Marc LaBossiere / Winnipeg Free Press
The old patio blocks made for a less inviting backyard.
Marc LaBossiere / Winnipeg Free Press
Both adjoining tiers, with stairs detail.
Photos by Marc LaBossiere / Winnipeg Free Press
Adjoining deck tiers lead to Daniela Wightman's hot tub.
Higher hot tub tier with wrap-around stairs
Most clients have a pretty good idea what it is they’d like to achieve before a contractor’s first visit, regarding renovations and upgrades to their home and/or property.
They’ll often provide a crude sketch with visible revisions and walk the contractor through a variety of details, as notes are taken so a refined sketch with greater detail can then be provided to them for review. On occasion, however, a client at a loss for ideas and without design forethought, asks that magical question — "what do YOU think we should do?"
It was a beautiful spring day in 2016, when I first met Daniela Wightman — she had inquired about deck-building costs a few weeks earlier and mentioned that the backyard was rarely used in its current condition. And while we had ascertained a preference of brown pressure-treated lumber over a composite top-decking product, and that the deck would provide access to a hot tub that had already been installed on the property, further details would soon be established during my site visit.
The Tuxedo area always impresses me: large houses with big backyards, nestled behind thriving foliage and lush green grass. The immensity of Daniela’s fenced-in backyard, however, was overshadowed by the lack of friendly space — although there was a large patio area, most of the old patio blocks were uneven, cracked and overgrown with weeds. The hot tub was set way back in the corner of the yard, a fair distance away from the back patio door. As I stared at the area, Daniela quietly muttered those words I long to hear: "I’m not sure what to do about these patio blocks — what do you think?" The answer was as clear as day to me.
The first step in deck-building involves installing adequate supports below each beam, to provide structural integrity throughout the deck’s framework. My proposal in this instance was quite simple — a nearly ground-level, non-beamed, deck frame, which covered the existing patio block configuration, with an adjoining upper tier, which provided an "L-shape" access to the hot tub on two sides. The existing patio blocks would provide great foundational support below each joist, thereby eliminating the need for perpendicular beam support.
The two-by-eight header was attached to the house with TimberLok lag screws and the joist hangers were installed. The individual two-by-eight deck joists were set one by one into position. Only slight adjustments in elevation were required here and there, roughly on every other joist to provide for a level top surface — shims were used below the appropriate joists, between the patio block and joist to achieve this.
To ease the access height onto the main deck, a two-by-six high, and double two-by-six wide wrap-around stair from the yard onto the lower tier was introduced at ground level, part-way from the house on either side of the lower tier. This step continues through to either side of the "L" access upper tier around the hot tub.
The lower tier surface becomes the higher tier’s double two-by-six wide second of two stairs to the hot tub deck’s top surface, which is itself a two-by-six stair height above the lower tier.
The adjoining tiers provide deck access from anywhere in the yard, with a very gradual rise and run. Once two-by-six top decking and fascia were installed, as well as a few other small enhancements, the backyard was transformed.
I recently asked Daniela if converting her concrete patio jungle into a low-level deck increased the use of their backyard. She replied, "the tiers are visually pleasing and create separate and functional areas — the main deck has become the barbecue and meal area, and the deck around the hot tub is used mostly for lounging.
"Because the tiers of this deck design draw your eye towards the various levels, the entire yard seems larger!"
She then added: "It is ‘Tuxedo Riviera’ now."
Yards can quickly become overrun when not maintained — an eyesore you want to avoid. And the thought of having to wade through the weeds may shy you away even more — it’s a vicious cycle. Don’t be scared to clean it up this year, and create your own oasis: a fire pit, a patio or deck, a gazebo…anything that you’ve thought about. After all, what’s the good in having a backyard if you never use it?
No more excuses, spring is here. Outdoor projects get you off the couch — ain’t nothing better than that.
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