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ADDING A DECK OR BALCONY TO YOUR HOUSE, FLAT or UNIT:

A well designed outdoor deck or balcony will add great value to your home, flat or unit and it will improve your lifestyle enormously. It can be a place to unwind after a long day, a safe place for children to play or an entertaining area for family and friends. A deck therefore provides the opportunity to spend time with friends and family while enjoying the beautiful outdoors.

There are many manufacturers who create outdoor food and kitchen equipment for use outdoors. Stainless steel equipment is the best option as it works well outdoors while gas is the best fuel for outdoor cooking.

Many decks are designed with a roof over a part of them so you can enjoy the sun on one section of the deck, but if you need protection from the sun you can move undercover. Also, when designing a deck, consider the traffic flow, where you will fit the BBQ and how many people you would like to accommodate on the deck. A good rule of thumb is two to three square metres per person for sitting down around a table.

Decks can be built using a variety of materials including softwoods, hardwoods, steel or timber composites. It is usually more economical to build the frame with treated pine, or softwood. The added advantage is that the frame will then be termite proof. If it is a high deck, i.e. over 3.0 metres, you should consider using steel posts.

The most popular decking material in Australia is hardwood, which includes jarrah, merbau, spotted gum, red gum, mahogany, blackbutt, northern box, tallowood, ironbark, etc. Prices of these timbers can vary dramatically.

Treated pine decking is also very popular for those decks that do not receive a large amount of foot traffic. Treated pine decks are substantially cheaper to build and they can be stained to look like a hardwood deck, but they do tend to wear at a faster rate.

There are a number of composite materials available for the decking however; none of them appear to be suitable for our harsh Australian environment. Advancements on these materials are currently being researched so it may not be too long before a suitable material is readily available.

There are pictures of some beautiful deck designs at www.akp-images.com

Mr Carports Outdoor Living Designs has a great reputation for designing and building quality decks at realistic prices. They also build carports, verandahs, patios, pergolas, gazebos and pool enclosures. With branches around Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane they would be a great choice to help you with the design and construction of your project. Mr Carports Outdoor Living Designs will organize the council approvals and you can feel confident with their ten year guarantee.

Call Outdoor Living Designs by Mr Carports on freecall 1800 55 77 82