6 Walking Deck and Balcony Design Ideas

Adding walking decks and balconies to your home can provide additional spaces for you to enjoy the outdoors. Walking decks are areas that you extend beyond the normal deck area. For instance, you could have a walking deck that wraps around the side of the home that connects to the front porch.

Balconies are great if you have a two-story home. Balconies do need to be supported correctly to ensure safety. You could place the supports directly into the ground. Alternatively, you could extend a balcony out over an existing structure. For example, you could build an upper story balcony on the roof of your patio enclosure.

While there are certainly plenty of different wooden walking deck and balcony design ideas, one of the latest trends in home improvement is using different materials like concrete, tiles, composite materials, and fiberglass. These materials can be much more durable and last longer than wood when properly maintained, waterproofed, and sealed.

open veranda

1. Colored Concrete

One of the reasons concrete is trendy right now is because there is a variety of colors you can choose from instead of gray. You can even customize designs to fit your needs like using black and white and having it “marbled” in to give the appearance of expensive Italian marble.

2. Checkerboard Tiles

One popular design to use with tiles is a checkerboard where you alternate one color with another. You want to choose colors that complement your home and also which are not the same color in different shades.

3. Tiled Images

You can take an image, like a butterfly, and have it transformed into a balcony design or walking deck design. You could have butterflies on individual tiles or create a larger-scale design by using different-colored tiles and placing those in the right locations. Then, fill in around the design in a different color tile so your image stands out.

4. Stamped/Pressed Concrete

Another option available with concrete is to stamp or press a design or image into the wet concrete before it sets and cures. A stamping plate will need to be made with the inverse (reverse) of the image or design. You could also go with the traditional handprints and footprints imprints.

5. Colored Fiberglass

Just like concrete, fiberglass comes in a wide array of colored options. Fiberglass can be placed over an existing concrete walking deck or balcony, too, if you want to give it an updated look and appearance when the existing one is looking dated or needs some minor repairs.

6. Composite Decking

deck attached to house

Composite decking is made from synthetic and plastic materials. It is very durable and comes in a wide variety of colors. You can place the tiles over existing concrete or tiles if you want a wood-like appearance. Some composite decking comes in small square tile-like pieces that you simply snap together and place directly onto the existing surface.

No matter what material you ultimately decide to use to build a new walking deck or balcony or to upgrade the appearance of an existing one, remember to have the material waterproofed afterward.

Sometimes there is an initial “curing” period before waterproofing can be done. By waterproofing walking decks and balconies, you will protect them from water damage and increase their durability and lifespan.

For further information about balcony and walking deck waterproofing and other services, please feel free to contact Capital Deck & Stair at (424) 339-0953 today!