Covered Decks: Turning an Existing Deck Into a More Usable Outdoor Living Space

A backyard deck can be a great addition to a home, but South Dakota weather does not always cooperate.

Hot summer sun, rain, wind, mosquitoes, and changing temperatures can limit how often an uncovered deck actually gets used. For some homeowners, the solution is not replacing the outdoor space. It is making the space they already have more functional.

Adding a roof and screening to an existing deck can transform a basic backyard deck into a comfortable outdoor living area that can be enjoyed much more often throughout the year.

Why Add a Cover to an Existing Deck?

An uncovered deck gives you a place to sit outside, grill, entertain, or relax. Adding a roof changes how that space can be used.

A covered deck can provide:

• Shade during hot summer afternoons

• Protection from rain

• A more comfortable place for outdoor furniture

• Protection for the deck surface

• A defined outdoor living area

• More opportunities to enjoy the backyard

Adding screens can make the space even more comfortable by reducing mosquitoes and other insects while maintaining the feeling of being outdoors.

Can an Existing Deck Be Converted Into a Covered Deck?

In many cases, yes.

However, adding a roof is considerably different from simply replacing deck boards or railings.

Before construction begins, the existing deck and the home need to be evaluated. A roof adds additional weight and changes how loads are transferred through the structure.

Important considerations can include:

• Existing deck framing

• Footings and foundations

• Structural support

• Roof design

• Connection to the existing home

• Drainage

• Building codes

• Permitting requirements

• Snow loads

South Dakota snow loads make proper structural planning especially important.

An existing deck may be able to support the new design, or portions of the structure may need to be reinforced or rebuilt.

Designing the Roof to Fit the Existing Home

One of the biggest challenges when adding a covered deck is making the addition look like it belongs on the house.

The roof should complement the existing home's roofline, siding, trim, windows, and overall architecture.

A well planned covered deck should feel like an extension of the home rather than something that was simply attached afterward.

Roof pitch, ceiling height, drainage, gutters, posts, trim, and siding details all contribute to the finished appearance.

Covered Deck vs. Screened In Deck

A covered deck and screened in deck provide different levels of protection.

A covered deck provides overhead protection while keeping the sides open. This works well for homeowners who primarily want shade and protection from rain.

A screened in deck adds screening around the living area, helping keep mosquitoes and other insects outside.

For homeowners who spend a lot of summer evenings outdoors, screening can dramatically change how often the space gets used.

Choosing Decking and Railings

Converting an older deck can also be an opportunity to update the materials.

Composite decking has become a popular option because it eliminates much of the staining and maintenance associated with traditional wood decking.

Depending on the project, homeowners may also choose new railing systems that complement the home's exterior and provide a cleaner, more modern appearance.

The combination of composite decking, updated railings, a roof, and screening can make an older deck feel like an entirely new addition.

A Recent Covered Deck Transformation

This project started with an existing uncovered wood deck.

While the deck provided outdoor space, it offered little protection from the sun, weather, or insects.

Impact Construction transformed the area into a covered, screened in outdoor living space.

The project included a new roof structure, screened enclosure, composite decking, updated railings, stairs, and structural improvements necessary to support the new design.

Instead of simply replacing the existing deck, the project changed how the homeowners could use their backyard.

The finished space provides shade from the summer sun and protection from insects while maintaining the open air feeling that makes a deck enjoyable.

Is a Covered Deck Worth It?

The answer depends on how you want to use your outdoor space.

If you already have a deck but find yourself avoiding it because it is too hot, too sunny, too wet, or too buggy, covering or screening the deck may make significantly more sense than simply rebuilding what is already there.

It can turn an occasionally used deck into another living area for relaxing, entertaining, dining, or simply enjoying the backyard.

Start With the Existing Structure

If you are considering converting an existing deck into a covered or screened outdoor space, the best place to start is with an evaluation of what you already have.

The existing deck, footings, connection to the home, roofline, and desired finished space all need to work together.

Impact Construction helps homeowners in Sioux Falls and surrounding communities plan and build decks and outdoor living spaces designed around their homes and how they want to use them.

Have an existing deck you would like to improve?

Talk with Impact Construction about what is possible.

We Make Your Building Journey Easy.