Note: we get a fair amount of rain out on the deck . . .

Something like this would be fab but I see it curling and not lasting and in the end being a waste of plastic . . . more landfill space . . . https://www.homedepot.com/p/nuLOOM-Malea-Bohemian-Hatched-Trellis-Multi-6-ft-x-9-ft-Indoor-Outdoor-Oval-Rug-MLCL04A-O609/312518576

This kind of rug is made out of recycled plastic but I still see it not having much of a long life, and then thrown out again . . . https://madmats.com/content/navajo

I was just going to suggest a bright outdoor rug! Yeah, they eventually get mold under them. Darn.

how lucky you are to have a hubby who can build this! I don’t mind the metal caging versus cable at all. I think with all the trees in your area, and the style of your home, the caging works perfectly. I always think of those cables as a more modern feel. Use the money you save from that to get things for your deck that you love. Maybe a strawberry planter or two. I also have one of those rugs on my patio. To be honest, I knew it wasn’t going to last when I bought it. It’s holding up well so far, but it is not a long-term investment.

Well Jo you have hit a nail on the head with my concerns over the "look" of the deck. The cable does seem more modern, but also I think my whole house and yard is eclectic so it might not be too bad . . . we certainly have many other projects to spend money on . . . with using the fencing, the only hesitation I have is going from a "jail" to a "cage" look and feel on the deck . . . but the cabling is going to be about a 450 dollar investment, give or take 50 bucks . . . the only reason we're considering it is we thought we would have to replace a lot of boards on the deck, but since we're not, we're saving quite a bit of money . . .

Slightly off topic . . . has anyone grown strawberries in a strawberry planter?? It would also look stunning with the herbs, and then I could use my rectangular planters for different colored lettuces . . . I was wondering how to get some height into the planter mix. A strawberry planter would fit in the corner, not impede the view . . .

That's why we are kind of loathe to put a lot of money into the deck. The smart thing would be to just put a small patio out there for grilling or extend the screened in porch with a sunroom/greenhouse . . . but the person who built this house had a wife in a wheelchair so the deck (which is open to the master bedroom) was just a place where she could wheel out and catch some fresh air . . . steps down to a deck would not have been a good thing for her . . .

Whenever we do anything on this house we have to parse not freaking out my Dad and not investing a ton of money. We are always looking for the easiest route that gives us the most bang for our buck. The deck was becoming an eyesore but it's not a very elegant or practical feature of our landscape. Most of the house is that way--rather impractical for a working family and was put up quick, everything is 25 year old "builder's grade."

I'm happy for you that you will have a deck you enjoy now!

Yes BB, with that old mildew laden rubber paving on it, we avoided even standing on it . . . and I'm sure it was contributing to my sinus problems . . . every channel held debris and it was hot to boot . . . my Dad installed the pavers, thought they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. We hope to finish the deck upgrade fast, before he knows what hit it . . .

I went to see my dad's old house this weekend. Once he moved to AL, he sold it. A flipper bought it. They have done it farmhouse style and while there were a few things I did not like (a barn door), mostly it looks great and the team has done a great job on the remodel. My mom and dad had a large sun room. The flipper added french doors at one end and they built a deck outside of that. They used this exact kind of railing and it really looks good!

I use an outdoor rug on our patio, underneath our pergola. I have had great luck with them and I believe I have two from Target. One is new and I haven't put out yet. The other we have used probably 3 years. It is still in good shape, has not faded, etc. but we got a rust stain on it and I cannot get it out. You can just hose them off. We have had no issues with mold whatsoever, and I live in the hot, humid south. We do not leave the rug out year round. Just as some of our outdoor furniture goes to the basement for the winter, so does the rug.

Painted on rug looks are pretty cool I think. At the top clear coat stage you can add some clear non skid grip that can be bought at any big box store.

I agree, paint a rug on it.

