The deck of a house is generally a wooden platform built above the ground and connected to the main building. It is generally enclosed by a railing for safety. Access may be from the house through doors and from the ground via a stairway. Residential decks can be constructed over steep areas or rough ground that is otherwise unusable. Decks can also be covered by a canopy or pergola to control sunlight.
Typical construction is either of a post and beam architecture, or a cantilever construction. The post and beam construction relies on posts anchored to piers in the ground. Typically these types of structural decks are engineered and require an experienced construction company that specializes in structural decks. Cantilever decks rely on floor joists that protrude out further than the wall of the house.
A pergola is an outdoor garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained.
