A covered deck extends your home’s living space while protecting it from the sun and weather. When planning one, the main design considerations for covered decks come down to three factors: roof style, sun protection based on your home’s orientation, and how the structure ties into your existing architecture. Get these right, and the space functions like an outdoor room. Get them wrong, and it hurts your curb appeal.
Why Covered Decks are in Such High Demand
Covered decks are highly sought after, and most new homes in our area come with one already attached. In a sprawling suburb like Kansas City, many neighborhoods don’t have mature trees yet, so homeowners need another way to handle the brutal western sun.
Protection From Sun and Weather
Sun protection is the main reason people want a covered deck. Once the roof is in place, you also get shelter from rain and other precipitation, which makes the space usable in weather that would shut down an uncovered deck.
A True Extension of the Home
A covered deck gives you more of an extension of the house. When you have a door open and a covered deck or screen porch on the other side, the space feels like an outdoor room rather than a deck. That change in feel is the reason homeowners use the space far more often.
Pro Tip: A covered deck turns your back door into the entrance of a second living room.
Roof Styles to Know
Several roof styles work for covered decks, and each one changes how the space looks, feels, and functions.
Shed, Gable, Hip, and Gambrel
The four most common roof styles for covered decks are:
- Shed roof: a single-pitch roof coming off your house
- Gable roof: a two-pitch, A-frame style
- Hip roof: sloped on all sides
- Gambrel roof: a barn-style profile
The gable roof is the most common because it lets more natural light into the covered space and into the adjacent interior of the home, giving the room a bigger, more open feel.
Covered Decks Design Considerations for Your Home’s Architecture
You want the roof style to coincide with your home’s architecture so it looks fluid, like it was designed and built with the original house. The wrong roof style detracts from your home’s curb appeal, no matter how well it’s built.
Key Takeaway: Your roof style affects both how the space feels and how much it costs to build. Pick the one that fits your home, not just your budget.
Need expert help with your covered decks design considerations? Contact DW Decks for a free consultation.
How Sun Direction Affects Your Covered Deck Design
The orientation of your home plays a major role in which roof style works best. Sun protection is one of the biggest covered decks design considerations, and the direction your house faces changes the answer entirely.
When the Back of the House Faces West
If the back of your house faces west, a shed roof will block the afternoon glare better than a gable roof. A gable roof is open-ended on the west end, so it lets that late afternoon sun pour straight in.
When the House Faces North or South
If your house faces north or south, the eaves of a gable roof come down and block the western sun from the side. In that case, the gable roof gives you both the light you want and the shade protection you need.
Pro Tip: Stand on your deck around 4 p.m. on a sunny day before you choose a roof style. You’ll see exactly where the sun is coming from.
Ready to Plan Your Covered Deck?
The right covered deck comes down to your home’s architecture, the direction it faces, the cost of the roof, and the kind of shade protection you want. Our team walks you through every option and helps you pick the style that fits your home. Call DW Decks today, schedule your free consultation, and let our team handle every detail of your covered decks design considerations.
