Creative Decks

Your Outdoor Living Specialist

"Design Drawings and Construction Plans"

Framingham, MA

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The Must-Have Framingham Home Feature: A Deck with a View

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As winter draws to a close, it’s time to focus on what home improvements you’ll make this year. There’s nothing more satisfying for a homeowner than the process of gradually making the home uniquely suited to the family that lives there.

Decks are a great example. Infinitely customizable, decks can serve as a family’s place to relax and enjoy themselves. Active families use their decks as a landing zone – a place to gather before or after practice, celebrate victories, play with pets, and enjoy each others’ company. And for couples in love, there’s nothing more romantic than a deck that can be used to view the stars on some romantic evening.

When Designing Your Deck, Consider the View

Framingham is a really pretty community. Many of the homes have spectacular views. With that in mind, we want to talk about one of the principles of creative deck design: choosing your deck placement based on the view.

Many families choose to put their biggest deck on the back of the house, away from the road. There’s two reasons for this: they prefer the view of the back yard to the street view, and positioning the deck behind the house accords a greater degree of privacy.

That being said, some homeowners prefer to put their deck on the front of the house. Watching neighborhood activity is a bonus for some folks, and a well-appointed deck with comfortable seating is a great place to enjoy chatting with friends.

Second Story Decks: Gaze Further

There are times when it makes a lot of sense to attach the deck to the second story of the home. This is especially true in multi-family units, where all of the residents might appreciate the outdoor living space. We’ve also had lots of couples have a deck adjoining their bedroom suite: it’s a lovely place to enjoy coffee with your sweetheart in the morning or the stars late at night.

Need help planning your deck? Find local deck builders near Framingham, MA here.

5 Reasons Cedar Decks are Amazing

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Cedar decking is the classic choice for New England decks and porches. That’s not suprising: this attractive, durable wood has lots of good features to recommend it. If you’re thinking about adding some outdoor living space to your home this year, here’s what you want to know about cedar decks:

Cedar Decks are Tough!

Cedar is a very stable wood. That means it’s ideal to use in environments where it will be exposed to extreme weather and temperature fluctuations. Here in the Metrowest MA area, we’re blessed with scorching hot summers and frigid winters – yet cedar decking resists splitting, warping, twisting and cracking. A cedar deck will look great for years.

Cedar Decks Resist Insect Damage

The wood cedar decks are made of is the exact same wood cedar chests are made of. The reason people store fine linens in cedar chests is because insects hate the smell of cedar and avoid it as much as possible. When it comes to your home’s deck, choosing cedar means you don’t have to worry about ants making nests or termites chowing down.

Cedar Decking is Attractive

Natural cedar comes in a variety of warm reddish hues, ranging from a light amber shade to an intense mahogany. Untreated cedar will weather to a lovely silvery gray. Cedar takes stain very well, which allows the homeowner their choice of color while adding years to the useful life of the deck.

Cedar is a Sustainable Building Material

Unlike redwood, mahogany, or some other high end woods, the cedar used in deck construction comes primarily from managed forests. Most cedar decking is produced in America, creating jobs and supporting small local communities. Cedar is a green resource, a truly sustainable building material that helps the environment.

Cedar Decks are Affordable & Long Lasting

Every family has a budget, and you want to get maximum value out of the investment you make in your home. That’s why cedar decks are such a popular option locally. Ask any cedar deck contractor, and you’ll learn that cedar is a more affordable option than either redwood or composite decking. Furthermore, when well maintained, a cedar deck can last up to 40 years!

Does Your Deck Need a Roof?

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Soaking up the summer sun is fun – but you can have too much of a good thing. the desire for some shade and a cool place to relax outdoors leads many Metrowest homeowners to wonder: Does our deck need a roof?

Creative Deck Design: Roof Essentials

There are many ways to think about adding a roof to your porch. A screen porch requires a roof, or a roof can be installed over your roof without the need to add any screens or windows. Deck roofs can be of the same material as the roof on your home, or you may choose to use a different roofing surface. Deck roofs can be made of metal – these sound fantastic when it rains and they last a lifetime – as well as shingles.

A deck roof can cover the entirety of your deck, or only a portion of it. When you have a roof put on your deck, you’re going to want to talk to your creative deck design company about how water will be carried away from your deck during a rain storm, including gutter and downspout placement. Gardeners often seek a way to capture rainwater for their plants, and this can be part of your deck design process.

If roofing all or even a significant portion of your deck isn’t right for you, you have other options. Talk to your creative deck designer about the different types of shade structures. Having a screen room built on your deck is one popular option; pergolas, canopies and awnings also all have their fans.

Deck Design Style Options

There are two approaches to adding a roof to your deck. One school of thought holds that your deck should integrate seamlessly with your home and look like it’s always been there. The other approach uses creative deck design to create a space that’s visually distinct from the existing home yet enhances the structure’s overall appearance.

