Tag Archives: Deck Design Details
Dog friendly deck gates prove that man’s best friend can also benefit from outdoor living enjoyment
These Atlanta homeowners chose to install a dog gate to gain more control over their pets surroundings.
Dogs by nature are companion animals. Throughout history dogs have been touted as “man’s best friend”. Dogs play a crucial role in our lives, and are considered to be part of the family unit. At Archadeck, we are seeing a trend with our owners asking for customized dog gates for their outdoor living areas such as decks, porches and patios. The dog gate serves a dual purpose for Fido and dog owners.
Custom dog gate at top of 2nd story deck
Dog deck gates can give you and your dog all the benefits of enjoying the outdoors, while having complete control over their surroundings. Let’s say for example your family and the neighbors family are enjoying a day by your backyard pool. The only dilemma is that the dog keeps jumping in the pool. In an effort to appease your guests, and to make everyone happy you opt to enclose your dog inside the house for the afternoon. This means that Fido will miss the exercise, fresh air and camaraderie of being part of the family. With a custom installed dog deck gate, you can opt to keep Fido in the backyard but away from the pool deck area, or keep him in close proximity to the action within the deck. The choice is yours.
This deck features a sliding gate perfect for the family, and the family dog.
Dog gates offer safety, security and the convenience of having the freedom to spend more time with your pampered pooch. Our dog gates can be custom built alongside your deck’s railing system, so they offer functionality as well as aesthetic appeal. Not only do the gates offer a safe haven for your dog to take in the wonder of the great outdoors, many of our gates have become a choice for homeowners with small children as well. The gates can keep your toddler from straying away from the security of the backyard deck while you are busy cooking those hot dogs on the grill. This feature offers homeowners peace of mind, and more family-time for outdoor living enjoyment. It’s a win, win situation.
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta can custom design a dog-friendly deck gate best suited for your needs and individual taste. Contact us today to learn more about our innovative and functional outdoor living designs. (770) 377 – 2900
greateratlanta@archadeck.net
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta Jeff Mullins and Sol Elisha
Is your Atlanta area deck safe for family and friends? Would you pay $99 to find out?
Archadeck decks are built to a 60 lb live load - that's 50% stronger than the requirement. This Sandy Springs GA. deck with double pergolas built by Archadeck of Greater Atlanta offers beauty and safety
Decks can collapse if they’re built the wrong way by the wrong builder. You may remember the deck crash in Marietta last year. At least five people were injured by the deck pulling away from the wall, falling backwards toward the home, and then landing atop them.
Our decks are so structurally sound you can have the whole neighborhood on your deck with not a care in the world.
Is your deck safe?. Unfortunately, you may be right to worry. Georgia is one of only two states left that require only a 40 lb PSF live load. In other states, the requirement is a 60 lb PSF live load. And to add insult to injury, most builders are not GA licensed builders. Some that are licensed don’t have the means to evaluate what live load levels they’re building to which means they are going by what city inspectors will allow them to build as their gauge.
All of our outdoor structures are constructed of the highest quality materials and expert workmanship which exceeds standard building codes in the area.
How can you find out if your deck is safe? The answer is simple.
Have a certified professional come evaluate your deck. Archadeck of Greater Atlanta provides comprehensive deck inspections for only $99. If you build with us then we will put the $99 toward your project. Our safety standards are superior to other builders in our area because we have engineering tables and have to make sure our decks are certified at 60lb live load, which is 50% higher than the requirement. Our decks last longer since there’s no movement because they’re built so well. Our quality standards ensure your enjoyment as well as your peace of mind. The bottom line is if you wants your deck to last twice as long, look twice as good and be able to confidently get twice the number of people using it at once, use Archadeck of Greater Atlanta.
Don't trust your safety to just any builder- contact Archadeck of Greater Atlanta
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta Jeff Mullins and Sol Elisha
To learn more about our beautiful quality-built decks then contact Archadeck of Greater Atlanta to schedule a comprehensive deck inspection at your home. You will be glad you did. Call us at (770) 377 – 2900 or email us at greateratlanta@archadeck.net
See more photos of our other stunning deck designs by visiting our decks photo galleries located on our website.
