Landscaping the side of the deck skirt
We just got this deck build on the back yard and want to make the sides pretty. I can't figure out search terms how I could find some ideas or DIY videos on youtube on this topic. I find a lot of deck skirting, but not the landscaping.
I would probably put a few 40x40x concrete tiles on the right side on top of the black cover and have some jars and pots filled with vegetation on top. At the end (closest to camera) I would put one more plank at the bottom and fille the bottom with river bebbles.
Comments (19)
Paul F.
15 days agoRelated Discussions
IPE deck Skirting
Comments (1)If you are going to do skirting, need to think about framing it. Support from bottom, sides and top. Do not want wind to blow against a solid wall just hanging. In spite of weight, given leverage, needs bracing against ground/posts or something so that movement does not twist rim joist. If post are on leading edge than could create a box frame between posts. If the more common cantilevered front edge of deck, then could put in new posts into the ground (with footings) and build frame between the new posts and deck. If the new posts are not structural to the deck (not needed to support the deck), three posts should be adequate with a box frame and some diagonal cross bracing. Wind load is probably at least as important as dead weight in this large a flat surface. Furthermore, underside of deck needs ventilation. So whatever pattern of boards you use, leave a lot of gap somewhere for air to pass through to keep condensation from forming on underside of deck boards. Also keep ends of IPE off the ground. It is not suitable for ground contact(moisture will cause it to rot)...See MoreDeck Skirting and Proper Ventilation
Comments (3)How about solid panels set 6" above the ground? That allows air flow, blocks the sun to minimize plant growth, also allows water runoff paths(rain/splashes), and weed edgers room to work without damaging the structure. Not a fan of wood in contact with the ground, especially plywood. Even railroad ties eventually rot....See MoreDeck with a skirt/lattice
Comments (9)Aurora, I'm sorry if you interpreted my comments as argumentative.....they were not intended to be so. I have been a participant here for more than 20 years as well as a practicing designer and I do not recall any specific admonitions to not lattice off a deck. It is really a matter of personal choice or individual circumstance.......as many of these issue are :-) I can't see how latticing or not would factor in very substantially one way or the other wrt keeping critters at bay, other than what I stated previously. If determined, they will find a way in, no skirting at all, lattice skirting or even solid skirting. Since a great proportion of landscape design choices are determined by aesthetics - at best a very subjective determinant - that is really the only valid factor. If you like looking at the bare (or sometimes weedy) area under a deck, leave it exposed. If you don't like that look or prefer a more "finished" approach, then screen it off with lattice or anything else you prefer....See MoreDeck skirting/lattice. Advice needed.
Comments (12)With Trex, you have plenty of options as colors and railing color combinations...You can accomplish pretty much any look you after. We always wrap deck subframe with white restoration board and the same for stair stringers and risers, if the deck is at higher elevation like in your case, we wrap the post with the same white material and if the customer wants to add some detail to the columns we add some composite trim and make them look like decorative columns. The white composite material we use is the restoration board, we buy it in sheets and rip them to the sizes we need, they usually come with one side being wood grain and the other side smooth. Also if you plan on using lattice, you can purchase privacy lattice in Viny (they have a bit thicker lattice than the one that box stores sell it cost a bit more) or Wood lattice which can be painter white or stained to match anything... Purchase the one that is 3/4" thick which is very sturdy and both lattices come with 1-3/4" spacing, when installed it gives you under the deck privacy and it looks a little better in comparison to typical diamond pattern lattice with the larger spacing. Good luck...See Morelatifolia
15 days agoVili Panski
15 days ago
PRO
Eileen
15 days ago
acm
14 days agoIf you're *not* having any kind of railings, then I'd aim for hedges along at least a couple sides, to give a bit of privacy as well as the safety aspect. Or you could have tall wooden planters built that double as benches for parties.
Farm Field Pacific Rim · More Info
Trex Composite Decking. · More Info
Central Deck Space · More InfoLots of ways to appraoch that. If you want to do it all outside the deck, I guess you have to choose how close to get to the footings and how not to encourage critters to live there.
Edgemont - Backyard · More Info
Beautiful Small Landscape · More InfoYou might want to thnk of your whole yard and how to make the deck fit into it in terms of landscaping of various sorts. You could get a landscape designer to make you a plan/vision that you could implement in steps over the years...
Vili Panski
14 days agolast modified: 14 days agoVili Panski
14 days agolast modified: 14 days ago@laceyvail 6A, WVthank you! Currently we have trees few meters away, but they don't give any cover which is why we do want to consider an umbrella. The deck is towards south(ish) and gets sun from morning till afternoon.
There will be cover in the corner where you see the old poles. Something like this:
Vili Panski
14 days ago@acm that deck with just grass on the side looks good too!
Edgemont - Backyard · More Info
Would you rather put the wooden planters at the side or on top of the deck? If we put them on top of concrete tiles (see on the left side on the big picture) there would be more space on the deck itself.AnnKH
14 days agoVili Panski
14 days agoAnnKH
14 days agoEileen
14 days agolast modified: 14 days agoIt's not a big deck so I wouldn't put anything on it except for a few potted plants.
Here's my deck. On the left side I have a rhododendron, a hydrangea in bloom, and a Hot Lips salvia. On the right we had to remove 3-4' of decking when we had a/c installed. Before that, we had a hardy fuchsia alongside the deck. That created an open space that was 12' off the ground so we built a planter box along that side. We really don't have room for our 48" table and four chairs now. We'll need a smaller table.
I put Blue Arrows rush in it but I'm going to put a trellis on it this spring and grow something else. You can see how the fuchsia filled that side before we removed decking. To the right of the fuchsia is a Japanese maple. With it as a focal point, I was able to place other plants around it to complete the bed.
Plan is for a short trellis.
This is the bed that curves around from the steps to the corner of the house. You can see the maple and the side of the planter box. That path comes from the side of the house and goes to the deck steps.
A shrub rose screens the left front. I have lavender and other perennials on the front right side.
Eileen
14 days ago
laceyvail 6A, WV