Some examples. - https://deavita.net/deck-paint-ideas-painting-wood-deck.html

Hubs wants to do a stain. I'm thinking I might buy one of those "recycled" rugs just to try it out. At worst I will be throwing out something that was already thrown out once before . . . unless I come up with a better option. And like Jo says, just focus on the planters, the rest of the space in minimal anyway, after I get the table out there.

We're also going to run a downspout under the deck. Right now, the entire back of the house drains to one downspout at the very end, and water overflows out of the gutters constantly and causes mildew and other problems against the back of the house . . . It's shady back there too, which is why we are focusing on clear of debris and dry for right up next to the house . . .

Our thought is to move the plant landscaping well out away from the deck, to give us something to look out AT.

I think the PO thought that the rails and shrubs would give privacy to someone out on the deck, since our back yard opens to a busy road. However, the privacy was minimal and the moisture and varmints that took shelter around the deck was a bigger issue for us . . .

OMG Maddielee, that painted rug is SO CUTE. Maybe someday when I have lots and lots of time on my hands. I can even see gluing some glittery sand on it . . . not this year though. Too many other more essentials yet to accomplish . . . maybe by the time the recycled rug has worn out . . .

I hate to bring it up, but our experience with paint was that it didn't last very long on the pressurized wood, like two years max . . . That's what Dad was doing, painting the deck same as the porch was painted, which is how it was when they bought the place, he just kept at it. The plus side of stain is that as it wears, it doesn't peel, just kind of fades out . . .

Edited to add that if it looked something like these photos, maybe we could live with it . . . not sure about using a home made version, these are store bought deck panels which are much more costly . . .

Instead of a railing, looking towards the backyard, do a step . It doesn't look to far off the ground so maybe you could do a single step down and have railings at both sides of deck only. An Aunt has a deck like that. I would suggest for a visual aide to have the plank on the edge of the deck be stained a different color otherwise it is hard to see edge. The step can be more of a different level/landing than the usual step depth.

Pink, a good power washing may help some of that paint come up. Plus will get rid of any mold, etc. I would definitely take care of the gutter problem first, that is probably causing some of your problems. Can't wait to see what you do!

Oooh oooh I just found a whole blog and video with a complete pictorial on how to do a very similar deck makeover. I think it sold me on the wire mesh panels! And I do think they would be more in keeping with my "cottage" style home . . . https://toolboxdivas.com/how-easily-build-and-install-deck-railing/

It's three steps to the ground, too high for just a step without a deck railing. There would be some cool things we could do, but the main thing would be just tear off and start over, which we are not going to do at this point. I like the idea of the mesh panels--improvement but not terribly labor intensive or expensive. Husb could knock it all out in a day. The most time consuming part will be groundhog proofing the area under the deck, doing the downspout, and refinishing the wood . . .

Tips and tricks on all that from those who have been there greatly appreciated!

Now to worry about the drainage. Theoretically it should be buried to prevent freezing, but I don't see it being any more problematic UNDER the deck than the current system that drains right next to the house. We buried one, the one that comes out over our fire pit . . . but there are several that are NOT buried. They do freeze, but they freeze way farther up anyway . . . as long as we have the outlet far enough away from the house and pitched right, it won't cause any more problems to the foundation than the other ones we have . . .

I'm not sure it will be damper if it comes out in two spots or one big one. Same water, just more dispersed . . . as it is, the gutters leak onto the doors, siding etc.

Pink, I am excited for you on the deck remodel. I love the cage-style wire. Whatever you choose will be an improvement.

I have not grown strawberries in a strawberry pot but I do use mine for succulents if that is an option for you. They work very well in our hot environment, and not having to water often is a plus. I would probably put the pot on a flat stone of some sort to avoid water stains on your deck, just like any other pot.

Well, I decided against strawberries, even though I am running a plant sale featuring them at a buck a piece. The resident chipmunk that lives under our deck would be THRILLED with them, but I would not be thrilled trying to keep him/her out of them . . . not to mention our backyard squirrels and birds . . . little Chippy already got in onto our screened-in porch today while we were working on the deck . . . he/she manages to be just cute enough and not annoying enough that I don't exterminate him/her. But that could change . . .