Deck design – Columbus Decks, Porches and Patios by Archadeck of Columbus

What Sets an Archadeck of Columbus Deck Apart from All the Rest?

Archadeck of Columbus reveals what sets our decks apart from all the rest—from amenities and custom features to our unbeatable warranties.

You’ve probably seen enough decks to know that not all decks are created equal, as the expression goes. What makes Archadeck of Columbus decks so much better than the others? Beyond our quality construction, what sets our decks apart are our deck amenities, custom features, high-quality materials, attention to detail, and our unbeatable warranties.

We take our expert craftsmanship and quality construction for granted (in a good way!), and we expect you to, as well. Inspect any deck that Archadeck of Columbus has designed and built, and you will find all the evidence of careful craftsmanship and quality construction. You can expect the same whether we are adding a wood deck or a low-maintenance composite deck to your home.

What Deck Amenities Make Our Decks Stand Out from The Crowd?

Amenities … we’re talking about those little extra touches that mean a lot. Take, for example, the drink rail. It’s a simple thing, but so helpful when you need it. Ever stood among a group of people on someone’s deck (or your old deck) and tried to find somewhere to set your drink? Had trouble balancing a drink in one hand and a plate in the other? Tried to describe something using hand gestures and spilled your drink in the process? The convenience of a drink rail has prevented many a spill on decks!

You can see a super-sized drink rail here: Archadeck of Columbus Transforms This Westerville Low-To-Grade Patio and Stoop Into A Full-On Outdoor Oasis! It’s wider than most drink rails and can actually be used as a bar.

Privacy screens are popular as a deck amenity in Columbus-area subdivisions. Are the homes in your neighborhood situated so that everyone can see activity on their next-door neighbors’ deck? Do you face a golf course and find golfers looking over to see what you’re having for dinner? You need a deck with a privacy screen! Archadeck of Columbus can incorporate an attractive and discrete privacy screen into your new deck design.

Integrated deck lighting is another amenity that seems so essential you could argue it’s a necessity rather than just nice-to-have. Gone are the days when deck lighting was an afterthought! Deck lighting increase your family’s safety on and around your deck, and the safety of your guests, too. We recommend including small LED lights on stair risers and at key spots along deck railings or posts. In addition to increasing safety, deck lighting creates ambiance and makes lingering on your deck more enjoyable.

On the hottest Columbus afternoons, a shade cover will make your deck so much more comfortable! There’s no need to suffer in the heat! Even better, you don’t need to avoid your deck on hot days if you can bring shade to the deck. Archadeck of Columbus can do that for you by adding a shade pergola or other shade cover. While many homeowners think of pergolas as purely ornamental, if they are designed to provide shade, they will help keep you cooler. We can design your deck with a pergola that has a cover to filter UV rays and block some of the sun’s heat. At the same time, when you include a pergola, you suddenly have a place to hang a ceiling fan over your deck. While decks and ceiling fans don’t usually go together, we think they should!

We normally don’t think of deck steps as amenities, but if the steps are extra-wide, flowing steps, then yes! When a deck is at grade or low to grade (only a step or two above the ground), we have the opportunity to design extra-wide steps. These steps seem to flow from the deck to the ground! Sometimes we can surround two or three sides of a deck with these wide steps. Not only are they attention-getting, you can even use them for additional seating when you have more guests than your deck can comfortably seat in chairs.

A bump-out area for a grill on the deck is a practical amenity because it means your grill won’t take up valuable floor space. Think about those decks that must allow room for a grill but don’t have a bump-out. The grill ends up being in the way far too often. A simple area just for the grill, where it won’t impede traffic flow on the deck, is quite desirable.

Finally, let’s not forget the ultimate deck amenity, an outdoor kitchen. They’re not just for patios! Who doesn’t love dining on the deck? Having the outdoor kitchen right there, so you can prepare a meal and get it to the table while still hot … it’s a luxury! If you are interested in incorporating an outdoor kitchen into your new deck design, let us know. We’ll talk about the additional steps required like running utilities (gas and water) to the deck and providing extra support for the weight of an outdoor kitchen.

How Do Custom Design Features Take Our Decks to the Next Level?

We can’t over-emphasize the importance of custom components in a custom deck design. It’s your deck, so let’s design it with the custom elements that will give you the greatest enjoyment and pride. When Archadeck of Columbus adds a new deck to your home, we want you to be proud of it! Custom design features that command attention include custom deck railings, parting board and picture framing details, color-coordinated decking, integrated deck seating and custom deck skirting.

