NW Austin Homeowners Love their Delightful Patio and Covered Pergola
When you have a covered outdoor space suitable for entertaining, you’re ready for anything! These NW Austin homeowners originally had a tiny covered area at their back door, with room for three or four chairs and a tiny table. It wasn’t enough! They seriously needed space to move around in—and space for actual tables where they could sit outdoors and enjoy a meal. Space where they could celebrate every occasion, large or small. That’s why they called Archadeck of Austin, the Austin patio builder, to design and build a patio and covered pergola combination.
NW Austin Patio Delights the Senses
When we design your outdoor living project, we collaborate with you to design a functional space that meets your needs and suits your tastes. Here you can see this NW Austin patio addition is a pleasing combination of colors and textures. Our clients chose this side-by-side combination of the lighter stonework for their seating wall and the darker flagstone pattern overlay for the patio. Not only do our eyes see the contrasting color patterns, we “see” the contrasting textures as well.
As you pull back from the scene, you’ll notice the additional contrast of the pergola’s dark cedar beams and posts. And that’s not all! The homeowners were in the process of adding festive string lighting for nighttime ambiance. As darkness falls, the playful illumination of this covered patio will sweetly beckon the homeowners and their guests outdoors. Two ceiling fans will wrap them in a gentle breeze. This outdoor living space offers plenty of versatility, day or night. From intimate family dinners to an all-out party on the patio, our clients now have the perfect outdoor setting for whatever they can dream up.
Details of this Patio and Pergola Combination
The patio’s size, extending a spacious 20′ out from the house, meets the clients’ first priority for a larger outdoor living space. The covered pergola fills their priority for a covered space they can use rain or shine. Speaking of sunshine, bring it on! Our clients chose to add a TopGal polycarbonate cover atop the pergola that will protect them from the sun’s heat and damaging UV rays. This is not just any ordinary sheet of plastic. TopGal is multiwall polycarbonate system that provides thermal insulation for the area by reducing solar heat gain.
The patio itself is concrete with the addition of a flagstone overlay, rich in texture and color variations. We constructed the seating wall with white limestone, and the smooth bench surface is made of Lueders limestone. We built the large custom pergola with cedar. Creature comforts for this covered patio include two ceiling fans and plenty of lighting with electrical outlets for additional creature comforts as needed.
Plenty of lighting? Our clients can adjust the outdoor lighting levels according to their needs and the mood they want to set. For ambiance, we installed subtle LED lighting all along the seating wall, just under the bench surface. The effect of this lighting at night is stunning. Then, the clients have the festive string lighting they added themselves. In addition, two of the pergola’s posts feature lanterns that illuminate the covered patio for dining. The two outermost posts have spotlights that illuminate the yard. And if they want more light, the ceiling fans include light fixtures as well. The only way the homeowners will be in the dark is if they choose to be!
Perfectly Versatile Covered Patio Design in NW Austin
The versatility in this patio comes from its size, its protective cover and the low seating wall that surrounds it on three sides. The seating wall adds coziness and a hint of privacy for relaxation and intimate gatherings. It also provides additional seating for larger get-togethers. On nights when they choose to stay indoors, the family can enjoy the ambiance of their patio’s illumination as they look outside from within the home. Call Archadeck of Austin today at 512-259-8282 or email us to schedule your free design consultation.
Archadeck of Austin Makes Complicated Leander TX Pergola Look So Easy
Sometimes even the simplest freestanding pergola turns out to be so much more complicated than meets the eye. This is one of those times. Our Leander, TX, clients wanted to add a large cedar pergola over their concrete patio. The patio fit neatly into one corner of the lot, and the pergola needed to fit neatly into the same corner. Simple, right?
Not so fast! Because of the property’s setback requirements, we needed to have a survey company mark the build lines prior to starting this project. The pergola had to fit within the footprint indicated by the surveyor, meaning we could not cross the lines marked by their stakes.
