Rethinking Deck Design

by LIsA CuLLen

Anew era of decks has arrived, an era of innovation of design and materials. There are more choices of material than ever before, redwood, treated, composite and exotic hardwoods. Even the word “decking” seems a bit outdated, perhaps “outdoor flooring” is more on track. When stone or concrete are not quite right, when you want something that has a bit of “give” and feels soft and warm beneath your bare feet, install wooden decking.

First Step-Design

As with a garden, the first step in creating your dream deck is design. There are as many options when it comes to deck design as there are materials available, take the style of your home into consideration and let that be your guide.

These days there is much attention giving to retaining water on your property and a good way to do that is the construction of “dry creek beds”. Create the illusion of running water with a creek bed, wooden walkways and even bridges that connect one part of the garden to another and lead one to a deck where you can place loungers or perhaps a teahouse. Plus, the water will go right through decking so no worries about drainage.

One of our recent projects involved the construction of a “yoga garden”. Concrete or flagstone wouldn’t do, so the obvious choice was a natural wood floor. The result was a beautiful, warm surface that could provide “give”, thus making it the perfect choice for yoga. But you don’t have to be into yoga to get into building your dream deck.

Step Two-Materials

To get the straight scoop on decking materials I decided to call Larry Clark, the decking expert at Hayward’s Lumber. Someone told me Larry was the man to talk to about deck material options and that advice was spot on.

The California Standard-Redwood: Redwood is one of the most popular decking materials in California. It weathers beautifully and is fairly inexpensive. However, we promised innovation and these days redwood is no longer the only game in town.

The Green Choice-Pakari

Pakari is a green alternative to redwood that is durable, beautiful, inexpensive and totally sustainable. It begins by harvesting pine from Forest Stewardship Council plantations and then steam and heat-treating it to remove all the natural sugars. This process, developed in

Finland, reduces the moisture content to near zero and transforms it to a wood that it is rot and termite resistant. The process is 100% chemical free and the company’s mill is powered by the sun. Can’t get any greener than that! The other bonus is that Parkari’s prices are comparable to redwood. Untreated, Pakari will turn a beautiful silver shade of brown.

Modern Technology-Composites

Over the past few decades, great advances have been made in the creation of “wood products” using wood waste products and plastics. Composites not only resist rot and insect damage, but they resist fading and staining, need no maintenance and have a 20-year guarantee. Though there are many brand names of composites, all have the same qualities and the differences come from the different colors and looks. Ease of maintenance is the huge plus with composites, soap and water is all you’ll ever need.

The Wild Side-Exotic Tropical Hardwoods

There are a variety of exotic hardwoods on the market that are amazingly strong and dense. Ipe, a hardwood from Brazil is five times harder than redwood and like all the tropical hardwoods, they are naturally resistant to wear, rot, termites and even fire. They have top durability ratings as well. Plus, they are extremely beautiful.

Maintenance of Your Wood Decking

All natural wood decks require some maintenance. When your deck is installed, treat the wood and then again in 6 months and every year after that. But, there’s some really good news on that front too; Penofin© Verde is 100% petroleum-free oil finish with no heavy metals, no orders and no offensive fumes. It is the natural choice.

See and Feel for Yourself

There are some pretty exciting choices when it comes to materials for you new deck. This is a general view of things to consider while you are dreaming of your new deck. Keep in mind; like all of us, each has plus sides and down sides. Which to pick is entirely a matter of personal preference. Before you start, I highly recommend a trip to Hayward’s Lumber so you can see and feel the various choices in decking materials.

SOURCES: Hayward Lumber, 421 Laguna Street, (805) 963-1881; Jed Hirsch, General Building Contractor, Inc.

Lisa Cullen, landscape designer and organic gardener owns Montecito Landscape with her husband, Chris. She can be reached at 805.969.3984 or www.montecitolandscape.com.