Creative Ways to Utilize the Space Under a Deck for Functionality and Style
This past week, we took a look at the deck in the photo below. It’s not entirely unique, and it’s somewhat a common type of deck found in urban areas such as here in Washington DC. This deck leads directly from the back door of the house to the backyard. Essentially, it basically expands the kitchen which is built at the rear of the house just inside of the exterior rear door shown in the picture below. In this case, they’re installing an awning above this deck now. The decking boards are also being changed and the guardrail and handrail at this deck are being replaced.
Looking at the photo though you might notice that the foundation of this deck, unlike the majority of typical decks, is nearly enclosed with a CMU block surround. That block is essentially working like a foundation for the deck. Generally, decks like this are more often built on a post system where each post is set upon a footing and then the post carries the weight of the deck above ground. Here though, a continuous concrete footing has been built and the block work runs on top of that concrete footing like an apron underneath of the deck, both providing an enclosure and also providing a structural load path for the deck to rest upon.
If you looked at this and thought that it would just be easier to build the deck foundation support system with single footings and wood 4×4 or 6×6 posts, you’d be correct. It saves significant material costs because it only needs smaller footings instead of a continuous footing and it also is quicker to build because the 4×4 posts can be cut and installed relatively quickly compared to the time it takes to build a cinder block wall and larger concrete footing.
There are some advantages to this extra effort though. This space can be potentially used as a storage space in the future. Some things like outdoor tables and chairs that can be used for excess auxiliary seating during larger events or parties could be stored down in that area under the deck. Those types of materials are relatively lightweight, easier to move in and out as needed, and are somewhat resistant to the outdoor elements. In fact, one of the outdoor elements that will deteriorate outdoor furniture the fastest is exposure to ultraviolet rays. Other types of exterior conditions also have a hand in deterioration of many types of building materials and furniture materials.
Some of those exterior elements are exposure to moisture, exposure to fluctuating temperatures, and exposure to ultraviolet rays in sunlight. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight can cause significant deterioration to things like outdoor furniture. Many of the parts and types of outdoor furniture are made from synthetic materials and ultraviolet rays have a tendency to break these materials and polymers down into substrate components relatively quickly. After exposure to significant amounts of ultraviolet, the materials can become discolored, brittle, and easily break.
The area under the deck might be perfect for this, because there will be no significant sunlight entering the area under the deck. Essentially, anything stored down there will be kept in the shade. The deck boards and the framing themselves would provide the necessary shade, but they don’t provide protection from anything else. For example, rainwater would come right through the deck boards. The deck boards would essentially do very little to deter or stop precipitation and rainwater from getting right down into the area below the deck.
Multiple different types of things can be done though to mitigate or deter water in the area below the deck. These types of systems to mitigate and deter water below a deck are very useful if there’s going to be storage space below a deck and or if the deck will essentially have a double feature or double use as both a deck and also a enclosed area below. One method to create an enclosed area below is to simply build a roof on top of the area that would be a deck, and then build another deck system above that roof. We see that often because decks are conmonly built on rooftops.
There’s a simpler alternative for a space that’s intended to stay or remain an outdoor space. There are systems designed to capture and divert the majority of the rainwater that would otherwise pass through the decking. This allows for a drier area beneath elevated decks. These systems consist of a connected network of troughs and downspouts that are hung between the deck joists before the decking is laid.
The troughs channel rainwater away from the deck and into downspouts, which guide the water to the edge or into a drainage system. This setup keeps the space below the deck drier than it would be, so that it can be used as a patio or storage area. These types of systems alone though cannot keep the space completely dry because it’s still not the same as an interior space with an actual roof or actual exterior walls that are sealed.
A picture of an example of one of these systems follows below. Here, you can see that the system lays on top of the framing and then droops down in a trough type shape between the joist bays.
In the picture above, you can see the top of the fence below the deck, the area below the deck is a patio and although it has a water collecting system above the patio. The patio is still outdoors and open to the elements on all sides. In some ways, this is a nice feature because people use patios with the intention of enjoying the outdoors. But, like an awning, this type of system will keep the majority of non-directional rainwater off of the patio area.
The next picture below shows the same area but in a wider view. Here, in this example, you can clearly see the gutter that connects the network of troughs together to collect the rainwater and divert it away.
Use a contractor who understands and cares about doing things right. Dupont Decks and Patios is the premier deck and patio contractor in the Washington DC metro area. Always, feel free to reach out to us here at Dupont Decks and Patios. We are happy to help with almost all steps of the deck building and design process. Let us know about your ideas and talk to us if you have questions about possibilities. You can call us at (202) 774-9128. You can find us online at dupontdeckspatiosdc.com and you can email us there as well at https://dupontdeckspatiosdc.com/contact-us