Useable space in the backyard is always top priority in every one of my designs. This may offend a few of the gardeners out there, but if you don’t have a spot to sit outside with family and friends and enjoy the roses, then those blooms are a wasted opportunity!

When it comes to creating useable space, most homeowners go with either wood or stone.

If you’re thinking about adding a wood deck, here are a few points you need to know.

Remodeling Magazine (2019) released a study showing that the return on investment for a wood deck is 82%, surpassing all indoor renovations. This means that for every dollar that you spend on a deck, you’ll get up to .82 back for the life of the deck.

When it comes to costs, decks will always be the “less expensive option” in creating an outdoor living space when compared to patios. Even if you choose high-end materials, the labour required to install a deck is less, helping to reduce your overall cost.

Installation is also a big benefit for choosing a deck. The way a deck is built allows you more creativity in location. Because the actual structure is built above the ground, tree roots, wet soil, even big slopes can be easily overcome. Even a DIY’er can have great success installing a simple deck structure with plenty of how-to videos available online.

Unfortunately, wood decks don’t mix well with the elements as compared to some other outdoor materials like stone and concrete. Sun, snow, rain, ice and hail can all deteriorate unprotected wood, reducing its lifespan significantly. We are now seeing more products entering into the market that extend the life of your deck. Composites like Trex (www.Trex.com) mix plastics with wood, allowing you to have a deck that lasts up to 25 years. Even the traditional green pressure-treated wood is getting a facelift with new products like MicroPro Sienna (www.microprosienna.com), which is a rich brown toned wood that uses a stain with smaller molecules allowing for deeper penetration.

A good deck can increase a home’s perceived value by up to 10% by increasing the available living space according to several sources including the Gallop Organization. If you can rely on a 10% increase to your home’s value by adding a deck, you now know exactly how much you can spend when creating useable space in your backyard. I tell homeowners to never spend more than 10 percent of your home’s value when adding a deck. Why spend money that you’re not going to get back?