Deck or Patio?

[Pink Cashmere]

I am posting this in YM instead of my decorating thread, because it is definitely money related.

We have a wood deck, elevated a few feet off the ground. We absolutely HAVE to figure out what to do with it by next spring. IIRC the last time I measured it, it is somewhere around 14ftx26ft. There is a patio underneath it that is pretty much the same size. 

Because the deck is elevated, it is level with the floor inside the house, and the sliding door to step outside on the deck. There are, I think 4 (maybe 5) wide, half circle steps under it, at that same door, to get down to the patio. 

I have gone back and forth for a couple of years now, trying to decide what to do about the deck….. tear it down and rebuild it, or tear it down and just use the patio underneath it. There are pros and cons to both. I will expand more on those if it’s necessary to get good advice, but the short list is…

Rebuilding the deck:

- I like that it is on the same level as the sliding door, and doesn’t require walking down steps to get to it. 
- I feel like it requires a little more work for critters to get to me, because it is elevated, whether that is actually true or not. It certainly didn’t stop a big ass snake from sneaking up behind me while I was sitting on the deck. But I digress. 
- I just like the idea of having a deck
- I don’t like the maintenance and having to restain it often. I also do not like the cost of using composite materials instead of real wood to rebuild it, to avoid some of the maintenance. 
- Because it is elevated, without going into a bunch of detail and explanations, it doesn’t have as much privacy as we would have if we just used the patio on the ground.

Using the patio underneath:

- Apart from the cost of removing the deck, it won’t cost money to use it, since it’s already there.
- It would be easier to just expand what’s already there and create a bigger outdoor living area, without having to make a separate space from scratch elsewhere on the property for what I want to eventually have. 
- It is easily accessible to more pests and critters. In my mind, anyway.
- It requires a few steps down to get to it from inside the house

I feel like I might as well stop there, because I feel like I know what the practical thing looks like after typing it out here.

But I would still like to hear other thoughts and opinions, which one you would choose if you were me, and why. Please and thank you. 

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Welp, we are spending money to replace the front porch with composite for the very reason of less maintenance. we are getting older, not younger. DH wants nothing to do with the annual maintenance for wood. We can afford it. We are completely reconfiguring the stairs. We have a garage basement and the porch access stairs are way over on the other end of the 48’ long house with no walkway. We are putting a gate at the top of the stair to fully close the porch.

We do live in the sticks, and last fall we did Saturday night firebowls out on the driveway. One time we were out and suddenly smelled skunk. We hurried indoors because we didn’t know how close it was. Another time we were out there and a coyote ran behind us 20 feet or so.

we are doing an addition, hopefully next year and when we do, we plan on a composite deck roughly the size of yours that we will also rail and close in with gates at the access stairs. 

I realize it probably doesn’t answer your thoughts, but my two cents worth on our scenarios.

 ETA: I should add that we have an area that really should have a retaining wall, and we really also want to add a stone patio with a firepit along the retaining wall.

[azucena]

You could hedge your bets and try just the patio for a summer. Decide if it fits your needs or if you prefer a deck without being out any money.

[MarionTh230]

I'd go patio.  But, I readily admit I am totally biased in my opinion.

We have a back porch.  And a front porch too though you are talking about back yards.  We don't have the issue you have with the patio (back porch) being unlevel with the house.  House sits on a slab.  Concrete for the back porch (and front porch) are close to even.  There is one step out the back door onto the patio (porch).  There is one step in the front as well going from the front porch into the house.  Small step.  The slab is higher than the concrete on the porches.  I just took the tape measure to it and from inside at the back door down to the patio (porch!) it's 6 inches.  

So, yeah, I'm biased.  But I also don't have five steps down to get out the backdoor like you've described.  I certainly do understand the appeal of the deck being level with the back door.

Having said that, I didn't see what your patio is made of?  Is it pavers or poured concrete?  One of the reasons I am probably biased is because we have poured concrete.  Maintenance is essentially nonexistent.  When I'm feeling frisky I just hose it off.  If I'm feeling really ambitious I have pressure washed it before.

We also have a roof over the back.  Hence why we call it the porch.  The front porch is covered as well, but that is built into the house roofing.  The back was added later.  It's just a simple roof held by supports.  Effective, but not sturdy in a severe storm which will probably come to bit us in the proverbial rear end one day.