It’s a long way to Brookhaven for these Atlanta deck builders
Historic Brookhaven is a wonderful place to call home. The allure of Brookhaven is steeped in history with many of it’s homes originally designed by a number of renowned architects during the pre-war period.
This 1880's Brookhaven home gets a new deck
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta is currently in the process of building a new deck for these homeowners. The deck will span an impressive 1400 sq. feet upon completion. The homeowners selected Gossen PVC decking. In addition to Gossen being a beautiful decking board, it is the only PVC line that carries a lifetime guarantee. The completed project will include an inset spa, charming cedar pergola, and a gable roof barbecue porch (covered patio) with nice railing to compliment the earthy wood grains used throughout the structure.
Sometimes in the design process, the selection of higher end materials forces some additional budget decisions. When we initially met with the homeowners we anticipated a 1500-1600 sq. foot deck design. Through the process of design and choosing materials, the homeowners decided they wanted to have a low maintenance deck. That is why they made the decision to invest in Gossen 100% PVC decking. They scaled back the original size to about 1200 Sq. foot deck and now they see some other opportunities within their yard.
It's a long way to Brookhaven for these Atlanta deck builders
We found out early into the project that we would have a challenge in terms of delivering material. In order to get the materials to the home in a timely manner we had to go down the neighbors’ drive and then cross a circa 1800’s bridge with the materials in tow. Getting the material to it’s proper location on this project is proving many hands working together can make light work. Archadeck of Greater Atlanta believes in teamwork and having expert project managers which is important because every job is different from the design to what’s involved in delivering materials and up until the final nail is placed.
This is the circa 1800's bridge that served as the route for making sure the material arrived safely to the project
When the homeowners purchased their Brookhaven home about 8 years ago,it came with an above ground pool with a wood surround deck. At the time the existing yard wasn’t very useful for much more. So they demolished the pool and existing deck themselves in anticipation of the project we are currently working on. Along with the stunning Gossen Spanish Walnut deck, they are adding a spa deck outside the master bedroom which will contain a luscious Hot Springs spa tub. The area will also include a pergola over about a 10×20 area. The pergola has been engineered to have a larger header so they can use pure posts and have a unique fan shaped pergola. The pergola will also include custom made Gossen benches. The homeowners plan to finish the project out with Fortress black round metal balusters which will aid in beauty and will leave ample space to visually see out through to the back yard.
Take a virtual tour of the finished project below.
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta Jeff Mullins and Sol Elisha
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta , as well as these Brookhaven homeowners are looking forward to completion of this magnificent outdoor space. Stay tuned for finish photos coming soon. This already gorgeous and refined home will soon have a backyard to brag about, and a new outdoor living area to aid in creating their own history. Contact Archadeck of Greater Atlanta to learn about creating an outdoor oasis of your own by calling (770) 377 – 2900 or email us at greateratlanta@archadeck.net
To see images of more low maintenance Atlanta area decks, visit our composite and PVC decks gallery located on our website.
From the yard below, you can see the elevated portion of this deck along with the hot tub deck over to the right of the photo
This deck utilizes a Gossen Spanish Walnut composite PVC low maintenance decking board
From this view, you can see the custom benches, the corner fan pergola and the custom benches under the pergola
A view of the covered porch from the back yard
These owners can enjoy the scents wafting from the Big Green Egg as they sit in their vivid red Adirondack chairs
It's really important that the deck look as beautiful from the back yard as it does looking out toward the back yard.
Call us for a free consultation on your deck. (770) 377 – 2900 Wee look forward to talking to you.
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta weaves added space and magic into this John’s Creek GA outdoor area
This John's Creek homeowner gets more than just outdoor living space with this new screen porch and deck by Archadeck of Greater Atlanta, she gets a living scrapbook to hold cherished family memories as well.