Your creative deck designer will be able to present you with different options, customized for your home, lot, and lifestyle. Choose the look you like best and get ready to enjoy summer even more!

Is an Under Deck Screen Porch Right for You?

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Last year, we saw a lot of homeowners in the Metrowest MA area adding outdoor living space to their homes by converting the area beneath second story decks into screen porches. There are several reasons this is a popular idea:

First, having an under deck screen porch makes use of space that otherwise often gets wasted. If you have a second-story deck right now, what are you currently doing with the space underneath it? You might be storing a bicycle there, or the kids’ outside toys, but is that really adding joy to your family’s life? Converting that space into a pleasant living area gives everyone in the family an extra place to go without having to go somewhere – wouldn’t it be nice to have a convenient place to relax right at home?

Second, having an under deck screen porch keeps the bugs away. Biting insects aren’t just annoying. They can carry dangerous diseases that can make you, your family, or your pets sick. Who wants to deal with that? If you’re looking for a way to enjoy the outdoors bug free, a screen porch is the way to go.

Under deck screen porches add style and elegance to the home. Here in the Metrowest area, there are many communities that are built in such a way that the sides and back of your home may be visible from the street. Having an under deck screen porch put in place beneath a second story deck on the back of the house can result in a more finished, polished look.

Planning the Under Deck Screen Porch

Converting your under deck area into a screen porch is a very ambitious DIY project. For faster results, and to start enjoying your space sooner, consider working with a creative deck design company. They have the expertise to take your project from concept to comfortable reality quickly, and can make design and building suggestions that will add to how much you enjoy your under deck screen porch.

When It Comes to Decks, Size Does Matter

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Stop trying to squeeze your lifestyle onto a deck that’s just too small to take it. That’s the advice from outdoor living experts, who advise thinking of your deck as an addition to your home – an additional room with the specific purpose of making your family’s life better and more fun.

How Big is the Average Deck?

According to Landscaping.com, the average deck is between 300 and 400 square feet. Many builders recommend that the deck be at least as large as the largest room in your home – however, frankly, here in Metrowest MA, the largest room in a home can be fairly small.

Our recommendation as creative deck designers is to invest in as much deck space as you can realistically use and enjoy. If you’ve got a busy active family, with pets, and you know you’re going to spend a lot of time outdoors, go for the 500+ square foot deck. By the same token, we’ve built large decks for smaller families who entertain frequently, enjoy gardening on their deck, do art outside, or have other plans that need a lot of space.

What About Second-Story Decks?

Second-story decks do tend to be smaller, with the local average being between 250-400 sq feet. Again, it’s helpful to be clear on the purpose of your second story deck during the design process. Some second-story decks serve as a private retreat area, accessed through a couple’s bedroom, that provide a setting to sit and watch the stars together or enjoy a morning coffee. These decks can be smaller than the second-story decks that will be used by a family seeking to enjoy the fresh air together.

Planning a New Deck?

If you’re ready for a new deck, or you know your existing deck needs to be bigger, the time to book time with your local Metrowest deck builders is now. Beginning the planning process in February means work on your new deck can begin in the spring and you’ll be able to enjoy it all summer long.

The Dog-Friendly Deck

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Dogs love decks – but not all decks are great for dogs. One of the fundamentals of creative deck design is creating spaces that work for the entire family. In some cases, that means thinking through what makes a deck a safe, happy space for canine companions.

Safety First: Dogs & Decks

In most of the greater Boston area, it’s really important to keep your dog contained. Busy neighborhood streets are no place for puppies to go exploring! Talk to your creative deck designer about your plans for your dog. Smaller dogs can be contained with creative rail and gate designs; for larger dogs, or those that love to jump or climb, a more vigorous design might be in order.

Find a deck contractor near me now!

Dogs spend more of their time with more of their bodies in contact with a deck than their human owners generally do. For this reason, it’s important that a dog-friendly deck be built of material that’s safe for animals, as well as being durable enough to resist being damaged by a dog’s toenails, playful enthusiasm, or wagging tail.

Composite decking fills all the requirements. Available in a wide variety of colors – which your dog won’t be able to see, but people like them – composite decking resists mold, mildew and fungus growth. It’s durable and requires little to no maintenance to stay looking great. Best of all, dogs don’t generally enjoy chewing on composite decking the way they do on wooden decks. (There are dogs who chew on everything – we know! But most dogs don’t chew on the composite decking.)

Other features that are important on the dog-friendly deck: a protected area where the dog can access food and water whenever they’d like. A shaded area is also good, especially during the hottest part of the Massachusetts summer. Many families find that having a screen room built on the porch is an ideal way to allow their dog (and the rest of the family!) to enjoy the great outdoors without worrying about sunburn or biting mosquitoes.

Find a deck builder near me now!