The other thing I will say is this, I'm lazy.  And when I'm not lazy, I don't have a lot of free time.  I do not like spending my free time doing home maintenance.  Which is also why the deck would not appeal to me.  The older I get, I have realized I want less work to do to maintain my home.  A wood deck would be at odds with that position.  I also have no notions of liking the idea of having a deck.  But, you do.  Which means that's worth considering despite what the rest of us think!

[MarionTh230]

Oct 20, 2023 19:00:33 GMT -5 azucena said:

You could hedge your bets and try just the patio for a summer. Decide if it fits your needs or if you prefer a deck without being out any money.

Oh, that actually sounds like a really good idea!

[Tennesseer]

Overall, I would go with the patio. You can install decorative steps and railing to transition from house to patio. One can place heavy items on the patio without harm. On a deck, you could do damage.

Deck woods do eventually need to be replaced. But patios can crack/crumble too due to shifting ground and seasonal temp differences.

My home came with a cement patio. I later wanted more patio. Insisted the new concrete patio portion have rebar rods inserted in with the cement which helps prevent seasonal cracking and shifting ground harming the cement. My old patio has a few cracks in it. Could use a little touch up. The 'new' patio addition is fine and its even on slightly sloping ground. The rebar doesn't allow the new concrete to shift.

Both deck and patio have pros and cons.

[TheOtherMe]

Having had both, I have found I don't use decks but I do use patios.  I don't like the maintenance on decks either.

[Sharon]

My last house was a similar situation.  They had built a big deck that covered the walkway up to the front porch.  It was two steps up from the driveway and then level with the front door.  In the living room they had removed the window and put in a patio door and then built a deck, again it was two steps up from the patio that next to it.  Both decks were poorly built, think weekend project with lots of beer.  They both needed to be replaced when I moved in.  I had them replaced with composite and it was the best decision ever.  I lived there 28 years and both decks were still in great shape and the only maintenance I did was to hose them off really good a couple times of year.  If they were getting really mossy I would scrub them with bleach water, but very low maintenance.

[nidena]

I have a similar situation.  I will be installing a deck.  I'm pondering putting in a hot tub at ground level and having the deck means there is less distance between the top of the deck and the entry into the hot tub i.e. I won't have to swing a leg over to get in or out.  My house is a few inches above the concrete steps that lead in the back door and there are three of those steps so it's a good distance from entry to ground.  The other feature that I'm pondering is having a ramp access to the deck.  There are more options for that than with concrete/metal and I wouldn't want a mismatch of materials between the ramp and the outdoor living area.

[thyme4change]

Is that patio in good condition?

I think you should get one of those schmacy back yard designers to make plans for a multiple level deck with zones for different activities and purposes. That design can incorporate some decking and the patio. Just kidding - that is good for about 18 months and then you will have wish you had a more flexible space. 😝

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 20, 2023 19:09:54 GMT -5 MarionTh230 said:

I'd go patio.  But, I readily admit I am totally biased in my opinion.

We have a back porch.  And a front porch too though you are talking about back yards.  We don't have the issue you have with the patio (back porch) being unlevel with the house.  House sits on a slab.  Concrete for the back porch (and front porch) are close to even.  There is one step out the back door onto the patio (porch).  There is one step in the front as well going from the front porch into the house.  Small step.  The slab is higher than the concrete on the porches.  I just took the tape measure to it and from inside at the back door down to the patio (porch!) it's 6 inches.  

So, yeah, I'm biased.  But I also don't have five steps down to get out the backdoor like you've described.  I certainly do understand the appeal of the deck being level with the back door.

Having said that, I didn't see what your patio is made of?  Is it pavers or poured concrete?  One of the reasons I am probably biased is because we have poured concrete.  Maintenance is essentially nonexistent.  When I'm feeling frisky I just hose it off.  If I'm feeling really ambitious I have pressure washed it before.

We also have a roof over the back.  Hence why we call it the porch.  The front porch is covered as well, but that is built into the house roofing.  The back was added later.  It's just a simple roof held by supports.  Effective, but not sturdy in a severe storm which will probably come to bit us in the proverbial rear end one day.