Each of us has a special memory from childhood that takes us back to a time within our lives when we felt secure and filled with love and happiness. These memories can be stirred by a visualization, a sound or even an aroma. Remembering a special spot or location where our treasured childhood events took place can also fuel the emotions and warmth linked to that period in our lives. In the case of this John’s Creek/ Alpharetta, GA homeowner, her fondest memories of childhood were linked to a beloved family screened porch where treasured moments will live in her mind forever. In an effort to re-create the magic of her youth in spending that same special family time on a screened porch of her own, she contacted us to bring her memories to life.
View of the deck and screen porch from the backyard of this John's Creek/ Alpharetta, GA homeowner.
What this John’s Creek homeowner was originally looking for was a big screen porch to mimic her screen porch from childhood and to duplicate the richness it added to her family memories. She also wanted to incorporate a deck into the design for added space to extend her own family’s outdoor living enjoyment. The design we came up with includes a gable roof screen porch and large “sun porch” through the use of a big deck. The original design was 14 x 14 and included room for eating and seating areas.
The addition of 2 feet makes a huge difference in the flow of this Alpharetta, GA screen porch by Archadeck of Greater Atlanta.
The area was constructed using gorgeous kiln dried wood and black picket railing. The screen porch includes an enclosure built around the fireplace so the homeowner can mount a TV to catch the Georgia Bulldogs game on the weekend amid family and friends. The screen porch also contains beautiful, large sconce lighting on the wall posts that brings the mood lighting down to eye level. We included a ceiling fan with a light within the area for extra comfort.
Even though the homeowners were ecstatic about their new screen porch and deck, they realized that the furniture and accessories were going to take up more room than had been anticipated. The realization that outdoor furniture is a lot larger these days gave way to rethinking the size of the area.
This image shows the flow and harmony of the structure in correlation with the outdoor furnishings.
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta extended the entire area to a bountiful 16×16 , which gave the homeowner an extra two feet on all sides to better suit their outdoor living needs. You may wonder just how big a deal is an extra 2 feet? The added two feet of space made the area feel more like a room than a tightly accommodated screen porch.The homeowner was then able to include a three-person couch, nice sitting chairs, and a dinette set with chairs around it within the area and still have plenty of room in-between for traffic flow and furniture pull-out. We went through a lot of extra work to make this extra two foot dream happen, but it was well worth it. This is proof that in matters of the heart, and outdoor structures an extra two feet can make a huge difference. This John’s Creek/ Alpharetta homeowner now has a space reminiscent of her childhood to create her own family’s scrapbook of magical moments.
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta Jeff Mullins and Sol Elisha
If you are looking for a way to create memorable moments in your own backyard, contact Archadeck of Greater Atlanta. We can weave our own brand of magic into an outdoor structure that will bring you joy and enchantment for many years to come. Call us at (770) 377 – 2900 or email us at greateratlanta@archadeck.net
You can see more inspiring screen porch and custom deck designs by Archadeck of Greater Atlanta by visiting our screen porch photo gallery and our deck gallery located on our website.
A new deck and screened porch and double pergola in Sandy Springs, GA
This stunning new deck and double pergolas is just one facet in the amazing design of these Sandy Springs, GA combination of outdoor structures.
These homeowners in Sandy Springs, GA are loving their new deck and screened porch combination outdoor structure and the twin cedar pergolas are like icing on the cake. These structures were built with keeping the view in mind, so these homeowners can take in all the beauty that mother nature has laid out before them within their beautifully landscaped yard. The surrounding trees add to the effect as you journey into the backyard via the newly constructed stairway.
The screened porch also serves as a 3 season room for more enjoyment season to season
This outdoor structure design was created for these Sandy Springs, GA homeowners, one of which is a doctor. The couple had an existing deck and screened porch which they inherited with the home. The dilemma that was facing the homeowners is that the previous builder had placed the detached porch on the opposite side of the deck and it sat squarely in front of the home’s bay window and blocked the beautiful view. Our goal was to come up with a design that would not only restore the homeowners lovely view, but would also require little maintenance because the homeowners were looking for a solution that was as low maintenance as you can get. We came up with a design that incorporates all they were wishing for and a whole lot more.
