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Decks vs. Patios: 5 Things to Consider When Making Your Choice

4/20/2012

20 Comments

 
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This Deck was Built Over A Steep Slope
When most people approach me and ask about increasing their outdoor living space, they typically have a rough idea of what they’re looking for.  “We’d like a new paver stone patio,” the call usually goes, or “We’d like a new deck off our rear kitchen door.”  Sometimes people even have their layout envisioned, and its really just a matter of me giving them installation costs for their ideas.

But there are other times when people know they want to increase their outdoor living space, but really have no idea of what direction they want to pursue.  Maybe the husband wants a deck and the wife wants a patio.  Or neither really has any idea what to take into consideration.

So what should you consider when planning your outdoor living space?  Here are five basic things that hopefully will make your decision a bit easier.

1.  Grades and Elevation. 
Often times this is the one factor that may make your decision for you.  What is the elevation of your back door?  If it’s almost directly at grade, in otherwords there is just a single step out the door to the yard, then there may not be enough room to construct the deck and leave room for the necessary framing and supports.  In this case a patio would be the way to go.

Conversely, if your yard has a significant slope that doesn’t provide a large level area, then a deck is the way to go. 
Decks also allow you to build over tree roots, providing the opportunity to build around trees without harming the trees.

2.  Maintenance. 
Nearly everybody will tell you that decks typically require more maintenance, and for the most part this is true.  Of course a lot of this depends on the type of materials used to build the deck and the environment where the deck is built.  But in general most wood decks require some annual maintenance in the form of water sealing at the very least.  And while composite materials are marketed as being maintenance-free, they are still prone to moss and mildew growth and most likely will need to get pressure-washed on an annual basis as well.

Patios typically require less maintenance, but to say they are maintenenace-free would also be a stretch.  Mortared flagstone surfaces will need to be repointed at some point, paver stones are prone to some minor weed growth and most likely will need to be re-swept with sand every few years.  And while sealing a hardscaping surface isn’t always entirely necessary, if you do choose to seal the patio it will need resealing every few years to maintain the sealed appearance.

3.  Other Features. 
Considering a firepit?  If so, a wood deck might not be the way to go, for somewhat obvious reasons.  Or a hot tub?  While decks can be built to hold the weight of a filled hot tub, it certainly requires a lot more framing to accommodate the extra load.  Most patio surfaces, if installed correctly with the adequate base preparation can handle the weight of a typically sized hot tub.

4.  Design Preferences and Personal Taste. 
Basic deck construction tends to be more linear in its make-up, while it is much easier to incorporate curves in a grade-level patio.  That’s not to say curves can’t be incorporated into a deck, but it certainly requires a bit more engineering and added costs.  

And while this may seem like a basic idea, if you’re a person who likes the look and feel of wood, then a deck may make more sense for you.  If you’re a person who likes the look and feel of stone, then a patio is probably the way to go.

5.  And the million-dollar category – Cost. 
Not that either is going to cost you a million dollars (that’d be one huge living space!).  To be honest, the costs are pretty similar, with a range depending on materials. I’ve seen a fair amount of information resources that tend to say decks are a bit more expensive than patios. But in reading further you’ll see that these articles are usually comparing a deck to a plain concrete patio. Once you compare a flagstone or paver stone patio to a deck, the costs become much more in line with one another.

Decks tend to have a much wider range in costs – a 16x20 deck on one site may cost nearly twice as much as the same size deck on another site, based on how high above grade the structure is built, the engineering necessary for the deck to carry the load, and the slope on which the deck is being built.

Unless an excessive amount of excavation is needed, or an excessive amount of re-grading is required to form a level space, patios tend to be much more consistently priced from one site to the next.

When it comes to composite decking, the prices typically start to become more expensive than their patio counterparts.  Not only are composites roughly about twice the price of wood, they also require much more framing due to the flexible nature of the materials.

In addition to these five items, local building codes may also come into play as to what is or isn’t allowed.  Most deck construction will require a permit, and with environmental concerns really starting to become a factor, many municipalities are also requiring stormwater management plans in conjunction with hardscaping installation.

These are just a few of the things to take into consideration when planning your project.  Ultimately every project, and every site is different and unique. Perhaps some of these considerations may apply to your site and not others.  Or maybe there are additional things that haven’t been brought up in this article.

For a free consultation on how to best increase your outdoor space, please feel free to give us a call.  We’d love
to help!

20 Comments
Matt link
4/20/2012 06:54:31 am

Well written Clark. Outdoor spaces deserve the same consideration as indoor ones that's for sure.

Reply
Anna link
4/26/2012 09:02:11 am

Sorry Clark, I thought I commented on this. This is an excellent comparision (for planning purposes) of decks & patios. I shared it on Facebook and will have these points in mind the next time I'm hashing a deck vs. patio project out with a client.

One additional point to consider is keeping with the style and price of the house. Certain stone products have a definate air to them that may look like you're, forgive me, "putting lipstick on a pig", while a pressure treated deck may look as equally out of place on an upscale house.

Reply
Clark
4/26/2012 10:27:47 am

Another good point Anna. Thanks for sharing on Facebook, and glad the article can be of some use to you.

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Carolyn
1/29/2013 12:22:46 am

Great article and very helpful for us firs timers. Wish you would come down and give me a quote for a walk out patio in Frederick / New Market, Md. :) Know anyone down this way?