The other thing I will say is this, I'm lazy.  And when I'm not lazy, I don't have a lot of free time.  I do not like spending my free time doing home maintenance.  Which is also why the deck would not appeal to me.  The older I get, I have realized I want less work to do to maintain my home.  A wood deck would be at odds with that position.  I also have no notions of liking the idea of having a deck.  But, you do.  Which means that's worth considering despite what the rest of us think!

The patio is made of what I think is called washed concrete. It is concrete that is not smooth and has small pebbles in it. Which seems to be very common where I live. That’s what the driveway and patio at my first house were made of, and the driveway, walkways and patio here are made of. And most of my neighbors’ driveways.

I lived in my first house almost 20 years, and it was built almost 40 years before I bought it, and I never had any kind of issues with the driveway, walkway to the front door, or patio. If I was starting from scratch, that material wouldn’t be my first choice as far as aesthetics, but in my experience, it is durable and pretty much maintenance free.

One of the things I would like to have is a covered outdoor space. I LOVE sitting outside. Having a covered outdoor space would mean I can sit outside even if it is raining, and also provide some consistent shade during the brutal summers here. And always some support to mount fans to help with summer heat. 

As far as being lazy, I have freely admitted over the years, that I am lazy lol. We had to strip and re-stain the deck, just a couple of months after we moved here. We were both on vacation, and spending a week dealing with the deck and finally sanding the whole thing on our hands and knees to get whatever Dummy (the guy who sold us the house, and did a lot of stuff that made the house look good, but was not done correctly) had put on it, off. I honestly think it was just regular house paint, because it deteriorated so quickly and badly, and started fading, peeling, and chipping, right after we moved in.

I like the idea of a deck, and ooh and aah over nice decks, but spending days on my hands and knees while I was on vacation from work, sanding our deck to try to get that crap off it to try to stain it properly, I’ll through a whole deck away before I do that again. 

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 20, 2023 20:02:28 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Is that patio in good condition?

I think you should get one of those schmacy back yard designers to make plans for a multiple level deck with zones for different activities and purposes. That design can incorporate some decking and the patio. Just kidding - that is good for about 18 months and then you will have wish you had a more flexible space. 😝

I don’t know if the patio is in good condition. The only reason I even know it’s there, how big it is, and about the steps leading to it, is because Mister and DS have both crawled under the deck, just to see what’s under there and described to me what they saw. 

The deck would collapse and take me with it, before I crawl under it to see what the patio looks like with my own eyes. 

I can see it between boards on the deck that have warped enough to have a big enough gap between them to see the ground below,  but that doesn’t tell me much about the condition of the entire thing. 

I can design something that I will regret at some point….. myself, for free.

[Regis]

I, too, dislike the maintenance of a wood deck.  If the concrete patio is not in good shape, I'd demo both and put in a stamped concrete patio.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I've had wood decks, synthetic decks, and stamped concrete patios. 
I've never installed them/replaced one before. 
For our wood decks, they really do --at least in the climate I'm in--have to be painted/stained at least every third year. But, then I get to control the color, so that's fun. I think there's a lot of ways to design wood/synthetic decks, and they are much more aesthetic than a concrete patio. 
I currently have a synthetic front porch. It's at least 20 years old, and it's in great shape. 
I have concrete patio in our outside great room. It's definitely been the easiest thing I've had to keep clean and there won't be maintenance issues for along long time--barring an earthquake that breaks it and then the house, which happens on the west coast. 
I despise pebbled concrete because I hate wearing shoes when I'm at home. I don't want to wander outside on pebbles. I won't install that in a home in which I live. 

So, none of that helps you pick.
For me, a lot of of the decision would come down to cost. I don't know how much a synthetic deck would cost or if that's in yours and Mister's price range. If it is, that would probably be my top choice for both maintenance and aesthetic. 

[jerseygirl]

We had a redwood deck but had to stain every year . Had to replace it cause the wood supports weren’t redwood so rotted. We replaced with TRek composite, cost was only little more than wood (redwood or other wood that wouldn’t rot cause we have lots of shade and rain,). Put in white vinyl railings but these get green with algae and need to be power washed otherwise look terrible. DD had new deck built and railings have wire with wood supports. Look very nice , no upkeep and don’t obscure view.

