Putting a covered deck around your property is going to give you a dedicated space for activities while having protection from the elements. It's a serious construction project to take on, but it will go much smoother if you take the following preparatory steps:

Download Free or Paid Deck Plans

If you want to avoid drawing this deck system and making calculations that you probably don't feel comfortable with, then you'll want to get some deck plans that have already been put together. You can use free plans or plans that cost money. 

You just want to download plans that you like visually and make sense for your specific property layout. Then you can use the plans to figure out key details, such as what type of materials to get, the tools required for the job, and how to set up materials in relation to each other.

Select the Best Location Around Your Property

Once you're able to figure out how you want this covered deck to look and be structured, you need to figure out where it's going to go around your property. Being picky about this decision is important for getting the most use out of this covered decking system.

What area on the outside of your property do you spend the most time around? Setting up a covered deck around this location will make the most sense for how you use the outdoor space around your property. The back area is one of the more popular locations, but the sides could also work depending on how your home is structured and where it's located.

Be Extremely Cautious with Raised Covered Decks

If you plan on raising the covered deck off the ground, then there are a lot of things to be cautious about. For instance, you need to make sure your support systems keeping the covered deck off the ground are made from strong materials.

You also need to review safety coding in relation to raised covered decks because it will be different from decks that are just set up on the ground. The added height creates more risk, which you need to account for with research and meaningful assessments.

Putting a covered deck around your property creates a functional and beautiful space to spend time. If you find detailed plans, use the right materials, and figure out the best location for this deck, it will give you so much more value.

For more information, reach out to a deck contractor and ask about covered decks.