Design Ideas for Custom Decks

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45-Degree Deck Designs

1 – This custom deck features Fiberon Ipe composite decking laid at a 45-degree angle and a gabled deck cover with vaulted ceiling in knotty pine tongue and groove.   The wood-burning fireplace is custom designed and built from stucco.

2 – A Redwood deck built using B-Grade Redwood laid at a 45-degree angle to the joists.  The railing features wood components with metal panels and a ring top accent panel. We also added a stone firepit to create an area perfect for entertaining on cooler nights.

3 – The owners decided to have the Redwood decking laid out at 45-degrees and added a quadruple picture frame border stained in a contrasting color.  The railing has wood components and drink cap with metal panels.

4 – This Redwood deck has the boards laid at 45-degrees and uses camo screws.  The railing has wood posts with lighted pyramid post caps and metal panels between the posts.

5 – This 45-degree composite deck is built with a double picture frame border and a glass railing instead of the usual wood or metal.

6 – A composite deck with the boards laid at a 45-degree angle with a double picture frame border in a contrasting color.  The railing has composite components and drink cap with Vienna style metal balusters.

7 – This gorgeous deck features TimberTech Legacy Tiger Wood decking laid at a 45-degree angle.  The railing is a Fortress Fe26 Axis Horizontal Infill panel system in matte black.

8 – This deck was built with the composite boards laid at a 45-degree angle with a double picture frame border.  The border, railing posts, and drink cap are in a color that contrasts with the decking material.

90-Degree Deck Designs

9 – This deck features Deckorators Voyage Sedona laid at a 90-degree angle with a single-board picture frame border in Deckorators Vista Ironwood.

10 – This Cumaru hardwood deck features the boards laid at a 90-degree angle with a divider board and end boards.  We installed Genesis step lights from High Point Deck Lighting on the single wrap-around stair.

11 – We built this deck Fiberon Sanctuary Moringa decking laid at a 90-degree angle.  the railing is a Fortress Fe26 Traditional powder-coated panel system in Black Sand.  The owners also added a double picture frame border in Fiberon Espresso.

12 – Steel framed deck with Trex Tiki Torch material laid at a 90-degree angle with single divider board to avoid butt-seams.  The railing was a custom design by the homeowner, created in wrought iron and attached to stucco columns.

13 – This 408 SF composite deck is built using Deckorators Voyage Mesa decking laid out a 90-degree angle to the joists.  The railing is an RDI metal panel system in matte black with 3″ x 3″ posts and a drink cap in the Mesa material.

14 – This custom deck was built with steel deck framing and Trex Tiki Torch decking material.  The boards are laid at 90-degrees with double end and dividing boards.  The railing is metal panel system with a gate installed at the stairs for safety.

15 – This picture shows a close up of 90-degree composite with double end boards.

16 – Working with our customers, we designed a striking, two-tone composite deck.  The main decking is Deckorators Voyage Tundra with double picture frame and divider boards in Deckorators Dark Slate.

17 – A 90-degree angle composite deck with end boards.  The railing features composite components with horizontal steel cables.

18 – 90-degree composite with end boards and a Fortress Fe-26 metal panel railing in Black Sand.

19 – A custom, B-grade Redwood deck that has the boards laid out at 90-degrees to the joists with a double divider board and camo screws.  The railing has wood components with round metal balusters.  We also added a Cedar, tri-corner pergola.

Herringbone / Multi-Angle Deck Designs

20 – Redwood decking in a herringbone design with double picture frame border in a contrasting color and camo screws.  The railing is metal panel system in matte black with a drink cap.

21 – A beautiful, ground-level Cedar deck laid out in a herringbone pattern with no divider board.

22 – A multi-level Redwood deck which has opposing 45-degree angles for a herringbone look.  We used face screws to secure the decking boards.  The railing is a Redwood snow fence railing with a drink cap.

23 – We laid the composite deck in a herringbone design with double divider boards, and a double picture frame border in a contrasting color.  The railing is made of composite posts and drink cap with metal panels between the posts.

24 – Our customers chose to design their deck in multiple angle with double picture frame border and divider boards in a contrasting color.

25 – Fiberon Ipe composite decking is laid out in a herringbone pattern with Fiberon Tudor Brown decking for the double picture frame border.  The railing is composite components and drink cap with round metal balusters featuring a basket design.

26 – A custom-built, Heart Redwood deck built in a herringbone pattern with a double picture frame border and camo screws.  The metal railing is a custom design in wrought iron with 2×2 posts and Vienna style balusters.

Replacing Columns that Look Intact

27 – The stucco columns on this deck appear to be intact – from the outside.

28 – Once the columns are removed, you can see that after many years, the insides are rotted out.

29 – It would be unsafe to build a new deck using these columns.  They must be replaced.

Deck Skirting / Animal Control Barriers

30 – In order to prevent animals from gaining access to the under deck are, we installed siding painted to match the house.

31 – Under this deck, the owners wanted a door so they could store items out of site, and they wanted to prevent animals from getting in.  We installed siding that was stained to match the house, and added a door for easy access.

32 – On this project, we used Deckorators Vista Ironwood material for under-deck skirting to match the deck.

33 – When designing this deck and deck cover, we also added 4-inch galvanized grid panels below the deck.  It provides a discreet but effective barrier to wild animals.