We had both decks and patios in previous house. Always had problems with weeds in the patio. So still upkeep as we don’t use any pesticides or weed killers

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Oct 21, 2023 10:58:18 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

We had a redwood deck but had to stain every year . Had to replace it cause the wood supports weren’t redwood so rotted. We replaced with TRek composite, cost was only little more than wood (redwood or other wood that wouldn’t rot cause we have lots of shade and rain,). Put in white vinyl railings but these get green with algae and need to be power washed otherwise look terrible. DD had new deck built and railings have wire with wood supports. Look very nice , no upkeep and don’t obscure view.

We had both decks and patios in previous house. Always had problems with weeds in the patio. So still upkeep as we don’t use any pesticides or weed killers

We are going with the cable/wire rail system for the front porch revision. However it is more expensive than a more traditional composite rail system so when we do the deck for the addition, we’ll go with a less expensive option.

[haapai]

I'm having a hard time visualizing what you are describing.  I don't know if the deck (or patio) is associated with your back door or whether that door is your main entry and exit into the house.  I don't know if there are two ways to get from the house onto the porch i.e. through a door or through a sliding glass window or only through the sliding glass.  I don't know what room in your house has the sliding glass door that goes out to the porch.  I don't know whether the deck or patio space is on the north, south, east, or west side of your home or even on the front, back or one of the sides.  I don't know whether there is any shade or if that shade is provided by the house, neighboring trees or structures, or some kind of overhanging structure. 

Is there any possibility that the porch was built because the circular steps had no railing associated with them and were kinda scary to navigate? 

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 21, 2023 15:13:51 GMT -5 haapai said:

I'm having a hard time visualizing what you are describing.  I don't know if the deck (or patio) is associated with your back door or whether that door is your main entry and exit into the house.  I don't know if there are two ways to get from the house onto the porch i.e. through a door or through a sliding glass window or only through the sliding glass.  I don't know what room in your house has the sliding glass door that goes out to the porch.  I don't know whether the deck or patio space is on the north, south, east, or west side of your home or even on the front, back or one of the sides.  I don't know whether there is any shade or if that shade is provided by the house, neighboring trees or structures, or some kind of overhanging structure. 

Is there any possibility that the porch was built because the circular steps had no railing associated with them and were kinda scary to navigate? 

Oh boy!

It’s a wood deck, about 4 feet off the ground. If you were visiting, you wouldn’t even know there is a concrete patio under it. So visualizing it, just picture a deck where the floor doesn’t sit on the ground.

It’s on the back of the house, the sliding door is in the den. The deck is accessible from the sliding door in the den, or by walking up the steps on the other end of the deck, from the yard. It faces west, is not covered, and most of it gets morning shade from the house and part of it gets afternoon shade from a large tree. 

We believe it was built by the guy who sold us the house, which would explain some of the issues with it. He had great ideas, but his execution was horrible on everything he did. 

Anything is possible. I’ve seen the half circle steps on other houses before, and can’t recall having seen any with hand rails. They aren’t very steep.

I think I answered everything you listed that you do not know, even though I’m not sure why some of it matters. But if it helps you give a thoughtful response, okay.

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 21, 2023 10:43:36 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

I've had wood decks, synthetic decks, and stamped concrete patios. 
I've never installed them/replaced one before. 
For our wood decks, they really do --at least in the climate I'm in--have to be painted/stained at least every third year. But, then I get to control the color, so that's fun. I think there's a lot of ways to design wood/synthetic decks, and they are much more aesthetic than a concrete patio. 
I currently have a synthetic front porch. It's at least 20 years old, and it's in great shape. 
I have concrete patio in our outside great room. It's definitely been the easiest thing I've had to keep clean and there won't be maintenance issues for along long time--barring an earthquake that breaks it and then the house, which happens on the west coast. 
I despise pebbled concrete because I hate wearing shoes when I'm at home. I don't want to wander outside on pebbles. I won't install that in a home in which I live. 

So, none of that helps you pick.
For me, a lot of of the decision would come down to cost. I don't know how much a synthetic deck would cost or if that's in yours and Mister's price range. If it is, that would probably be my top choice for both maintenance and aesthetic. 