Ordinarily, Archadeck of Austin would have designed this Leander TX pergola as a rectangle. But the shape of the lot, the pour of the concrete and the setback lines intersecting in the corner of the site affected the pergola’s shape. The pergola design changed from a basic rectangle to … a trapezoid. Yes, a trapezoid. That’s a pergola you don’t see every day.
Can you tell this pergola is shaped like a trapezoid? Most people will never notice the unusual shape unless they peer down at it from above. It’s a beautiful all-cedar pergola, custom-designed for this client and for this property.
We have to admit, designing this custom pergola project was more of a challenge than usual. Not because of its size, although it is a large pergola with big beams and big posts. The challenges arose when we had to make design adjustments in the field—unusual with a “simple” pergola project.
You could say the art of this pergola is its appearance of simplicity. The structure we designed and built here was more complicated than it looks. The homeowners know it, and we know it. Now, you know it, too. At the end of the day, all that really matters here is the pergola’s beauty and the statement it makes. The big cedar pergola defines this “simple” outdoor living space and casts some shade, providing our clients with exactly what they wanted.
Whether your outdoor living project is going to be complex or simple, make sure it’s done right. Call Archadeck of Austin today at 512-259-8282 or email us to schedule your free design consultation.
Austin patio-pergola-outdoor fireplace proves outdoor living projects can be budget-friendly
Let’s start with the hard question. Do you feel like your budget might stand in the way of you having a new and/or improved outdoor living space? Almost everyone is budget-conscious these days, and we understand that may mean different things to different people. But if you feel your budget is keeping you from having the outdoor living project you really want, Archadeck of Austin will work with you “every which way” to try to make it a reality.
Before we look at today’s combination-outdoor-living-project-on-a-budget, let’s talk about the process we go through to arrive at a quote for a job. First, after we listen to what elements a client wants included in their project, and we offer our suggestions, we have to be able to tell them how much it will cost. If the number is too high, we’ll look at choices the client can make — maybe different materials, maybe scaling it back a little bit — to bring the price down. We don’t expect the client to sign a contract until we quote them a price they are comfortable with.
The price we quote is the actual price the client will pay. Does that surprise you? It should not. But we’ve heard about other contractors (not Archadeck) who quickly low-ball a quote just to get the contract signed. They may not take the time to do the necessary research about materials costs, etc., to give a semi-accurate quote. The client doesn’t realize some costs have been left out of the conversation. Oh, yes, they find out eventually, when the job is half-completed. What choice do they have at that point? They approve the additional costs and end up paying more than they would have if they’d gone with a higher (accurate) quote from a professional builder like Archadeck of Austin.
Today’s featured project is in Austin, TX, and it’s a sweet combination outdoor living project that includes a patio, pergola, outdoor fireplace and privacy screen. The homeowners were upfront about their budget. Their Archadeck of Austin designer sat down with them to go over all of the specs, materials and costs for the project. Together, they worked out a cost-effective plan that addressed the homeowners’ needs and wants — within budget.
Backyard before Archadeck of Austin began the project:
The clients were looking to add a shade structure to the back of the home and wanted to include an outdoor fireplace. Their home had an existing covered porch at the back door. The property was not right for a deck because there’s no change in elevation behind the house. Decking “at grade” is not a good idea. So they wanted a patio to extend outward from the existing porch and serve as the base for their new shade structure (pergola) and outdoor fireplace.
Starting with the custom patio, we always dig trenches about 12″ deep and lay a beam system within the perimeter of the patio before we pour concrete. These steel beams reinforce and stabilize the patio to prevent the concrete from settling over time (or in response to ground movement). This way we know we’re providing a strong and stable pad for the concrete patio. Keep in mind, concrete will always crack, no matter what. The added perimeter and internal beams provide more stability to help reduce the eventual outcome of any concrete deck or patio.
For this patio, we added a textured and stained concrete overlay to the surface for visual appeal.
For utilities, we ran conduit and a gas line from the main meter to the rear of fireplace for service, and we ran wiring for electrical access at the fireplace and at several other points around the patio as well.
