When either building or renovating your patio or deck, there are seemingly a million things to take into consideration, but they all boil down to a few things: materials, cost, and maintenance.
For your materials, you can choose the traditional timber, stone, concrete, PVC, or recycled plastic. Timber’s maintenance should be taken into consideration because it will require major maintenance approximately twice a year. This will include sanding, oiling, and/or varnishing. If the patio/deck is not well-maintained, the wood can splinter, the color will fade, and the entire thing will eventually deteriorate. The wood can absorb moisture, which will further damage the deck and can lead to mold! Also, boards will need to be replaced from time to time.
PVC and most plastics are harder to damage and will generally only require a good spray from the garden hose. They even come in a variety of colors, but the truth is some people just don’t like the looks of it.
Concrete can, and probably will, crack over time. Patchwork with a patching compound that is specifically made for concrete (readily available in most hardware stores) is acceptable in this situation, no matter if the crack is tiny or large.
After the decision to either make or renovate your patio or deck, the next question should be whether you do it yourself or hire someone. A lot of money can be saved by doing it yourself but having a contractor do it for you can save you a lot of time and trouble. Consider how elaborate you want your deck or patio: do you want it raised off the ground, which would require posts, leveling, etc? Do you want to give up your weekend (or several weekends) to get this done? Do you—and be honest here—have the temperament to get this job done and still be on speaking terms with your friends and family?
If you want your deck to be raised off of the ground, seriously consider turning to a professional if you have no experience. Experts suggest that there are many aspects to a raised deck that, if not done properly, can put you and your family at serious risk. Attaching the deck to the house, leveling it, securing the railings so nobody falls over if they lean on a railing, and stabilizing the deck so that it doesn’t rock and sway… should be left to a professional in most cases. Plus, can you really build a deck three feet, four feet, or even ten feet in the air by yourself?
Whether you hire someone to build or renovate your deck or patio, or whether you choose to do it yourself, the end rewards will be well worth it if it is done right!
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