One of the reasons I am considering using the patio is because I eventually want a covered outdoor space and I think it would make more sense to cover the patio, vs an elevated deck. Plus, it would be easier and less expensive to just expand that space than start from scratch building a whole ‘nother seating area out in the yard and run electricity underground. 

I could be wrong about all of that though, so please feel free to tell me if I am. I need to use my imagination and see if I can picture a deck being a sort of “upper” level, and still create another outdoor living space next to it. I hadn’t thought about it until just now.

I’m not a fan of the pebbled concrete either. It’s just what’s already there. If we do go with just using the patio and expanding it, I’m good with replacing the pebbled concrete with something else entirely, if for no other reason than for everything to match. 

I do like having a deck, but not for any real reason other than I just like the idea and think they look nice. But a patio can look nice too, I guess.

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 21, 2023 10:58:18 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

We had a redwood deck but had to stain every year . Had to replace it cause the wood supports weren’t redwood so rotted. We replaced with TRek composite, cost was only little more than wood (redwood or other wood that wouldn’t rot cause we have lots of shade and rain,). Put in white vinyl railings but these get green with algae and need to be power washed otherwise look terrible. DD had new deck built and railings have wire with wood supports. Look very nice , no upkeep and don’t obscure view.

We had both decks and patios in previous house. Always had problems with weeds in the patio. So still upkeep as we don’t use any pesticides or weed killers

We haven’t compared the prices between wood and composite. When we do, if we decided to replace the deck, I will factor in that composite is less maintenance and won’t have the constant issues with staining it, and decide how much that is worth to me.

Your DD’s railings sound like it looks nice.

[kadee79]

From someone old....I'd go with the patio due to less work as you age.  BUT, if you go with the deck, there are paints available that will cut down on MUCH maintenance work.  We used one of those paints on our deck....but it does need to be pressure washed this year due to our outdoor only cats coming/going on it and having muddy paws when they do.  I also feed them up there on the deck so they are there every day...at least twice cause I spoil them with a chicken leg quarter (baked) late at night before I go to bed.
The paint also has a texture to it so you don't slip/slide...which was the main reason we looked for something like that due to DH falling down the steps one morning when they were wet from dew.  We got our paint at Lowes.

ETA...If you do go with the patio...be SURE to install a hand rail even if there are only 2 or 3 steps down.  It will become valuable as you age...voice of experience speaking here!

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 22, 2023 11:23:08 GMT -5 kadee79 said:

From someone old....I'd go with the patio due to less work as you age.  BUT, if you go with the deck, there are paints available that will cut down on MUCH maintenance work.  We used one of those paints on our deck....but it does need to be pressure washed this year due to our outdoor only cats coming/going on it and having muddy paws when they do.  I also feed them up there on the deck so they are there every day...at least twice cause I spoil them with a chicken leg quarter (baked) late at night before I go to bed.
The paint also has a texture to it so you don't slip/slide...which was the main reason we looked for something like that due to DH falling down the steps one morning when they were wet from dew.  We got our paint at Lowes.

ETA...If you do go with the patio...be SURE to install a hand rail even if there are only 2 or 3 steps down.  It will become valuable as you age...voice of experience speaking here!

I hear you on the handrails. There are 4 steps to get in the house through the garage, which is the most used entrance, even with our family and friends. My Mom and Mister’s Mom and Aunt all had/have to use the front door, because there are no steps to get inside that way. So I am already aware that the steps in the garage need a hand rail and could become a problem at some point for us too.

[Artemis Windsong]

I vote for patio.  Then decide how you want to proceed. 

You can also put in a ramp for ladies.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

We went to dinner Friday at a couple we met on the world cruise.  They had just redone their kitchen, and did it such that they got rid of their deck, made a patio and it is set up such that it could be for year round living (including a gas fireplace and radiant heaters.  They tore out the back portion of their house, and put in windows.  That meant they lost all but 2 cabinets, so built a monster island maybe 15-20’?) with drawers built into in (and their first wine fridge).  There is a window that opens, the screen slides so you can pass food outside to eat out there easily.  