We built the gas-burning custom outdoor fireplace with a combination of Nicotine and white flagstone. The Nicotine color is white with deposits of yellow and gold running through it, and the interplay of these colors mimics the variations in the patio’s textured-concrete surface in an interesting way.
Extending from the fireplace, on both sides, is a low stone wall that is extremely practical in two ways. First, it creates a visual boundary for the patio, and second, it provides seating. The bench surface on the wall is made of smooth Lueders stone, one of our favorites.
The freestanding pergola is stained cedar, and over the top of the pergola we added a Polygal cover to deliver maximum shade benefits. This durable covering is an affordable way to add protection from rain as well as from the sun’s rays. It’s waterproof and it blocks UV rays, making the patio enjoyable regardless of the weather.
Beside the pergola, we installed a privacy screen, also made of stained cedar, because the homeowners plan to add a hot tub to their outdoor living space in the future.
Finally, we installed a flat-screen TV above the mantel for the homeowners. Their outdoor living space comes complete with a remote control for the ceiling fan and to dim/control the lights: the comforts of the indoors brought outdoors.
If you would like to learn more about how we can help you create an outdoor living project on a budget, contact Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 259-8282 or via email at jim.odom@archadeck.net to schedule a free design consultation.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
Spiral staircase is a winner for this just-right Steiner Ranch combo deck-patio-pergola affair
Can an outdoor living space be small in scale and still be GRAND? You’d better believe it! Today’s project, located in the Steiner Ranch community of Austin, TX, drives that point home with certainty. This may not be the largest outdoor living space we have designed, but it’s unique — and one of our favorites.
This Steiner Ranch homeowner was referred to Archadeck of Austin by a previous client of ours who was thrilled with the project we designed and built at their home. And you know we love it when new clients find us through word of mouth. (If we have completed a project for you, don’t forget to tell your friends about it!)
To start, a basic concrete patio was the only outdoor living space existing at the home. Standing in the back yard, facing the patio and the back of the house, the homeowner looked up … and knew she wanted to add a pergola over the patio and a deck off of the second-floor bedroom. She also knew she didn’t want a typical deck staircase extending from the deck out into the yard. Whether a straight staircase or one that turned at a landing, either kind would be too prominent, visually, and would take up way too much space. It would stick out.
A spiral staircase was what she wanted. OK! Archadeck of Austin is all in favor of spiral staircases, but they can be expensive. We did some research online and finally located an affordable spiral staircase by Salter Spiral Stairs. We were hesitant to order it, though, because it comes as a kit. First you go through Salter’s design consultation process, giving them the measurements of your space. Then Salter creates your staircase and ships it to you in pieces — along with installation instructions. If you have any trouble with it, they provide customer service reps who can answer your questions by phone.
Based on our experience in the world of DIY, some kits are good and some are not. We decided to take a gamble that this spiral stair kit would be satisfactory. It was GREAT! The staircase installation was seamless, and we are all pleased with the staircase quality. We even got an upgrade to include welded stair treads, which add a great deal of character to the stairs.
We built the second-story deck with AZEK low-maintenance composite decking in a dark hickory color. The deck railing is a black metal railing from Fortress, and it goes perfectly with the black metal spiral staircase. Finally, we custom-made a bench using AZEK dark hickory composite decking to provide additional seating along one end of the patio.
Altogether, this combination outdoor living space now includes the original patio plus a new cedar pergola and composite deck — topped off with a spiral staircase, which is like eye candy! To support the pergola and deck, we built sturdy cedar posts matching the cedar pergola. We also added a Polygal cover on top of the pergola to protect patio sitters from sun and rain. The scene is complete with ceiling fans over the patio and light fixtures for nighttime use.
Taking it all in at once, you can see we packed a lot of outdoor living design into a relatively small space! It all works together well without crowding or giving you that penned-in feeling. This Steiner Ranch combination deck and pergola project, with patio, demonstrates that an outdoor living project doesn’t have to be massive in scale to be effective.
