Vinyl Decks - Project 1

Bright and inviting vinyl decks with aluminum picket railings. Here's a deck design for vinyl decks that works well on an uphill grade.

Before

Vinyl decks can be an excellent replacement for an old rotting wood deck. The original deck on this house was a typical 2x6 cedar wood deck which was in disrepair and had some serious rotting deck boards.

It needed a major face lift and something to change it and make it more functional and inviting so the family would want to spend more time on it.

The Site

Vinyl deck where the land slopes upward from the house Take a close look at this deck and notice how the land actually slopes uphill from the house. It's an unusual building site.

The original wood deck was about half the size of the finished deck - extending outwards about 10' leaving a 2' gap before the land abrupbtly sloped up and beyond the deck surface.

But the backyard was facing south and had a overall upward slope to it. The plants and trees grew like crazy back there and the landscaping was already beautiful. It just needed a deck that could do it justice. Our desigining minds were starting to churn out possibilities...

The Clients

These people didn't want any radical changes but they did have a couple non-negotiable desires. They wanted something that required zero maintenance, unlike their wood deck which was rotting away.

And they wanted to effectively deal with the uphill slope and the gap around the existing deck (which was almost like a water-less moat around a castle) because it was useless space.

We immediately suggested they consider using a waterproof 40 mil vinyl flooring membrane (similar to what you see on the floor decks of speed boats). There were many different colors available. A 40 mil vinyl was extremely durable and absolutely water proof.

Small pickets create an open view We then suggested an aluminum picket railing system with 5/8" pickets (balusters) to create an open airy feel and not obstruct the view of the beautiful flowers and landscaping around the backyard. These two suggestions addressed their maintenance concerns.

The other design idea that they liked was to extend the existing deck outwards to fill up the gap. And where it couldn't quite make it, we decided to "bridge the gap" - literally.

This one decision really gave them a uniqueness that they were looking for. And it was totally functional and hid the swayle in the grade. The landscaping around it really brought it all together.

The Layout

Vinyl deck with a bridge This layout was designed to increase the size marginally and bring the edge of the deck closer to the uphill sloping grade. The bridge served two purposes. It hid the swayle below it and provided another access point to the rest of the back yard.

Normally a rectangular deck can suffer from the boredom factor. But here is a case where other factors take your mind off of the simple shape and towards the landscaping surrounding the deck and the bridged walkway.

Were it not for these unique factors, we would have tried to change the shape of the deck a bit to make it more interesting because it would then be the only focal point.

After

This new vinyl deck was a huge improvement - from a maintenance and a design point of view. The vinyl deck surface would now be maintenance free and eliminate the worry about rotting deck boards.

Notice the color of the vinyl decking material was soft and didn't clash with the color of the house. The overall size of the deck was about 25% larger and nestled in nicely over the upwardly sloping grade beneath it - making better use of that previously unused land.

The other benefit to vinyl decks like this one is that they can handle huge temperature swings during the summer and winter months. Snow can easily be cleared off with a plastic snow shovel, ensuring the vinyl surface remains impenetrable to water for many years to come.

Consider using new products like this for your next deck building project. Vinyl decks may be the right choice for you.

Top of Vinyl Decks - Project 1

The Most Advanced Wood Post Anchor system available. Learn more... And see our brochure.

The Coolest Backyard Deck Contest. Win $500.

Enter Now!

Exotic decking materials and fine building products. Make your deck last a lifetime. Learn more...

No Concrete, No Mess, No Fuss. Best in its Class. Learn more...

Calculators

Use our concrete calculator for volumes of cement for deck footings or our angle and unit conversion calculators. Learn more...

Testimonials - Titan Post Anchor System

Titan post anchor from testimonial "Thanks again Richard for FedExing the other shipment of the Titan Anchors. They are installed, sturdy and look great. I am really happy with them here is a picture of the deck."
Kyle D. - Richardson, Texas