Decks are a wonderful thing for any home to have, especially during the summertime. While they’re typically placed behind homes, some people lack the yard space to build the deck of their dreams.  In these situations, you need to get a little creative. Some might opt for a suspended deck that connects with a second story.

Alternatively, you can consider building a deck on top of your garage.

Last year, we discussed building a loft above a garage. For some, however, a deck might provide more possibilities. Building a deck on top of your garage can save a lot of space while providing you with the deck you’ve always wanted. If you have a connected garage, you may be able to connect the deck to the second story for easy walk-out access.

Before you get too far in the planning process though, you’ll need to make a decision:

Remodel or Start from Scratch?

If you have flat roof garage already, you’re in a good position to start building a deck above it. Most homeowners likely don’t though. In this case, it might be possible to rebuild the top with a deck in place. On the other hand, it might make more sense to tear your current garage down and start over.

Though this is likely the more expensive option, it provides considerably more flexibility, ensuring that your deck (and the garage beneath it) are everything you want them to be. Should you decide to rebuild your garage, make sure you equip it with quality doors and a modern garage door opener.

For all of your garage door needs, including overhead doors, garage door openers, and entry doors in Ohio, contact Springfield Overhead Door today!

As for the deck above, here’s what you need to consider.

Building a Garage Deck

The first thing you should do is to check with your city. You may need to get a permit to begin construction. Additionally, there will likely be some requirements your city has for decks, especially ones that are built on top of another structure.

From there, you can begin designing and building out your deck.

While the design and quality are important, safety and stability should be your top priorities. Your deck needs to be able to support however many people might be on there at any given time. You also need to consider the weight of other items that might be up there including tables, chairs, coolers, grills, and more.

Railing is another important part of safety. A garage deck is going to be higher up than your average deck. If someone were to fall off, a serious injury would likely follow. You may want to make the railing taller than normal with less space the balusters.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to design your deck as you see fit. As long as it’s stable and safe, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.