There are so many new railing styles available today that it can be difficult to select your favorite. We can design custom deck railings using low-maintenance materials—even if we are building your deck with wood. One advantage of composite railings is the absence of splinters! In addition to composite or wood railings we can use aluminum, iron, cables or glass. Yes, glass! If your view from the deck is your happy place, we can install glass panels between your railing posts instead of balusters. So don’t feel penned in by yesterday’s bulky railing designs.

With our custom deck designs, parting board and picture-framing details help to make your deck unique. These details show up best on composite or vinyl (PVC) decks because we have the option of using contrasting colors. A parting board placed where a section of boards meets the next section of boards adds visual interest. We often use this design with diagonal decking board patterns or down a line where the boards change direction. It can also serve as a visual cue setting off deck areas for specific functions such as lounging in one area and dining in another. Picture framing is another deck design element we use to customize a deck and add visual interest. When we are working with composite decking, we can use contrasting colors for the deck field and the boards that encircle its perimeter—the “picture frame.”

Nothing says “custom deck” like integrated deck seating. To create this feature, we design bench-type seating built into your deck structure. Integrated deck seating saves space because it allows you to seat more people without adding too many bulky chairs.

Some homeowners overlook the role custom deck skirting can play in making your deck attractive from the ground. It’s not something you’ll notice while you’re on the deck! But if the underside of your deck can be seen from below, let’s make it attractive!

The “Before” and “After” photos of this deck will show you what a difference our custom deck skirting can make! See it here: Powell, OH, Low-Maintenance Deck Provides Beautiful Golf Course View.

Does the Quality of Your Deck Materials Make a Difference?

At Archadeck of Columbus, we build high-quality decks with the best-quality materials. If you are interviewing Columbus OH deck contractors and someone tells you the quality of their materials doesn’t matter, walk away! We frequently work with TimberTech and AZEK decking materials and Unilock paver patio products because of their consistent quality and reliability. If you prefer a different product or brand, we are open to using others, as long as they meet our quality standards. Consistently using high-quality materials on the decks we build is one of the practices that sets an Archadeck of Columbus deck apart from the others. Keep in mind, we can get much better pricing on these materials than you could at a big box home improvement retailer. Archadeck has an established, national relationship with several preferred material vendors, and that works to your advantage!

How Do Little Details Make a Deck Stand Out?

Details make the deck! At Archadeck of Columbus, we are known for our careful attention to detail. You can read more about that here: Why Hire A Professional? All of the ways that we work, our processes, focus on keeping fine details in the forefront. You can see it in our craftsmanship, in our designs, in the “little things” like deck skirting and parting boards. The details add up. When your deck builder pays attention to detail and incorporates quality details throughout, those details add up to a well-designed and well-built deck. If you work with a deck builder who doesn’t pay attention to the finer details, those details will also add up—to a mess.

How Do Our Deck Warranties Set Archadeck of Columbus Apart from our Competitors?

In addition to everything else that sets us apart, our amazing warranties do, too. If you haven’t worked with a deck builder who includes warranties in their contract, you haven’t worked with Archadeck of Columbus! All Archadeck projects come with a written one-year warranty on workmanship and a five-year warranty covering structural integrity. We also provide a completion guarantee that if we cannot complete your project, another Archadeck location will step in to complete it. They will honor the terms of your contract

This year we added a new level of warranties to our deck projects when you select TimberTech or AZEK low-maintenance decking. TimberTech and AZEK product lines offer manufacturers warranties of 25 years, 30 years and lifetime, depending on which product you select. Archadeck has partnered with TimberTech/AZEK to match those warranty periods with an Archadeck labor warranty. You can read the details here: Archadeck and TimberTech/AZEK Partner for Best Deck Warranties. When we say these labor warranties are unbeatable, we are not exaggerating. No other builder will match them.

Have we answered the question, What sets an Archadeck of Columbus deck apart from the rest? If we have not answered your questions, please give us a call so we can do so!

Are you ready to move forward with a new custom deck at your home? There is no charge for our design consultation, and videoconferencing is an option. Contact Archadeck of Columbus today to get started!

