Multi Level Deck Design
Taking Patio & Deck Design to Another Level

Multi level deck design -- if done well, it's effortless entertaining on a grand scale. Your family will appreciate the beauty and the flow from area to area. It's also a great way to take full advantage of a spectacular view.

Wondering what the tips and pitfalls are? Let's take a look...

Deck Placement

Multi level deck design starts with the overall placement. Maybe you love to entertain. Maybe you've got a large family, and a bigger deck is just the thing. Your home could be situated on the water and a huge entertainment deck is the only way to fully enjoy the view.

With a multi level deck design, you can have your deck in multiple places, too. If you're on the lake, have one level just outside the dining room and another level lower and closer to the lake. It's one more way to make the long walk to the lake more fun, too. Much nicer than one long flight of steps.

Bring many rooms of your house together with your deck. Like the wrap around porch or the interior courtyard, it can really be an extension of your home. Because it has many levels, the planning is critical to fully enjoy it.

During one design consultation, I spoke with a young couple about their outdoor needs. Their back deck was both too small and in the wrong spot. They needed to be able to see the kids when they played in the large side yard -- but their deck was in the back!

Well, adding another level was the perfect solution. The upper level (which was too small for cookouts) was the perfect size for the grill and a little bistro set (think morning coffee, perhaps). Down a short flight of steps and around the corner, another deck could be planned for their patio set, and it would allow them to see everything that's going on with the kids. Perfect!

Deck Fun & Function

Whatever your reasoning for the deck, take a moment to assess your lot. How do you use it? What's your vision for the space?

The picture below is of a multi level patio, but just as easily could be adapted to a multi level deck design.

Make a list of things that you'd like to do with your deck. One multi level deck design that I drafted had one area for dining and grilling, one for socializing, and one for expanded entertaining. Other ideas are:

• built-in hot tub
• dining
• grilling
• pool deck area
• intimate dinners
• private owner's deck (off the Master Suite)
• entertaining/lake view
• kid's eating area

Entertaining on many levels is a great way to have larger entertainment space without the huge, flat expanse that one large deck would give you. So, it may be that you just need that amount of space for entertaining -- great!

Another advantage to multi level decks is that it can break up a long stretch of stairs. Just build a landing mid-way to the lower level and expand that into a deck. It will seem much easier to descend than a long flight.

Connecting It All

How do all of the levels connect? How do the stairs fit in? This is not something that you should guess at or 'build as you go'. A qualified contractor should be able to help you with these items.

Coordinating the levels takes careful preparation -- especially if you have more than one entry onto the deck from your house. You're also going to want to consider how your deck is going to connect with the rest of the yard.

Will the deck or stairs block traffic? Will the stairs land in a spot that makes them inconvenient? This is the kind of thing that you want to avoid. What may seem like a small problem now, over time can be greatly annoying.

Size

Now, take some time to figure how large your deck will be. What kind of furniture will you have? Will it be a dining set or just a few chairs? Where will you put the grill and the hot tub?

Some Final Notes...

Multi-level deck design is great because the differing levels marks out different spaces -- much like an area rug in your home. If you've got an existing patio, you could turn that into a multi level space by building a low deck next to it. Simple, eh?

A multi level deck design has many possibilities. Not only can your deck have many levels, but you can also build in pergolas and gazebos, benches and planters. If you've got a sloping lot, you could have multi-level patios, too!

Because your deck will have many levels -- and possibly many steps -- layout and design are even more important than if you had one level to deal with. You might consider working with a qualified designer. They'll be able to work out many of the details so that you'll have a deck that you can enjoy for years to come.

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