Let us show you how to make the most of the outdoor space you have. And if you want a spiral staircase for your deck, we know just the one! Contact Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 259-8282 or via email at jim.odom@archadeck.net to schedule a free design consultation.
Jim Odom Archadeck of Austin
Can a new deck really preserve the charm of an Austin vintage home?
You love your eclectic, urban-chic neighborhood, and you love your charming, vintage home, but maybe your home’s vintage deck has seen better days. Is it time for an upgrade to a better deck? Archadeck of Austin, premier deck builder across many Austin neighborhoods, has the design sensitivity to create a custom deck that will not look out of place for your area.
Take a look at this unique home in the city of Austin near Mopac Expressway and 38th Street. Homes here have character, and the area is undergoing extensive revitalization. The homeowner engaged Archadeck of Austin to replace an existing deck that was aging, nondescript and lacked any shade cover.
Before we began the project:
This job was actually a redecking and expansion project rather than an entirely new deck. Once we determined that the existing deck’s foundation was strong and had not been compromised over time, we were able to use it again, with reinforcement. We needed to replace the decking boards as well as the wooden skirting that surrounds the deck and shields the underdeck area from view. Oddly, there was a gap between edge of the existing deck and the front porch stoop, so we were able to expand the deck by about two feet. Finally, the client wanted to add a pergola over the deck for much-needed shade.
Since natural wood was the client’s choice for decking material, Archadeck of Austin recommended clear cedar for the deck surface and the skirting. Clear cedar is a select grade of cedar lumber milled from the heart of the tree, and it is higher quality than the wood many other deck builders work with. For even greater quality, we used 5-and-a-quarter-inch boards as opposed to the competition’s nominal 2×6″ knotty pine. The clear cedar boards display a light wood grain with minimal (if any) imperfections such as knot holes.
Archadeck of Austin offers a choice of standard or premium pergolas, and this client selected the premium pergola, our most popular option. For our premium pergolas, we use 4×12″ beams, 6×6″ posts and 2×10″ boards for the rafters with 16” on center spacing. In contrast, our competition uses 2×8″ beams and posts and 2×8″ rafters that are 24” on center, resulting in a pergola that is less sturdy and provides less shade. The Archadeck of Austin premium pergola looks beefier, is stronger and will last longer than those built by our competition. Plus, our 16” on center spacing provides the optimum amount of shade on a hot Texas day.
For the finishing touch on this combination redecking and pergola project, we installed a metal screen on one side of the pergola to establish a privacy barrier. Vines and flowers will climb the screen to naturally obscure the view of the deck from the nearby downtown traffic. This innovative privacy screen was built using Cattle Guard panels.
If you are looking for a creative way to upgrade your existing deck while keeping it in character with the neighborhood, contact Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 259-8282 or via email at jim.odom@archadeck.net to schedule a free design consultation.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
Archadeck of Austin showcases its award-winning deck design in Round Rock, Texas
You want the very best builder for your Austin-area outdoor living project. You also want a builder who will work with you, no matter how long it takes, to design and build the deck, porch or patio that is perfect for your home. Want more? How about a national award-winning deck designer and builder right here in Austin, TX?
Archadeck of Austin answers “Yes!” to all of the above. We are very proud to have received Archadeck Outdoor Living’s national Design Excellence Award in the deck category. We are also very proud of the award-winning project we designed and built – a unique deck, pergola and outdoor kitchen combination in the Forest Creek neighborhood of Round Rock, TX. Take a look at these photos and a 3-D rendering, and let us tell you why we’re so pleased with this special outdoor living space. The homeowners are pleased, too!
The winning project, completed in January, is an exquisite AZEK PVC deck with stone skirting, outdoor kitchen and oversized, freestanding pergola. The 12-foot kitchen counter accommodates a built-in propane grill, Big Green Egg smoker, in-counter cooler and built-in trash container. The deck also features flush-mounted low-voltage lighting.
