A timber deck is a great place to spend time in the summer months, entertaining guests, enjoying an al fresco meal, or simply chilling out while surfing the net on your tablet. For those with small backyards, installing a deck big enough to be usable may seem like an impractical proposition that is never going to work but if you hire an experienced contractor such as ourselves, you will be surprised at just what can be achieved with a clever design. Below, you will find four suggestions on how you can make the most of the space at your disposal when building a deck in a small backyard. Some of these suggestions may be more appropriate for your property than others and if you need any help deciding how to design your new deck, please do not hesitate to call or email us with your questions. We have designed and installed numerous timber and composite decks in and around Toronto and would be delighted to help you with yours.
Deck Design Tips for Small Yards
Whether you work with a team of professionals or attempt to perform the installation work on your own, the following design tips should help to ensure that you make the most of the space you have available in your backyard.
Raised Decking
One of the simplest ways to maximize the space you can use for a deck installation in a small Toronto backyard is by utilizing a raised deck design that creates another level in your yard, almost like an outdoor attic. You can still have plants underneath such a deck but they would have to be shade-loving species of course. If your backyard is currently dominated by a lawn, you might need to go for one of the other three suggestions instead but if you have a concrete Mediterranean-style patio, this could be the ideal decking solution for your property.
Multi-Level Deck
If the above suggestion still won’t give you enough room to work with, you might like to consider a multi-level deck design. This type of decking can start as a rooftop space (over the garage is a good place for a rooftop deck level), with stairs leading down to one or more lower levels. If you go with this idea, remember that you will need 3 ft guard rails for all levels that are more than 2 ft off the ground.
Bump Outs
This design idea works best in backyards where an irregular space is available, such as a yard that contains a number of mature trees. Bump outs are great space savers that can be used to accommodate your grill and other outdoor appliances.
Utilize Natural Shade
This deck design idea can be combined with bump outs to maximize the size of a deck in a small yard with trees. Instead of taking up valuable space by placing large umbrellas around your decking, you can use a design that goes around the trees in your garden and utilizes the shade they already provide.
All of the above ideas can be combined if you have a very small space available and would like to install a deck that gives you enough room to relax outdoors in the summer months with friends and family. If you would like a professional opinion on which deck design ideas are most suitable for your home, please do not hesitate to call us during business hours or send us an email whenever you wish. If you would like us to design and install your new deck, we will prepare a quotation for you to evaluate.