Having a beautifully designed deck is important. But to truly make the most of your deck, you absolutely need one thing: seating.
Many people spend a lot of time thinking about building or decorating their deck, but they forget to think about how they will make themselves and their guests comfortable while they share a meal, or simply relax.
Are you in need of some deck seating ideas? If you are hesitating between built-in deck seating and stylish patio chairs, read on to find some inspiration. Here are the five comfortable deck seating ideas for your home:
Idea #1: The pros and cons of built-in deck seating
If you include built-in seating on your outdoor decks, you will have many more seats available than if you were buying a set of patio furniture. Plus, you won’t need to store your built-in seats during the winter.
Built-in benches are more durable than many types of outdoor furniture. However, if ever you want to update the decor of your deck, buying a new set of furniture is a lot easier than removing built-in benches and building new ones.
Depending on how you build your built-in seats, they might not be as comfortable as patio chairs. Of course, you could solve this problem by purchasing a few comfortable chairs to complement your built-in deck seating, which will be useful to accommodate your visitors.
Idea #2: Built-in deck seating ideas you could build yourself
A good deck decorating seating idea to DIY it. If you are familiar with using tools to build different projects, you could make your built-in deck seats yourself. You could also hire a professional to take care of it for you.
No matter what you decide to do, you have different options. Your built-in seating could simply be an assemblage of planks of woods, and your current deck railing could double as the back of the seats.
It could be a simple bench with no back, or a more elaborate bench with an inclined back. It could be an L-shaped or a U-shaped bench, to help you make the most of the space available on your deck. If you need additional storage space, a bench that hides a storage container is a great idea.
Your built-in deck seating could also be a swing, hanging from a wooden frame. Of course, nothing stops you from making your deck more stylish and functional with different types of built-in seating.
Idea #3: The pros and cons of outdoor furniture
Built-in seats are great, but outdoor furniture also has different benefits. Outdoor chairs and sofas can be more stylish and comfortable than built-in seats, and they can be part of a set that includes tables. If, after a few years, you want to update your patio furniture to follow new trends, it will be an easy thing to do. You might even manage to sell your old furniture to someone who needs it.
However, outdoor furniture will take up a lot of space on your deck, and you will need to find a way to store it away during the winter, unless you’re lucky enough to live in an area where you don’t get much snow.
Plus, if you decide to update your furniture set regularly, you will end up spending more money on your deck seating than if you had decided to invest in built-in seats.
Idea #4: Different materials for different expectations
The type of patio furniture you choose will depend on your expectations. Let’s learn about the properties of different materials used to make outdoor furniture. Most people have owned some plastic patio chairs at some point in their life. They are cheap and lightweight, and they come in a variety of styles and colours. However, they are not really durable, and they can’t support heavy weights.
Wooden furniture looks great, and depending on the model, it can be lightweight and easy to move around. But wood furniture is generally expensive, and it’s difficult and costly to maintain.
Wicker furniture looks stylish, and it’s lightweight enough to move around when you need to rearrange your deck furniture. However, outdoor furniture made from wicker will not withstand the elements very well.
Finally, wrought iron furniture is very elegant and durable. However, it can be very expensive and heavy, and you need to maintain it carefully if you want it to last.
Idea #5: Outdoor cushions make everything more comfortable
Outdoor cushions are made from water and stain repellent fabric that is also treated to be UV resistant. This means that if you leave them on your deck during a rainy day, or if they spend a lot of time under a hot sun, they will not get damaged and keep looking great.
Outdoor cushions come in different colours and designs, but one of their main advantages is that they can make any seat more comfortable, whether it’s a built-in bench or a wicker patio chair.
Thick outdoor cushions can also be used without a chair if you want to sit directly on your deck, or for those moments where you need a few extra seats for unexpected guests.
