Trex Outdoor Deck & Patio Ideas for Backyards

Building a deck or patio is a great way to put your stamp on your backyard and add square footage to your living space by taking some of it outdoors. Choosing great backyard ideas with a deck or patio isn’t complicated, but there are a few questions you should ask before creating a deck or patio design. For example: 

• What do you want to use your outdoor space for? 

• How will the space serve you over the next few decades?

• How can you make the new deck usable, no matter the weather? 

• What’s a realistic budget?

No matter how you answer these questions, there are plenty of backyard porch or deck ideas you’ll love. Here are a few of our favourites:

1. Backyard Deck with a Pergola

Pergolas are the perfect blend of form and function for any outdoor space. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they also offer shelter from the elements. A classic pergola provides dappled shade even under the intense summer sun, and growing vines or adding a fabric canopy to your pergola can improve shade cover.

#2: Backyard Pool with Deck

Poolside decks are one of our favourite ways to keep cool during the summer months, especially when they are built with a stain-, splinter-, and mould-resistant composite material like Trex decking. Plus, the design options are endless. Choose a style and a colour of decking you love, and create something you can enjoy with family or friends for many summers to come. Want to see more of what is possible when it comes to low-maintenance pool decks? Explore our Poolside Deck Ideas.

#3: Deck With a Hot Tub

No space for a pool? How about a hot tub? The same principles stand as creating a deck with a pool – the deck is a great place to dry off and helps avoid a muddy lawn. But the best thing about a hot tub? It can be used all year round! In fact, hot tubs are a great way to enjoy your deck in the colder months. Check out hot tub deck ideas to find something you love.

#4: Outdoor Dining Set & Chairs

Whatever outdoor patios ideas or deck concepts you settle on, dining sets, chairs, and even coffee tables and sofas will add a pinch of personal style and a pound of usability to your backyard. Outdoor deck furniture ideas can be just as fun as decorating inside, so take some time to decide how to dress your deck or patio.

#5: Outdoor Kitchen 

Outdoor kitchens can be anything from a covered patio grilling area to a full food prep area with counters and running water, a pizza oven, and a ten-seater dining table! A backyard kitchen means you can take parties outside, eat a la carte the first perfect day of the year, or experiment with smoking food without smoking the whole house.

#6: Fire Pits and Fire Pit Tables

Fire pits mean you can use your deck even when it’s chilly out, and above all, they’re fun. Want to toast s'mores after you’ve eaten the meal you prepared in the outdoor kitchen? Or maybe you live somewhere that’s chilly nine months of the year and want to be able to use your backyard? A fire pit may be the answer. If you want to keep outdoor socialising up through winter, fire pit tables are a multi-functional and stylish option. They allow you to gather around the fire pit and still have somewhere to set down drinks or eat an al fresco meal, all while staying safe. They also look stylish, which is always a plus!

#7: Deck Lighting

Deck lighting ideas range from discrete and modern to full design features. Whether you’re thinking about outdoor chandeliers or just practicality, you should consider adding lighting to extend the time you can use your deck or patio. It improves safety in low light, means friends and family will be able to hang out all night long, and can add a touch of sophistication to even the most simple deck.

#8: Rooftop Deck

In some situations, backyard ideas with a deck just won’t work. Maybe you don’t have enough space for a deck out back, or perhaps the backyard is your space for gardening. In these cases, rooftop decks are a great option. They can be more complicated to build and require a suitable roof area. Still, rooftop deck ideas offer a solution when space is at a premium or you want a private space away from the family backyard.

#9: Privacy Ideas

If you spend a lot of time outside on your deck, you might be worried about privacy. Luckily, privacy can be a quick fix. Trex offers a variety of fencing and privacy screen options to compliment your deck. Plenty of composite fencing ideas are out there, making privacy a part of your outdoor design rather than an afterthought.

#10: Plants & Gardens

Planting around your deck can create a ‘secret garden’ feel. Surrounded by greenery, a deck can be a private, magical space. Of course, many people don’t have the space for a tremendous amount of planting in addition to a deck or the budget (or patience) to fill their yard with mature trees. Luckily, planting on a deck also looks excellent. Container gardening or raised garden beds are a great option for growing everything from ornamental flowers to herbs, fruits, and veggies. For some drama, hanging baskets can maximise vertical space and add cascading foliage, and trellises or gazebos can create the perfect environment for climbing plants, creating a lush backdrop for your deck without needing professional landscaping.

#11: Small Deck

Limited space doesn’t mean you can’t have a deck! Decking ideas for small spaces can transform an awkwardly shaped or cramped yard into a stylish haven. In fact, creating multiple areas in your yard using a deck and maximising storage possibilities can make a small space seem much bigger.

#12: Gazebo

A gazebo is similar to a pergola but usually has a permanently closed room. Classic gazebos are octagonal, but simple square or rectangular shapes also work in these great outdoor shelters. Gazebos provide shade in the summer and protection from the elements in fall and winter. They’re a lovely space to build benches or arrange outdoor furniture, creating a backyard feature and a functional space to spend time, whatever the weather.

#13: Two-Story Deck

Multi-level decks offer a chance to create distinct outdoor spaces with different styles and uses. They also mean you can maximise usable deck or patio floorspace while keeping the rest of your backyard for planting, a classic lawn, or any other great outdoor design ideas you’re cooking up! Two-story decks also create a covered space on the lower level, providing an area that can be used, whatever the weather.

#14: Contemporary Ideas

The idea of a deck brings to mind timber boards and railings and a rocking chair or two. In reality, however, a deck can be whatever you want it to be. Your deck should reflect your personal style just like your home does, so don’t let tradition restrain you! Create a clean, modern outdoor space using light colours, glass or metal railings, low-maintenance timber alternatives, and minimalist planting and furniture.

#15: Budget Ideas

Being on a budget shouldn’t stop you from creating a beautiful, usable outdoor space with a deck or patio. Trex offers a wide variety of decking boards to suit all budgets, with options to suit all budgets in multiple styles and with multi-decade warranties. Keeping your deck small will keep costs down, and it doesn’t mean your options are limited. Whether it’s about finances or square footage, decking ideas for small spaces can be just as inspiring as wrap-around decks and elaborate designs.

#16: DIY Ideas

DIY backyard porch and deck ideas vary from building it all yourself to simply DIYing design elements. Getting a contractor to build your deck’s substructure and laying deck boards yourself is a great middle-ground for many people who are handy but time-poor or want to save some money on deck construction. Whether you choose to build your new deck yourself or not, designing an original deck fitted to your backyard, style, and budget is now simpler than ever, with tools like the Trex® Deck Designer tool. You can share the design with a contractor or use it to start your big DIY project.

Get Started With Designing Your Backyard Deck Today!

Have these deck ideas got your creative juices flowing? Take the next step towards building the perfect deck for you and your backyard today by choosing a deck plan and customising it using Trex’s free deck design and deck plans page.