Before:
The clients first contacted us for this project three years ago. They had a well-lived deck, and we agreed it was past time to replace it. Our initial design featured a concrete patio, roof extension and pergola. The homeowners took their time making a decision while they considered several builders and designs. Later we circled back to propose an alternate design, a deck with an outdoor kitchen and a large, non-conventional pergola that covered the entire deck. Bingo! Archadeck of Austin had the right design at the right time.
Despite this being a relatively low-risk deck, we faced several design challenges. First, the pergola took considerable thought because we wanted to use as few posts as possible. Fewer posts in the traffic areas allow maximum usable space for furniture without crowding. Then, cedar spans would not work with conventional dimensions, so we upsized all the structural elements and used a polycarbonate cover over the pergola to get the shade required.
The home had an original concrete patio off the back door for which we ripped framing boards for the structure. There was just enough space to get adequate framing down between the deck board and the patio.
Next, we had to completely close off the under-deck space because the clients had previous issues with animals nesting under the old deck. By surrounding the new deck with a stone skirt over concrete footings – nothing will get under this deck. However, the stone skirt itself presented two complications. The stone had to be ground flat to allow for the deck boards to die seamlessly into the stone and not look jagged. And we had to complete all the electrical wiring before we could install the decking.
Finally, the kitchen and the stone column bases also had to be constructed prior to the decking. All have concrete footings, so staging of construction was interesting.
The results are beautiful. The homeowners chose Azek Harvest cellular PVC decking in the new Autumn Chestnut color, and we laid the boards diagonally with a parting board for visual interest. The stone used for the deck skirting and the pergola’s column bases is white limestone, and the caps on the column bases are brown Lueders limestone. The same brown Lueders stone tops the 12-foot kitchen counters, tying it all together visually as one great outdoor room. Finishing off the space are three Aurora Phoenix flush-mount low-voltage sconce lights, the Pyxis Recessed Louvered Step Light and the Mercer transformer/timer. Archadeck of Austin installed electrical connections for two fans, three lights and six outlets for the homeowners’ convenience.
To be recognized for this project by Archadeck Outdoor Living at the national level as an award-winning deck builder means a great deal to the Archadeck of Austin team. The project was very well thought through, and we had a lot of fun building it. The structure itself was not complicated, but we packed in a lot of design considerations and features to make it a wonderful place for entertaining family and guests. We were able to integrate the new structure seamlessly with the existing home, which is what the homeowners were looking for all along.
Jim Odom Archadeck of Austin
If you are looking for a creative design for your new outdoor living space, and a hard-working team to bring it to life, contact Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 259-8282 or via email at jim.odom@archadeck.net to schedule a free design consultation.
Let Archadeck of Austin Show You How Amazing an Outdoor Kitchen Can Be!
Just when you thought Austin, TX, outdoor kitchens couldn’t get any better! Nothing is more perfect than having a grand vision for your outdoor living space and seeing it brought to life by the skilled hands of Archadeck of Austin. Specifically, we are talking about a full outdoor kitchen, adjacent covered porch and spacious patio in Hudson Bend. When you look at the “Before” and “After” pictures of this project, you may be stunned by the visual impact of this transformation, but you won’t be surprised if you already know us by our reputation as the premier Austin, TX, outdoor kitchen builder. Let the photos tell the story!
The homeowners wanted an outdoor kitchen complete with “the works“: oversized grill, warming drawer, refrigerator, ice bin, storage area, stone countertops, bar seating and more. They wanted to entertain and relax at the same time without running inside for anything. They wanted a covered porch protected from the sun when it was too hot, protection from rain showers, an open patio where they could soak up the sun’s gentle warmth on cooler, sunny days, and a heat source to take the chill off of winter evenings.
When selecting materials for this new outdoor living combination, the homeowners were guided by the home’s neutral stone façade. For the base of the outdoor kitchen, they chose a Ledgestone block system with a dry-stacked look in a mix of silver, white and nicotine colors. For the countertops, they went with a smooth, chocolate Leuders limestone, which will become even more beautiful with age.
