Five Ways to Use Your Deck During the Winter Season

A deck can be a four-season delight even when you live in a chillier climate. Ignoring it in winter cuts your family off from usable square footage for months at a time, and from some of the warmest memories the season has to offer. Here are five ways to make your deck the place to be all winter long.

1. Bring the Heat

The addition of some simple deck heaters creates an entirely new atmosphere on a deck. You may have noticed that many restaurants and venues use outdoor “patio heaters” to allow guests to enjoy year-round outdoor seating. You can recreate that warm magic on your own deck with some natural gas, propane or electric standing heaters. A single high-quality patio heater can easily heat a 20-foot diameter space.

2. Create a Temporary Enclosure

Consider adding some insulation to turn your deck into a cozy winter-tide tent! A canopy, some vinyl curtains, or polycarbonate can be great for whipping up a quick DIY enclosure that shields your deck from chilly winds. The best part is that you can easily store your enclosure materials when it’s time to open things up for spring. If you’re looking for something more permanent, building an overhang that can serve as an apparatus for vinyl or plastic coverings is a great option that offers the added benefit of protection from rain during all four seasons of the year.

3. Add a Deck Fire Pit

You can feel like you’re staying at a relaxing resort in Aspen on any random winter night when you have a deck fire pit. A fire pit is a great option for entertaining during the winter. In fact, the fun of telling stories, singing songs and playing board games wrapped in blankets in front of your fire can be so enjoyable that you might even feel disappointed when summer comes back. If you don’t want to invest in installing an actual fire pit, consider a fire-pit table.

4. Do a Décor Edit With Outdoor Rugs, Warm Lighting and Deck Blankets

If you’ll be inviting people outside for a fire, make sure you’re checking all the right “coziness” boxes. Making your deck visually cozy can actually make everyone feel warmer when they step outside. Start with some attractive outdoor rugs that help to keep everyone’s feet warm. Finally, have plenty of waterproof outdoor blankets standing by to help everyone feel wrapped in warmth. Warm white LED string lights in the 2700K range give off an amber glow that makes the space feel cozy from the moment you step outside.

5. Add a Hot Tub

This is the ultimate power move for making your deck the place to be in the winter. Relaxing and therapeutic, a hot tub is the best way to ensure you’re squeezing every bit of value from your deck on even the coldest of days. In fact, your hot tub will feel more amazing the colder it gets outside. If you need help incorporating hot tub dimensions into a deck build, Royal Deck is here to help you create a resort-quality design right outside your back door.

Make Your Deck a Winter Destination

At Royal Deck, we build decks that work beautifully across all four seasons for homeowners in Illinois and Georgia. We can help with everything from a new deck build to a winter-friendly update of an existing deck. Reach out today to talk about how we can turn your deck into the star of winter.