Late winter is often the time of year new homeowners in Virginia start thinking about building up their outdoor space so it’s ready for a summer of grilling, entertaining, and relaxing in the fresh air and sunshine. A custom built deck in Virginia is often the starting point to creating such an outdoor retreat.
With so many options in decking material these days, it can be rather overwhelming to choose. Trex composite decking offers easy maintenance throughout the year, as well as resisting insect infestation or the all too common pain of a splinter.
In addition to eliminating these common issues with traditional wood decking, composite decking comes in such a wide variety of styles and colors it is easy to match the look and feel of your homes’ exterior.
Homes with painted or vinyl siding offer an easy choice: either match the color of the home, or go with a contrasting color to make your deck pop. Trex composite decking even offers the ability of a two-toned deck for a more elegant, striking contrast.
With brick homes, finding a color that compliments your brick that can tie the fence, deck and house together can be tricky. Brick is anything but monochromatic! You can choose to highlight a specific color in the brick to make that color pop, or you can choose to match the brick’s mortar for a more subdued look.
When choosing a color for you deck, don’t forget about the other colors used on your house; the trim around windows, colors used on downspouts, and even the roof color! Ideally you want all of these colors to complement each other.
Perhaps the most common deck addition for added privacy is an outdoor trellis. A trellis is meant to be a permanent structure and can be made from a variety of materials in a variety of styles. Trellises typically need built-in back support or may lean against or be attached to a supporting wall or fence. A trellis can be made with the same composite decking material as your Trex deck. During the growing months, your trellis can be covered in lovely flowering vines, but still provides a privacy barrier when those plants are no longer blooming during the harsh northern Virginia winters.
I just happen to be someone that likes to plan out everything that I want to do, and I mean everything. From the last board to the last screw, everything has to be planned and perfect. So my first step was to research as much information that I could on decking and how to build a giant super deck. As I was researching, I found myself asking certain questions: how do I plan to maintain this deck? What’s the easiest way to lay out a build plan? How do I get it to match my house?
For those of you with an eye on your budget, fear not! You can still achieve that perfect mood lighting for your nighttime outdoor entertaining. Rope lighting has become increasingly popular for use on outdoor decking. It’s easy to install, and gives a great glow without overpowering the nighttime sky view. Stringing up white Christmas lights or other strand lighting is another way of indirectly lighting your outdoor deck. Strand lighting can also be great for lighting up a patio umbrella, giving your deck that extra festive atmosphere.