Kitchen aside (which I’d kill for) the outdoor living space was incredible.  I came home and looked at what we could do to our kitchen/deck to get something similar.  Other than the fact that TD would probably nix it, I suspect doing something like this would wind up eating our travel budget for th3 next 3 years.  My suggestion would need to change the roof line.  That’s no5 happening!

[bookkeeper]

We were house hunting last year for a ranch style home with a concrete patio.  It took 6 months to find one in the neighborhood we desired.  Our grandson was born with a spinal condition and any additional stairs are just as big a barrier for him as it is for us as we age.

We built a new composite deck on the front of DS#1 house.  Finished it off with aluminum railing.  We spent about $5,000 on materials for a 16' x 10' deck a foot off the ground.  Unfortunately, we were the labor!  Snow removal is a factor.  DS bought a special plastic blade shovel to use on the new deck.

I prefer old gray concrete to anything else.  I have owned some of each in my property progression and gray level concrete is clean, easy to maintain, and you can spiff it up with a nice indoor/outdoor rug.  Put a rug on a wood deck and moisture can cause some problems.

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 22, 2023 18:22:40 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

We went to dinner Friday at a couple we met on the world cruise.  They had just redone their kitchen, and did it such that they got rid of their deck, made a patio and it is set up such that it could be for year round living (including a gas fireplace and radiant heaters.  They tore out the back portion of their house, and put in windows.  That meant they lost all but 2 cabinets, so built a monster island maybe 15-20’?) with drawers built into in (and their first wine fridge).  There is a window that opens, the screen slides so you can pass food outside to eat out there easily.  

Kitchen aside (which I’d kill for) the outdoor living space was incredible.  I came home and looked at what we could do to our kitchen/deck to get something similar.  Other than the fact that TD would probably nix it, I suspect doing something like this would wind up eating our travel budget for th3 next 3 years.  My suggestion would need to change the roof line.  That’s no5 happening!

I am pretty sure Mister wouldn’t go for something like that, because it sounds very pricey. More than even I would be willing to spend.

Earlier this year, I started trying to imagine a covered outdoor space on the flat side of the backyard and started gathering ideas to plan it. After I started this thread, it occurred to me that we could probably just expand the area where the deck is, and not have to pay for paths through the yard, and running electricity underground through the yard. Idk why that didn’t occur to me at first. And we would still have to go down a few steps, either way, to either get down off the deck, or from inside the house whether it’s from the sliding door or the back door in the laundry room. 

That is why I enjoy conversations here, I often either learn something or get new ideas or perspectives.

[Pink Cashmere]

Oct 24, 2023 16:50:47 GMT -5 bookkeeper said:

We were house hunting last year for a ranch style home with a concrete patio.  It took 6 months to find one in the neighborhood we desired.  Our grandson was born with a spinal condition and any additional stairs are just as big a barrier for him as it is for us as we age.

We built a new composite deck on the front of DS#1 house.  Finished it off with aluminum railing.  We spent about $5,000 on materials for a 16' x 10' deck a foot off the ground.  Unfortunately, we were the labor!  Snow removal is a factor.  DS bought a special plastic blade shovel to use on the new deck.

I prefer old gray concrete to anything else.  I have owned some of each in my property progression and gray level concrete is clean, easy to maintain, and you can spiff it up with a nice indoor/outdoor rug.  Put a rug on a wood deck and moisture can cause some problems.

$5k just for materials? How long ago was this? I am glad you shared that, because it seems I will most definitely experience sticker shock when we get estimates if we decide to rebuild the deck lol. It is beyond what Mister and I can do ourselves. Mister swears he sucks at measuring, so even with simple stuff, I do all of the measuring. 

Also, even if we knew how to rebuild the deck, us working together on a project that bug might be bad for our relationship. Just sanding the current deck to prepare to stain it, took too long (days!) and was frustrating enough that we started looking at each other crazy. 

