A raised deck can make a house much more livable, especially if there is a view. But in most cases the deck is an afterthought. A typical raised ranch with an awful porch added on to the back wall is the worst variety of the species: Altiplanus Appendix Horribilis. Designing For Deck and Railing Though this column will focus primarily on railings, I'll first give a strategy for deck design. Solve the functional problems of the deck first. For instance, a deck can be flush with the house floor, or placed down a step or two so as not to obstruct the view, so consider location and orientation. Decide how big it will be, and if you want
