To Go Big, or Go Home: What's the Right Size for Your Deck?

If you’re planning your very first deck, you’re not alone—and you’re probably juggling a bunch of ideas and questions. One of the biggest things people wonder about is deck size. It’s a great place to start, and a really important part of creating a space you’ll love.

On large two story homes, you might consider scaling the deck across most of the back side of the home. This will help create a size proportionate deck that will compliment the home. Scale is important for overall design looks.

When I sit down with someone to talk about a deck project, the first thing I usually ask is, “Do you already have a deck?” If the answer is yes, that opens the door for some helpful follow-up questions, “Do you like the size of your current deck, and does it actually fit your lifestyle?”

A lot of times, the answer is "No—the existing deck just isn’t big enough to handle the way the family wants to use it." When we start talking about how you live and what kinds of things you enjoy doing outside, it leads to a clearer picture of what your ideal deck could look like.

Start with a Budget. Before you get too far ahead in the planning, it’s smart to set a budget. Decks are a big investment, and knowing what you're comfortable spending will guide your decisions as you go. Once you’ve got a ballpark in mind, you can start dreaming about the look and layout.

Match Your Deck to Your Home and Lifestyle. Think about how your deck will compliment the overall size and style of your home. A good rule of thumb is to treat it like an outdoor family room. In fact, I often ask people to compare it to their actual family room inside—do you feel like it’s big enough for the way you gather and entertain?

If your current family room always feels a little cramped during get-togethers, a similar sized deck would feel the same. If you’ve ever felt like you were short on space for grilling, relaxing, or hosting friends, we can design something better suited to your needs.

Creating the right space for your needs can be difficult. Think about where you enter and exit your deck. Think about what you'd like to use your deck for. Think about what type of furniture will go on your deck. All these things can help determine if your space will be too big, or too small.

Design with Your Lifestyle in Mind. Are you an early riser who loves coffee on the deck? Do you host summer cookouts with the whole neighborhood? Maybe you need space for a big dining table and a comfy lounge area. Or maybe the kids need their own hangout spot while the adults chat over drinks.

All of these little lifestyle details matter—and they’re key to designing a deck that truly works for you.

Plan for Good Traffic Flow. One thing that sometimes gets overlooked? Traffic flow. Imagine a big table full of family—can someone get up and move around without bumping into chairs or squeezing past people? A well-designed deck should feel easy to move through, whether you're carrying food from the kitchen to the grill or heading down the stairs to the yard.

What’s the Purpose of Your Deck? Ultimately, how you plan to use your deck will help determine the right size and layout. If it’s mainly for entertaining, we’ll plan for plenty of seating and gathering space. If it’s more of a private retreat, maybe a cozy lounge area is the perfect fit.

What's the right size? Now we cannot tell you exactly what the right size is. What we can tell you is the smallest deck we recommend building is a 12' x 12' square. Often times this is large enough for a table for four and the grill—that's about it.

If you're looking for the most usable space a rectangle will offer flexibility and the ability to offset furniture form being in the middle of the space. If you have room, consider going at least 16' wide, and ideally 12' to 14' in projection. No one has ever said "It's too much space."

No matter what your vision is, the goal is the same: a space that feels comfortable, welcoming, and made just for you.