I had a large indoor/outdoor rug on the deck for a few years, until Boy the Pest tore it up last fall. It was light beige, and we could spray it off with just water, and it would look clean and like new again. When we had to take it up because Boy destroyed it, the only issue with the deck was that you could tell where the rug had been because the area underneath it hadn’t faded as much as the rest of the deck. Maybe I just got lucky with there not being any real damage.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Oct 24, 2023 17:06:06 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Oct 22, 2023 18:22:40 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

We went to dinner Friday at a couple we met on the world cruise.  They had just redone their kitchen, and did it such that they got rid of their deck, made a patio and it is set up such that it could be for year round living (including a gas fireplace and radiant heaters.  They tore out the back portion of their house, and put in windows.  That meant they lost all but 2 cabinets, so built a monster island maybe 15-20’?) with drawers built into in (and their first wine fridge).  There is a window that opens, the screen slides so you can pass food outside to eat out there easily.  

Kitchen aside (which I’d kill for) the outdoor living space was incredible.  I came home and looked at what we could do to our kitchen/deck to get something similar.  Other than the fact that TD would probably nix it, I suspect doing something like this would wind up eating our travel budget for th3 next 3 years.  My suggestion would need to change the roof line.  That’s no5 happening!

I am pretty sure Mister wouldn’t go for something like that, because it sounds very pricey. More than even I would be willing to spend.

Earlier this year, I started trying to imagine a covered outdoor space on the flat side of the backyard and started gathering ideas to plan it. After I started this thread, it occurred to me that we could probably just expand the area where the deck is, and not have to pay for paths through the yard, and running electricity underground through the yard. Idk why that didn’t occur to me at first. And we would still have to go down a few steps, either way, to either get down off the deck, or from inside the house whether it’s from the sliding door or the back door in the laundry room. 

That is why I enjoy conversations here, I often either learn something or get new ideas or perspectives.

I was trying to figure out how to do things on the cheap.  This couple was just outside of Seattle, so am sure that while their renovation was huge, they’d be more likely to get it back.  Like us though, they are hoping to be carried out in body bags….they have no intention of selling.  However, it does make for an incredible place to have a party!  

[bookkeeper]

Oct 24, 2023 17:16:45 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Oct 24, 2023 16:50:47 GMT -5 bookkeeper said:

We were house hunting last year for a ranch style home with a concrete patio.  It took 6 months to find one in the neighborhood we desired.  Our grandson was born with a spinal condition and any additional stairs are just as big a barrier for him as it is for us as we age.

We built a new composite deck on the front of DS#1 house.  Finished it off with aluminum railing.  We spent about $5,000 on materials for a 16' x 10' deck a foot off the ground.  Unfortunately, we were the labor!  Snow removal is a factor.  DS bought a special plastic blade shovel to use on the new deck.

I prefer old gray concrete to anything else.  I have owned some of each in my property progression and gray level concrete is clean, easy to maintain, and you can spiff it up with a nice indoor/outdoor rug.  Put a rug on a wood deck and moisture can cause some problems.

$5k just for materials? How long ago was this? I am glad you shared that, because it seems I will most definitely experience sticker shock when we get estimates if we decide to rebuild the deck lol. It is beyond what Mister and I can do ourselves. Mister swears he sucks at measuring, so even with simple stuff, I do all of the measuring. 

Also, even if we knew how to rebuild the deck, us working together on a project that bug might be bad for our relationship. Just sanding the current deck to prepare to stain it, took too long (days!) and was frustrating enough that we started looking at each other crazy. 

I had a large indoor/outdoor rug on the deck for a few years, until Boy the Pest tore it up last fall. It was light beige, and we could spray it off with just water, and it would look clean and like new again. When we had to take it up because Boy destroyed it, the only issue with the deck was that you could tell where the rug had been because the area underneath it hadn’t faded as much as the rest of the deck. Maybe I just got lucky with there not being any real damage.

$5000 for materials from Menard's (a plains states building center) in fall 2022 and spring 2023.  DS#1 tore the old deck off and we put down new footings and sub deck with treated lumber.  Decking material was composite and the rail system was powder coated aluminum.  I figure our slave labor was worth two to three thousand dollars.

[countrygirl2]

Why not expand it and then screen it in?

That way you won't have to worry about snakes and bugs, can use it at night. Ours is level with the house which is nice. It's concrete and I tiled it with the plastic stick together tile so I can just wash it down. We have our patio furniture out there and the grill and Blackstone grill so all that stuff is protected from the weather.

We have talked about windows with screens instead but its ok the way it is.