re backed by a lifetime limited warranty.

If you like the look of wood, but want something more durable without the maintenance hassles, consider railings made from composite materials - Deckorators CXT Railing. With a look that emulates real painted wood, this composite deck railing option won't split, warp, rot or suffer from insect infestation.

While you’re researching railings, it’s wise to also look at balusters – the railing spindles – and decide what styles you like best. You can mix and match with your railing materials to get a one-of-a-kind look. Metal and aluminum balusters are popular and come in many shapes, styles, colors and sizes.

If you really want a distinctive look for your outdoor space, consider glass balusters. This is a particularly great option for decks with grand views, since the glass allows you to enjoy the landscape without the visual obstruction of traditional railing infills.

To create a dramatic appearance, consider adding a design to deck posts. Decorative postcovers enhance the personality of your deck by providing a stone pillar appearance to the entire length of each post. Deckorators cast stone postcovers fit over standard 4-by-4 or 6-by-6 wood posts corners of deck railing, and provide a realistic appearance of authentic stone, giving decks an upscale look at a fraction of the cost.

Finalize your deck upgrades with some decorative elements. Deck railing accessories can add the perfect stylish touch to any outdoor space. Decorative post caps, for example, install quickly and easily, changing the look of any railing to suit your design tastes. Ornamental post caps come in glass, metal, wood and planter styles. Some even feature solar lighting that provide a beautiful ambiance after the sun sets.  

Some simple changes to your current deck structure can take it from drab to fab without the cost of a complete remodel. Explore your options today to create a deck you’ll enjoy for many seasons to come.

See past blog post on "Features to consider when creating a living space on a deck."

See Deckorators collection of deck railing photos on Flickr.

It’s pretty simple actually. Design and build a treated lumber deck or composite lumber deck based on the types of activities planned for the outdoor living space. But a good rule of thumb is that you should not exceed twenty-percent of the home's interior square footage. Take time to consider how your family will spend time enjoying the deck, because if you build an expansive deck that’s too big you’ve wasted money on unnecessary material and space that won’t be used. And conversely, if you build a deck that’s too small, it’s going to cost even more to add on to the existing structure. Your goal should be to build a deck that suits your lifestyle just right and fits within your building budget.

If you plan to host dinner parties consider building a separate section where a table with plenty of seating will fit. If an outdoor kitchen is in the plans you’ll want to make sure it’s positioned near the dining area for easy access. Keep relaxation and reading areas simple with smaller spaces. And for adding a raised fire pit area, a cozy round deck space works great—size of this area will vary, but should be large enough to host friends and family. This deck area should allow for guests to move around while not getting too close to the hot surface of the raised fire pit.

Reviewing deck plans on paper my be hard to understand, so consider laying out the space to get comfortable with its shape and size. Use a tape measure and some spray paint to layout the design's outline. You can also arrange furniture within the outline to help you visualize how the space will be used. Do this to help determine if you need to adjust the plan.

If you're planning on designing and building the treated lumber deck or composite lumber deck area yourself, I recommend consulting with a building professional, landscape designer and before any footings are poured.

Use deck design software or the FREE online deck visualization tool from Deckorators to help conceptualize your space. Get inspired by viewing photos of decks from past Deckorators best deck contests.

With temperatures on the rise, does your mind often wander to the sunny days of spring? Maybe you long for the activities only warm weather can provide, such as outdoor barbecues, sharing ice cream with the kids, or watching the sunset from your favorite Adirondack chair. Many of these cherished activities center around one area of the home: the deck.

If your house doesn't have a low maintenance composite lumber deck, or perhaps the old wood deck you have leaves something to be desired, now is the perfect time to take action and make a plan. That way, when warm weather arrives, you're ready to start building and can enjoy every moment outdoors.

If you're not quite sure what your dream deck should look like, you can find inspiration by looking through photo galleries of different decks. Explore the treated lumber decking and composite lumber decking photo galleries and deck railing images to see a sampling of the options that are available.

For the past couple years, Deckorators has held deck design contests, drawing entries from across the country from both builders and DIYers. Submissions for those contests can be viewed on the Deckorators Flickr page for even more idea generation, as well as motivation to enter your new deck into this year’s contest.

Additions to Latitudes Composite Decking and Railing products and Deckorators deck railing and deck railing accessories products for 2012 have been added online, so there are plenty of new things to incorporate into your final dream deck design.

With temperatures chilling you to the bone, does your mind often wander to the sunny days of spring? Maybe you long for the activities only warm weather can provide, such as outdoor barbecues, sharing ice cream with the kids, or watching the sunset from your favorite Adirondack chair. Many of these cherished activities center around one area of the home: the outdoor deck.

If your house doesn't have a treated wood or composite lumber deck, or perhaps the one you have leaves something to be desired, now is the perfect time to take action and make a plan. That way, when warm weather arrives, you're ready to start building and can enjoy every moment outdoors.