The reason why I’m in your Columbus backyard (It’s not because I’m nosy)

I’m pretty good with dogs, but if you were going to give me a nickname, it would more likely be “the house whisperer.” I listen closely to what my clients tell me about their vision for their outdoor living project, but I get a huge amount of the information I need to do my job right by a careful site survey–essentially listening to what the home and site tell me.

Obviously, homes don’t talk to you, but they do have individual characteristics and they all interact differently with the environment. While I’m walking around the yard with a homeowner, I’ll look places they might not expect, ask questions that they think are nuts and will take notes. It’s all part of the process of determining what is possible and what is best for a particular job.

I start by looking at site conditions. What is the architecture, size, and age of the home? Where are the vents, windows, and doors? What kind of siding and roof are on the existing home? And, probably most important of all: where is the water going to go? Not the water pipes, but the rain and snow melt.

Take a look at this home. — Take a look at this home before and after the new porch. There were multiple roof lines and the center portion had a high window that provided a challenge for adding a roof. This elevated roof porch overcame all the architectural solutions while creating a fabulous solution.

If you are building a Columbus screened porch, I will determine if a gable or hip roof is possible. Many people prefer gable roofs because they are so light and airy, but sometimes the location of a window or door will dictate a shed roof. The grade of the land will tell me whether we need to discuss a railing. Code states that any structure 30” or higher off the ground needs rails for safety.

In addition to design considerations, I’ll be thinking about some work site issues for my crew. Do they need to take down a fence to bring in large equipment? Is there space to stage lumber or materials on the site? How long will the commute be? Are there neighbors we don’t want to wake up early in the morning? Some of these issues impact the cost of labor and ultimately the price I will quote the clients. If a company is quoting you a flat price per square foot to do a job, they aren’t giving you an accurate bid, they are taking a shot in the dark.

asdf — Take a look at the incredibly steep grade in this yard. Integrating with this steep drop off was one challenge. We also needed to follow the design lead of the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. The spiral stairs provided a great way to bridge the second story porch and the steep grade.

A comprehensive site survey also allows me to collect the information and photos that I will use to create architectural designs and plans. So the short answer is: I’m in your yard getting your project started on the right foot.

If you’re thinking about adding an outdoor living space to your Columbus backyard, give us a call to see how we can make creating your dream backyard an enjoyable experience, start to finish. The consultation is completely free. Call (740) 879 – 3730 or email us at westcolumbus@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.

Round is beautiful on your Columbus OH deck

These TimberTech rails are bent for this deck

Humans are, generally speaking, not made of sharp angles. Our heads are rounded and our bodies tend toward the curvy. Our planet and the heavenly bodies are also circular so it’s not a surprise that we are drawn to rounded edges, curves, arches and domes in our architecture. Deck shape and edges are no exception.

Archadeck can and does build round-edge (also known as radius) decks all the time and they are very visually appealing. The way they extend into a landscape is very compelling. They are also more technically demanding jobs to construct and, especially when it comes to using synthetic materials, can require special tools to do the job right. When I first started in this business, someone once told me, “If you bend, you spend,” and that’s still the case.

What makes round decks cost 10-20% more than decks of similar size built at right angles? Two things. First, building a rounded deck takes quite a bit longer to do and to do well, especially if you want to do a picture frame around the edging. This means higher labor costs. On a recent job using composite TimberTech, it took us about a ½ hour per board to heat and bend them to the correct angle. The sharper the radius we are trying to achieve, the longer it takes to heat and bend the boards or to cut them correctly.

When we lay out decks on right angles, we are able to minimize how many boards we need to cut. Rounded decks require more board cuts which take more time and create more waste in materials. If you’ve ever made a lattice-top pie, you know exactly what I’m talking about. This is also true when it comes to putting up the railings. More often than not, rather than bend the railings, we install them at angles using short runs. This requires that we use more rail posts. Look around my our web site to see some examples of what is possible.

I’ll leave you with one last thing to consider when it comes to rounded decks: linear decks give you more functional space for things like furniture placement and traffic flow. There is a lot to love about a round Columbus deck, and if this is what you have your heart set on, the extra time in building and slightly less usable space won’t matter.

There’s just something about the color oak when it comes to your Columbus deck

This large TimberTech deck in the color brown oak fits perfectly with the rear facade of this Marysville home

Brown is a very popular shade for decks for a number of reasons. First, it has some nostalgic appeal. Thinking back to our childhood, most decks were made of pressure-treated wood that ages to a grayish brown color. The oak shades, in particular, are very popular because oak is such a warm shade of brown. Warm shades are pleasing to the eye and the color is also subtle enough that it does not compete with other design elements or furniture on the deck.