With their materials selected, construction could begin — or, destruction. The old flagstone patio had to be demolished and removed. The new concrete slab we poured for their patio also serves as the base for the outdoor kitchen and covered porch area. For added beauty, we stained the concrete surface to match the hues of the various stone elements we would be using.
The covered porch design called for the richness of a sturdy cedar pergola to complement the stone structures. We installed a polygal cover atop the pergola to increase shade and to provide protection from rain.
Installation of the oversized grill presented a challenge, but Archadeck of Austin rose to meet it. While most outdoor kitchen grills are a standard 24″ deep, this grill sits 27″ deep into the stone countertop, so the kitchen had to be planned and measured meticulously. We even hand-chiseled the backsplash of the kitchen counter to ensure the cover (lid) of the grill would operate with ease. And so it does!
These Hudson Bend homeowners have a flair for décor, and it shows in their flawless integration of sconces and pendant lights as graceful accents against the stone and cedar backdrop. Archadeck of Austin installed their selected lighting. Finally, they wanted an immediate heat source, so they have placed infrared heaters in the kitchen and porch areas. This will increase the versatility of their beautiful outdoor kitchen/covered porch/open patio combination space for cooking, dining, relaxing and entertaining.
Outdoor kitchen. Check. Covered porch. Check. Patio. Check. Enjoy! If you would like to learn more about creating the outdoor kitchen combination project of your dreams, contact Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 259-8282 or via email at jim.odom@archadeck.net to schedule a free design consultation.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
Archadeck of Austin creates a cozy and contemporary outdoor space to enjoy day and night!
Part of what makes my job so rewarding is the transformation process. This process goes beyond transforming an aged, or less than functional outdoor living space into a beautiful asset to the clients’ home and property. The reward comes from reading the excitement and satisfaction on their face and knowing the enjoyment they will get from the new outdoor living space for years to come! This is exactly the kind of project our recent transformation in Austin was. Archadeck of Austin turned an outdoor area consisting of an aging wooden deck into a cozy, contemporary patio that promises day and evening outdoor living.
Before the transformation began:
After meeting with the homeowners’ and discussing their desires and needs we went to work on a design that would compliment their home and allow them to partake in the outdoor lifestyle they craved. The new design includes a tile covered patio, inviting steps, and iron railing and is loaded with upscale, contemporary style. During construction of the project the homeowners’ also decided to add the pergola and replace two wooden gates on each aid of the yard access. The gates on both sides of the house were old and in disrepair.
The client asked us to design an attractive center opening wide gate design with powder coated metal posts, cedar deck boards mounted vertically in an interesting pattern.
The slab was a little over two feet above grade and was poured flush with the existing patio and attached via rebar doweled into the foundation. Provisions were made prior to pouring the foundation for the low-voltage lights and the electrical connection for a ceiling fan to be placed under the pergola. The client’s chose a Madison Silver porcelain tile in rectangular pieces which were laid over the new surface and existing patio. A tile schluter was used to avoid cracking of tiles between the new and old patios . The sleek railings are Fortress rails with LED Fortress post cap lights. The addition of lighting added to the times the homeowners’ can now enjoy their new space, without limitations and bathed in ambient light! The pergola is built from western red cedar with a bracket attached at the roof fascia.
In addition to the changes made to their outdoor living space, the clients’ also replaced all their existing gutters and repainted the entire house to compliment the tile choice — a total transformation indeed!
If you are envisioning an outdoor living space transformation in your near future, contact Archadeck of Austin. We can plan, design and build an outdoor space for you that will not only improve your outdoor experience but, we can create an area for you that make a design statement as well. Call for a free consultation at ( 512) 259 – 8282 or email us at jim.odom@archadeck.net.
Jim Odom Archadeck of Austin
Austin Decks, Pergolas, Covered Patios, Porches, more 