This photo shows how the three outdoor structures flow and harmonize as one.
The first obstacle we cleared was to demolish the detached porch and deck and restored their view. We then put the new screened porch on the left side of the new deck which made it possible to see the entire backyard but still keep the privacy which was important in the new design because the residence is just a short distance from a busy private school that brings in traffic and onlookers.
Zen design incorporates nature and open spaces through these pergolas by Archadeck of Greater Atlanta.
Removing the old porch and deck and redesigning the entire area opened up a world of outdoor living possibilities for the homeowners. The new deck is 300 square feet and the new screened porch is 250 square feet. We also re-built the stairs and added a pair of cedar pergolas placed in an inviting zen design within the new deck. The homeowners chose the beautiful and super low maintenance AZEK PVC decking for the porch flooring, rail cap and the new stairs. The AZEK color they chose is called Sedona and harmonizes
The pergolas also serve to provide added shade for these Sandy Springs, GA homeowners.
perfectly with the wood used throughout the structure. On the interior ceiling of the screened porch we used vinyl beadboard which is also low maintenance, and we topped it off with a charming metal roof. On the columns used in the structure we chose to use laminated columns because they offer a nicer finished look than that of wooden posts. The screened porch was constructed with the added benefit of having PGT industries Eze breeze four-track windows as well. This enables the homeowners to convert the structure into a 3 or 4 season room on demand. The octagonal lines used in the deck create a Zen effect when paired with the appeal of the twin cedar pergolas and also offer further privacy. Built-in bench seating is another part of the deck’s charm as well. These elements used together invite you to linger a while longer on the new deck.
The screened porch/ 3 season room is a private oasis which offers a lot of light.
No element of the new structures’ details were left behind during this amazing transformation. Archadeck of Greater Atlanta was able to give these Sandy Springs, GA homeowners a design that offers lots of light but also shelters them from the hustle and bustle nearby. All the while, it still gives the homeowners the feeling of being the only ones around and having a private outdoor oasis all their own. This deck, screened porch and pergola combination is proof positive that designing the right structure that encompasses all the homeowner’s desires can create the feeling of being in a world all your own.
The double pergolas enhance the entire design of the structure as a whole.
If you are ready to create an outdoor oasis of your own contact Archadeck of Greater Atlanta to discuss your design options and we can begin creating an outdoor structure, or compilation of structures that work together to shelter you in quality, style and beauty. (770) 377 – 2900
greateratlanta@archadeck.net
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta Jeff Mullins and Sol Elisha
See more stunning screened porch, deck and perfect pergola designs by visiting our galleries.
Marietta Deck Builders Are Not All The Same
For instance, say you are asking for quotes from several local deck building companies. Are you comparing apples to apples? The professional deck builder has a value added process to ensure great results.
Take a look at the following example with relation to the detail a superior deck building operation will go to to make sure that the capenters, designers, and home owners are on the same page after the project design is sold all the way to project completion.
At Archadeck, we use a system we call the CARPENTER PACKAGE which includes:
1. The subcontractor’s Agreemnet
2. Contractor’s Worksheet
3. Quality Assurance Worksheet
4. Drawing and Takeoff Feedback Form
5. Crew Evaluation Form
6. Material Return Form
7. Job Close-out Form
As the process progresses, we add the folling:
8. Construction Information Sheet
9. The Original Building Permit
10. Home Inspection Information
11. Design Proposal (this is a part of the contract and what we build has to look like what was sold)
12. Construction Drawings
13. Material Takeoffs (list)
14. Hardware Takeoff (list)
15. Copy of Purchase Order
All of this to emphasize that the details are that important to us to get the project right. Suffice it to say it should be just as important to you the home owner.