Hi-Tech Touches Add Zest and Color

A deck doesn't have to be limited to an all-wood design to complement a wood-clad house. One idea for easily varying a deck's look and mood is changing the material of the railing. A tubular rail, for instance, can inject a hi-tech note and lend a more contemporary feeling to the overall design.

©California Redwood Association The rails complement the rich tones of the redwood stairs and landings. The midlevel spa is accessible from the house yet remains hidden from the main deck.

The 50s-era home shown here got a zesty facelift with a redwood replacement deck high-lighted by a railing made of steel-tubing and finished in an exuberant red.

©California Redwood Association Deck posts and substructure are enclosed in diagonal wood siding that harmonizes with the existing horizontal boards of the house.

To give the fairly narrow deck a little more elbow room, two triangular popouts were added along with built-in seating, eliminating the need for bulky furniture. New French doors replace aluminum windows and permit access from three major areas of the house -- the living room, dining room, and kitchen. A series of stairs and landings segregates various activities, such as dining or relaxing in the hot tub, and provides an easy route to the backyard. The painted redwood siding of the lower portion of the deck blends in with the existing house while its diagonal pattern updates the building's appearance.

©California Redwood Association Steel tubing edges this deck, giving it a contemporary look. The redwood floorboards were screwed in place from underneath for a smooth, fastener-free finish.

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