34 – Our client chose to use Deckorators Vista Silverwood to close off the area below their deck.

35 – When building this deck and pergola, the owner requested we add an animal control barrier.  We used Miratec stained the same color as the deck fascia.

36 – On this redwood deck the owners decided to have lattice installed below their deck and to stain it to match the deck.

37 – A gorgeous redwood deck in a wooded setting with lattice installed around the bottom of the deck.  We also added a door to provide our clients with an out-of-sight storage area.

38 – This cedar deck also features Miratec slats stained to match the fascia to act as an animal control barrier.

Stucco / Stone Columns, Stucco Half-Walls

39 – Original deck with stucco columns that appear to be sufficient for supporting the new deck.

40 – Inside of stucco column.  Extensive rot is visible, this column would be dangerous to reuse on a new deck.

41 – The new composite deck with a gabled deck cover and stucco columns.  We were also able to reduce the number of support columns used for this project.

42 – Aged deck that has become unsafe over the years.  However, the stucco columns do appear to be in good condition.

43 – After opening up the columns, we can see that there is severe rot inside each of them.  Reusing the columns on a new deck would not be feasible.

44 – Since we had to replace all the columns, our clients chose to use stone columns on their new outdoor living space.

45 – We would be removing this wood deck and moving the deck stairs.  The owners hoped to reuse the stucco columns if at all possible.

46 – Looking inside the columns, we could see that something had gnawed halfway through this support post.  Luckily, we removing all the columns and replacing only two of them.

47 – The new deck only required two columns, which opens up the outdoor living space below the deck.  The owners now enjoy their view while relaxing there!

48 – Our clients decided to use stone for the lower portion of the columns and stucco on the upper part.  A stucco popout was built where the two materials meet to create a striking architectural feature.

49 – These stucco columns feature two popouts on each column and they are finished with custom concrete stone caps to provide a sophisticated finish.

50 – When rebuilding this redwood deck, the owners requested stucco arches between the stucco columns.

51 – This custom deck with a gabled deck cover features stucco half-walls built around the portion of the deck covered that is covered.

52 – When rebuilding this deck after it was damaged in the Black Forest Fire, the owners decided to add a pergola, which we able to anchor in the stone columns.  The columns also feature custom concrete stone caps.

53 – Not all columns need to be tall.  These clients opted to anchor their deck railing using low stone columns, topped with concrete stone caps.

54 -When designing this luxurious outdoor living space, our clients wanted to partially enclose their grilling with a stucco half-wall.  We also installed railing post lights along the wall to provide additional lighting at night.

55 – Along the top of the stucco half-wall, we installed flat stones along the top, blending perfectly with the stone columns.

Privacy Screens and Shades

56 – This project features a 400 SF Deckorators Vista Ironwood deck with a Fortress Fe26 steel deck railing and a pergola.  We also built two 4′-high privacy walls at the end, stained in solid-body PPG Hickory.

57 – We built an elevated deck that included a Trex RainEscape under-deck drainage system, allowing our client to create a second outdoor-living space below the deck.  A privacy wall features Blue Stain Pine stained with PreservaWood Tamarck Brown transparent stain.

58 – This photo shows the exterior wall of the privacy wall shown in #57.  We used James Hardie siding painted to match the home.

59 – When adding a large glass windbreak to their deck, our clients wanted to find a way to add not only shade, but privacy as well.

60 – We added a pull-down shade to the glass windbreak wall.  Providing the shade and privacy our customers desired.

61 – A large outdoor living space created by building a 384 SF Deckorators Vista Dunewood deck with a pergola covering the full span of the deck.  At the end of the deck closest to their property line, we installed a pull-down shade to provide our clients with privacy during their gatherings.

62 – In order to turn this deck with a gabled deck cover into a private retreat, our client installed durable outdoor curtains.  These can be drawn closed to provide not only shade, but privacy as well.

63 – This is the deck featured in #62.  At one end of this deck we built this custom privacy wall.  The bottom half is built of redwood and the upper half is lattice, which allows light to come in, but still provides our client with privacy.

64 – For this project, we built a gorgeous peaked shed-roof deck cover with a closed ceiling in tongue-and-groove knotty pine.  We also installed two pull-down shades to provide privacy and shade.

65 – By adding glass walls, sliding windows, and doors we turned an elevated deck into a 3-season room.  To provide privacy and shade on warmer summer days we installed two pull down shades.

Miscellaneous Items to Consider

66 – This composite deck did not have a divider board added per the owners’ request.  You can clearly see the butt seams where two boards meet.

67 – On this deck, we installed a single divider board.  It provides a much more polished finish.

68 – An example of why end boards should be used when building a deck with composite material.

69 – A divider board added to a composite deck that did not include end boards, as seen from the edge of the deck.

70 – Composite decking will experience expansion and contraction with temperature.  This shows the contraction that can occur in the cold.  It can move up to 1/8″ to 3/16″ depending on the temperature.

71 – This is the same deck as the previous picture, taken just a couple hours later.  You can see that when the day warms up, the composite decking material expands back to the original spot.

72 – This shows the close up a screw that is color matched to the composite decking material.

73 – This is how the deck framing will be built for a deck with picture frame border.

74 – Framing for a deck that is being built with a picture frame border and a divider board.