Exterior Structures

Decks, porches, balconies, verandas and patios are outdoor architectural elements that are often confused with one another. An explanation of their intended use, history and design allow for useful distinctions, although a certain degree of exception and overlap is unavoidable.

The deck of a house is generally a wooden platform built above the ground and connected to the main building. It is generally enclosed by a railing for safety. Access may be from the house through doors and from the ground via a stairway. Residential decks can be constructed over steep areas or rough ground that is otherwise unusable. Decks can also be covered by a canopy or pergola to control sunlight. Deck designs can be found in numerous books, do-it-yourself magazines and web sites

If morning dew, rain showers even frost and snow are a normal part of the climatic cycle of your home life?, you need to carefully choose your wood. There are great timbers for you with natural water repellent and anti rot and decay qualities. Find our what is the one major common problem you will have to face with decking timber whichever climate you live in? If you think that the type of timber that you choose, mainly depends on the color of the facade of your home and the style of your home or can even just be based on your budget… – you may be surprised to know that your choice should first of all be dictated by your location, the climate you live in.

A verandah (or veranda) is a long, roofed, open gallery built around a central structure, and supported by pillars. Verandahs are often long enough to extend around the front and sides of a structure. Their origins are uncertain, but they are known to be a hybrid of East Indian and European styles. The purpose of the verandah is social, although in a more relaxed, everyday sense than is the case of a deck or patio.

Because decks appear to be simple to build, many people do not realize that decks are, in fact, structures that need to be designed to adequately resist certain stresses. Like any other house or building, a deck must be designed to support the weight of people, snow loads, and objects. A deck must be able to resist lateral and uplift loads that can act on the deck as a result of wind or seismic activity. Deck stairs must be safe and handrails graspable. And, finally, deck rails should be safe for children by having proper infill spacing.

Decks higher than 3 feet above grade that do not have diagonal decking should have diagonal bracing across the bottoms of the joists to keep the decking square. A deck that is not held square could permit the outer posts to lean to the right or left and parallel to the ledger board, and thus twist the ledger away from the home or building.

Having your deck or veranda checked by a professional home inspector ensures you will not have to suffer the expense of renovating your structure if it turns out not to meet local building code requirements. The Barrie Home Inspector has the knowledge and experience to perform these inspections for you.

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Exterior Structures

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