We recently finished a deck in Marysville OH using TimberTech Earthwood Evolutions in Brown Oak. The decking is run at an angle for both strength of construction and also for visual appeal. You will notice that we used parting boards where the boards meet. This also provides visual appeal and creates a clean transition between the deck board sections.

On this particular deck we used white vinyl railing with white vinyl posts. White railing will be forever popular because of the clean appealing look. To some extent, white railing maintains its popularity for the same reasons that oak is perennially popular. White railing has nostalgic appeal. There’s a reason why people refer to “white picket fences” as an ideal. They’re neat, attractive, and classic.

You’ll notice that we used the TimberTech brown oak decking for the rail cap. This is a popular technique that connects the railing to the deck aesthetically. It’s a perfect way to tie the deck and railing together.

Color is a very important consideration when you’re selecting the best deck design options. As we wrote recently, composite decking surprisingly comes in a wide variety of colors. In addition, natural woods also have a wide range of colors. On the light end of the spectrum is pressure-treated southern yellow pine. On the dark end is Ipe Brazilian hardwood.

Marysville Columbus deck steps with lighting — One of the finishing touches included TimberTech step lighting

If you’re thinking about adding an outdoor living space to your Columbus backyard, contact us to see how we can make creating your dream backyard an enjoyable experience, start to finish. The consultation is completely free. Call (740) 879 – 3730 or email us atwestcolumbus@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.

Your Columbus deck doesn’t need to be built in just various shades of brown. Let’s talk about color!

Columbus TimberTech Legacy mocha color — Both the TimberTech Legacy decking and the pergola contrast the white home exterior. Look what a great statement contrast can make!

When many people think of decking colors, they generally think in shades of natural wood that range from the very common pressure-treated pine to dark hardwoods shades found in ipe or other Brazilian hardwoods. This provides a large array of color options. But add all the color options within the synthetic decking lines, and you have a virtual rainbow of colors from which to choose to build your deck or porch.

People who are unsure of the options available often choose to match the outdoor living space to the existing house. That’s always a good option. But you might also want to take a look at some of the other colors available. For most projects you have the option to pick two, three or even four colors as part of the design process if you choose.

The first, and most visible color, will be the deck flooring. There is a lot of it, so it is very noticeable. You may choose to match or compliment your house. Or, going with a

TimberTech Pacific Walnut deck with paver steps in Dublin, OH — Contrast can be breathtaking. This decking is a complete contrast to the home, but was designed with matching rails.

strong contrast color to your house will really make your custom space stand out. But your color choices don’t have to stop there. Today’s homeowners are choosing a variety of color for their new custom space to add visual interest and appeal.

Here are some fun options. We can add a contrasting border which will set off the color you choose for the rest of the flooring. If you are going to add a railing, it can have a different color and the posts that sit atop the railing can contrast or compliment as well. The slats between the posts can also have a distinct shade. One of our suppliers, TimberTech, has a visualizer web tool that you can use to get an idea about what I’m describing. It’s very useful and pretty fun.

If you want to do a deck refresh or re-decking, color can really be your friend. Maybe you would like to add a pergola. Upgrades and updates provide a terrific opportunity

Columbus TT Teack with white vinyl pergola — This Columbus TimberTech deck features a white vinyl pergola serving for added shade and maximum aesthetic appeal.

to spruce up the whole area with different colors that will make it look like a brand new space. For example, a white pergola that picks up the trim color from your home is a great contrast to an alternately colored deck.

With color, you can really personalize the project and give it a custom look. Your deck won’t look like five other ones in the neighborhood. Color is often the best way to create a one-of-a-kind project without spending extra money. If you think you’d like to explore some different color options, we’d love to offer a free consultation to discuss the new space you have in mind. I’ve been building decks in the Columbus market for more than 10 years and I’ve build decks in every size, shape and color. That experience helps with recommendations and by giving me a huge photo library to show you in helping you design your new Archadeck space.

Contact Archadeck of Columbus today to see how we can make creating your dream backyard an enjoyable experience, start to finish. The consultation is completely free. (740) 879 – 3730 or email us at westcolumbus@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.