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Clark link
1/30/2013 11:08:15 pm

Thanks Carolyn --

Glad the article could be of some use. Unfortunately, no, I don't know anybody in the Frederick MD market. Good luck with the project!

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kelly
5/22/2013 02:21:39 am

This article was very helpful to me. We currently have a deck that needs to be replaced and we were very focused on putting back the same thing we had but then started to consider just going with a stamped concrete patio. These tips will be helpful in making that decision. thanks

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Karen link
8/13/2016 08:33:28 pm

This is a great reading post. Thank for share it here

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Amy Flores link
6/30/2017 12:00:11 am

A deck or a patio can increase the increase the square foot without robbing the children of their college educations. Most of the home owners use these items increasingly but they don't know the difference between the two. Thus, here I would like to say that a patio refers to an outdoor space placed directly on the ground. It may be connected to the house or placed in a separate part of the yard. Where as decks can be built near the ground but they can not not be placed directly on the ground. As they have their usefulness in their own way, so , one should take a pause while making his choice.

Reply
https://seattlenorthwest.archadeck.com link
2/1/2020 02:02:16 am

This is such a great resource about Decks vs. Patios. This is going to help me greatly! Thank you!. Looking forward for some more related articles.

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Max Jones link
5/26/2022 09:34:25 am

Thanks for the info about decks. My brother wants to renovate his home. I'll tell him about the idea of building a deck.

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Braden Bills link
6/23/2022 06:08:54 am

I want to make sure that I get my landscape put together properly, but I'm not sure how to go about it. It makes sense that I would want to get a professional to help me out with this. That seems like a good way to ensure that I put everything together properly.

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Afton Jackson link
7/8/2022 12:06:52 am

I appreciate you explaining how concrete patios are a better foundation for lots of other fixtures. Fire pits and hot tubs could make our backyard extra relaxing to stay in during chilly evenings, and I'm sure my family would want to enjoy that. I'll start this project by asking a concrete expert to help me out with laying out the foundations for it.

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Victoria Addington link
8/1/2022 03:52:31 am

It captivated me the most when you shared that deck can be built in the yard without harming the trees. That's probably why my husband wants us to have a deck. I should tell him to work with an expert in deck construction to achieve a precise job.

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Mia Evans link
9/1/2022 04:18:10 am

It got me when you said that deck builders can work around trees and their roots, so we can keep them growing. I would love to choose this option for my backyard, especially when we have fruit trees there when we bought this place. We will benefit from them when we keep them alive and healthy even if we have a deck installed, because we can eat the fruits once it is their season.

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Jessie Holloway link
9/9/2022 07:39:14 am

I love how you point out the importance of what you want to use your outdoor space for when it comes to deciding what material to make it. My sister wants to have an outdoor lounge area in her backyard and a small kitchenette. She's been looking into what to expect from paving materials rather than wood and trying to find a paving contractor to help her start the project.

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Olivia Smart link
12/15/2022 11:59:11 am

Thank you for explaining how a deck can be a good idea if you like the look and feel of wood. My husband and I are thinking about adding an outdoor living space to our home. I'll be sure to consider this, since I do prefer wood over a stone patio.

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Taylor M. link
1/5/2023 01:11:45 pm

I love your writing. If I could say one thing about decks vs. patios that decks are easier to clean. I only know that because I do pressure washing for a living and have cleaned a lot of patios and decks.

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Millie Hue link
1/15/2023 11:18:46 pm

Thanks for helping me understand that composite materials would be the ones that are almost maintenance-free, but they would need to be pressure washed yearly to remove moss and mildew. I will keep that in mind if I choose that kind of material for the decking of our future home, especially when we want the parts to be made with a practical product. We will also have to follow a certain budget because we have been saving up for this project for years which is why we don't want to have any delays in getting the dream house we have.

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Jessie Holloway link
1/16/2023 09:32:32 am

Thanks so much for talking about the benefits and limitations that come with wanting to build a deck. My parents bought a small vacation home not too long ago and they want to rebuild the old deck it has. We'll have to look into finding some professionals to help my parents install a new deck that fits all their requirements.

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Julia Evans link
1/27/2023 07:01:30 pm

Love learning about outdoor spaces. I'm about to redo my backyard!

Reply



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    Clark Kent Creations, LLC is a full-service landscape construction company servicing the Pennsylvania communities of Delaware County, Chester County, The Main Line, and the University City, Art Museum, and Manayunk/Roxborough neighborhoods of Philadelphia.  In addition to this blog page, additional information regarding the company and our services can be found on the subsequent pages of the site.
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    Clark Linderman is the president of Clark Kent Creations, LLC, a landscape construction company based in Swarthmore, PA.  He is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan.  In addition to his passion for all things outdoors, he counts Michigan football, Phillies baseball, Superman memorabilia, Memphis R&B music, and good craft brews among his many interests.  He currently resides in Swarthmore with his wife, Sheila, two sons, his dog Krypto, and a really, really messy garage full of work supplies and toys.

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    Clark Kent Creations, LLC
    Swarthmore, PA
    Design and Construction to Maximize Your Outdoor Experience

    707-290-9410
    clark@clarkkentcreations.com
    Serving Delaware County, PA

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