Outdoor Deck Skirting Ideas

Open lattice, either in a diamond or windowpane pattern

, has a lighter feeling and allows ventilation (important in damp climates). Choosing to use no skirting panels will make the deck look as if it were floating--especially if you have cantilevered the joists and decking around the perimeter. If you do opt for skirting, be sure to include one or more access doors to the space you're enclosing.

Skirts and Skirting

Skirt or fascia boards are typically 1-inch-wide trim pieces that may be used to hide rough framing, such as header joists. You can paint them to match your house trim or finish them to match the decking or railings. Run skirt boards under overhanging deck boards, or cover decking edges and ends for a flush look. They should extend an inch or two lower than the framing they cover. As wood-to-wood contact promotes rot, apply preservative and use spacers to create an air space between skirt boards and joists. An air space is not necessary when using synthetic trim boards over pressure-treated wood.

There is no rule about screening off the underpinnings of your deck with lattice or other materials. If you have the headroom but will not be using the space for storage, the area can be left open. This area can be used as a shady retreat during hot, sunny days. Decks that are only a few feet off of the ground can be screened with different types of plants such as evergreen bushes. Wisteria, juniper, climbing roses and other climbing plants can be planted around the perimeter of the deck for a complete look. These types of plants are great for hiding the framing underneath the deck and can be trained to grow up lattice work or balustrades to give the deck a softer look.

Skirting on the underside of a deck doesn't have to be made of lattice. Masonry, such as the brick shown here, offers a more substantial look.

Deck Skirting Choices

Choose a deck skirting that takes into the account the style of your house and garden. You probably have already thought of lattice skirting--it's the most common type, and it usually looks good, either painted or stained. But you have many other choices in lattice, as well. Lattice comes ready-made in wood or vinyl, or you can make your own. It can mean extra work, but if you have an Arts & Crafts-style home, for example, you might want to make lattice in a square pattern, rather than buy lattice in the typical diamond pattern.

Vertical boards can be used to completely enclose the space, and these look good for small spaces, although if the deck floor is very high, it can look uninteresting. A variation of this is board-and-batten design, which gives a country look. The boards can be painted to match the house or stained. If you are into environment-friendly choices, the boards can be ordered to size from companies that recycle plastic for building materials. The downside to plank siding is that the space will hold more moisture than an open skirting.

Consider looking into fencing. Metal fences can be ordered to the size and shape you need. No wild animals will break through that, for sure. Any type of wire fencing can be painted and stapled to the deck framework. A visit to a building store or nursery should help you get ideas.

Bamboo is a novel idea and very attractive for a deck skirting for home styles ranging from country to contemporary. If under-deck security isn't your priority, the more-easily-penetrated bamboo skirting, painted or stained, can give your home a beautiful look.

Skirting your deck will definitely be more costly, but it will turn out to be a highlight attribute which will significantly boost the entire appearance of your deck.

by: Matt Millsap

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