If you're not quite sure what your dream deck should look like, you can find inspiration by looking through photo galleries of different decks. Explore the Latitudes Composite Decking and Railing photo gallery and the Deckorators deck railing and deck accessories gallery to see a sampling of many deck products and design options that are available.

For the past couple years, Deckorators has held a deck design contest, drawing entries from across the country from both builders and DIYers. Submissions for the contests can be viewed on the Flickr page here for still more idea generation, as well as motivation to enter your new deck into this year’s contest. Additions to Latitudes products and Deckorators products for 2012 have been added online, so there are plenty of new things to incorporate into your final dream deck design. This year’s contest details will be announced soon!

When it comes to designing your deck, the possibilities are endless. Seeing examples and putting together a solid plan is the first step toward getting ready for the warm days of spring.

See this blog for features to consider when creating an outdoor living space on a deck.

Start designing your dream deck with an online deck design program.

We received nearly 100 entries for consideration during this competition. The judges were impressed with the creativity and superior workmanship from both DIYers/consumers and professional builders. Each photo submission was ranked by creative use of deck building material and overall appearance.

Congratulations to the top three winners and honorable mentions. Thanks to all who participated and made this a great deck competition!

Grand Prize Winner
Doug Mominee, Around Your House, LLC.
Lambertville, MI

Deck Details:
1800+ Square foot deck. Hardwood deck is Ipe, rail Postcovers are Deckorators Beigh Stacked Stone with Copper Postcover Caps. Railing is Trex Brasilia for top and bottom rails. Deckorators Baroque Black Balusters, Deckorators Rail Connectors and Deckorators Classic Black Balusters cut down for rail supports. Over 70 recessed and mini spot LED deck and stair lights. Entire bottom of deck and gazebo covered with River Valley Ledge Stone.

View more photos of Doug's masterpiece on Deckorators' Flickr page.

"I encourage my customers to incorporate Deckorators products into their outdoor living areas. Deckorators offer outstanding quality products as well as a large variety of styles. With so many options to choose from, there is a unique style for everyone. This allows my customer's projects to stand out from their neighbors. Therefore, I feel by using Deckorators, it gives me that edge over the competition."

"We are extremely excited and appreciate the opportunity to compete with other beautifully designed decks. We truly love Deckorators products and will continue to use them on future projects. So many thanks goes out to Deckorators for providing outstanding materials. We couldn't have done it without them!" – Doug Mominee

2nd Place
Jeannine Jabaay – Treeline Construction
Anchorage, AK (view photos)

3rd Place
Vic Henderson – Raleigh Deck & Screen Porch Builder
Raleigh, NC (view photos)

See all 2011 Best Deck Contest entries.

The Deckorators Best Deck Contest is in full swing; so deck builders and do-it-yourself-ers, here’s your chance to win cold hard cash for your efforts! Build a great-looking deck while incorporating Deckorators brand products, snap some quality images of the results, and get entered to win up to $1,000!

If your deck build is considered the "best of the best" and voted #1 by a panel of internal judges, you'll win $1,000. Second place receives $500, third place receives $250 (paid in Visa Gift cards).

Enter as many decks as you wish—and incorporate Deckorators brand products in your build to qualify. Your submission will be judged by the deck photos you submit.

How to Enter
To enter, contestants must upload at least one photo of a completed deck project in which they built or had built for them using products from Deckorators. Each contestant can enter as many times as desired. All entrants are encouraged to enter specific details about the deck project, including products used, to help with the judging.

Enter at Deckorators.com/Contest.

After entering your deck project in the contest, let your friends, family or potential customers know about your entry so they can share your entry on Facebook or comment in the Flickr comments area under each photo.

Each entry will be ranked on creative use of products and overall appearance. For full contest details and to enter, visit the Deckorators Best Deck contest official rules.

Be sure to view the latest entries on our site. Contest ends September 30, 2011.

Happy deck building!

Deckorators Best Deck Contest–Take 2 turned out some great looking decks including this masterpiece from Richard DeVuyst of Overland Park, Kansas.
A Winning Combination
A multi-level, composite wood deck with a firepit, outdoor kitchen, fourseason room, outdoor bar rail, and built in planters. Wood railings include Deckorators spindles throughout.

This wonderful deck and outdoor living area was clearly well-thought out. Its multilevel design incorporates a dining area, outdoor kitchen, fire pit, bench seating, ceramic tile bar rail, sunken hot tub and unique composite bench seating.

Low-maintenance synthetic decking in contrasting colors and designs was used to separate outdoor rooms. The stained wood railing with Deckorators balusters surrounds the deck with class. Factor in the tastefully appointed planters and this one-of-a-kind deck is brimming with character.

Congratulations to Richard and the other winners of Deckorators Best Deck Contest—Take 2.

For a look at the top three winning decks with descriptions and a complete gallery of all deck contest photo entries, visit the Deckorators contest page.