Warm weather means spending more time outdoors, a season to enjoy relaxing in the garden on a sunny afternoon or getting together with friends for a meal outside. If you’re looking to better set up your outdoor space, whatever its size, a wood decking can add attractive square footage for lounging, cooking, dining, entertaining and even working. The most dramatic decks can show off your home’s architecture and boost the overall look of your outdoor space.

“Decks are a great extension to an interior living space and can extend the feeling of interior space,” says architect Lisa Bovell, principal architect at McLeod Bovell Modern Houses in Vancouver. Read on to discover five ways that adding natural wood decking can enhance your outdoor space and lifestyle, and learn the advantages of choosing natural, highly durable and sustainably sourced wood as a decking material.

2. Enhance Your Home’s Architectural Features

Wood decking is a good choice for any home style, traditional to modern. Whether the wood is light or dark, the surface textured or smooth, decking can complement and enhance the architectural features of your home. One of the best things about natural wood, Bovell says, is the variation in colour and texture between and within planks. “We find that this natural variation creates enough ‘noise’ and beauty as it is, so we try very hard to find a single wood that can be used in all applications and locations — horizontal siding, vertical decking, on soffits, sometimes on ceilings,” she says.

The architects used Accoya wood for the decking, soffit, exterior siding and exterior window screens of this contemporary West Vancouver home. Using the same material for all of these applications enhanced the minimalist look they were after, bringing the focus to the clean lines of the building and the gorgeous view. Choosing a material that would work both indoors and out and stand up to weather exposure was essential to the integrated style.

5. Cut Down on Maintenance

When assessing your garden as a whole, consider the size of the planted areas, including lawns that need frequent mowing and flower beds that require tending, versus areas that are hardscaped. The time that goes into tending lawns or beds, not to mention the irrigation needed, often far exceeds time spent keeping a patio or deck clean and in good condition. So including some areas of decking can not only boost outdoor living space but also the time you have available to enjoy it.

That being said, any deck will need regular maintenance since it’s exposed to the elements. In general, you should sweep it regularly, clean it yearly, repair any damage, and stain or seal the wood surface when necessary. Accoya’s uncoated decks are particularly low-maintenance compared with other decking materials and are made from naturally rot-resistant wood. However, any wood is susceptible to weathering and sealing or staining can help protect it.

The wood acetylation process that changes the cell structure of Accoya’s wood improves the decking’s dimensional stability — the amount it expands and contracts —making it scratch-resistant, helping coatings last longer and requiring less maintenance. “Any stain product that is used tends to last longer on the surface of the material because the wood goes through less expansion and contraction, creating a better barrier to the elements,” Bovell says of Accoya wood decking.

More: To learn more about the benefits of Accoya’s sustainably sourced, acetylated wood decking and choose a style that complements your home and garden, visit our decking page here.

This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.

Visit the Accoya Houzz account here.

Exude modern sophistication with a dramatic exterior in a single colour. Ideal for transitional-style homes, like the one seen here one in Bethesda, Maryland, it can work well for a multitude of aesthetics. The key is to vary the tones and textures to bring much-needed depth. The cladding seen here was charred using the ancient Japanese technique of shou sugi ban.

If painted wood is more your style, be sure to choose lumber that won’t swell or shrink too much — movement causes cracks. “The coating is going to last significantly longer that way,” says Ty McBride, a renovator in Oklahoma City. He uses acetylated wood — which is resistant to bowing, twisting and warping — for his projects, keeping maintenance and future repair costs to a minimum. Svarczkopf adds, “It can be used without maintenance of any kind and still not decay. If the owner wants the wood to look nice, they’ll likely want to clean it annually.”

Let in the light with large glass doors and walls of floor-to-ceiling windows to create an airy, welcoming look both inside and out. This popular design trick will visually expand your home and connect you to nature and all of its soothing effects. Use glass or thin cable railings on decks to maintain clear views.

The house in Auckland, New Zealand, seen here fully embraces the trend with plenty of indoor-outdoor spaces. Its acetylated wood windows and doors help with insulation and keep energy bills down. The low-density material traps heat in air pockets, Svarczkopf says, stopping it from travelling quickly from the inside to the outside and vice versa. “The density is really great for thermal insulation,” McBride says. “It doesn’t conduct heat the same way as aluminium and vinyl.”

If you’ve fallen for beautiful timber doors and windows and are determined to add them to your home, we don’t blame you; their timeless elegance will undoubtedly increase your property’s kerb appeal. But before you jump in and start choosing your windows and doors, it’s important to consider the durability, thermal performance and maintenance requirements of your chosen timber designs.

How do you source a timber that looks superb, but requires less maintenance than traditional species and will hardly move or warp? Read on and discover Accoya wood – an innovative product that’s a game-changer for external windows and doors.

Original single pane sash windows are notoriously rattly and draughty due to shrunken or swollen frames, and are inefficient at retaining your homes’ heat. ‘But they look so elegant,’ we hear you shout.

Well, don’t fret as Accoya wood’s naturally insulating frames help to lock in the warmth, ensuring your home stays cosy and your energy bills stay low.

Bonus tip: If you’re worried about excessive solar gain, consider fitting wooden shutters or louvres to shade the area. Accoya wood’s shutters and louvres are a good option to pair with Accoya windows, as they’re low maintenance so will retain their looks for longer.

Most of us want to make environmentally friendly choices wherever we can, and by opting for Accoya wood you’ll be doing just that. Its outstanding sustainability credentials start with the sourcing of the raw material that comes from fast-growing sustainable forests, which in turn help combat carbon emissions.

What’s more, Accoya wood is recyclable, so you won’t have to contribute to landfill or any other form of environmental damage. On top of this, Accoya Wood is non-toxic and won’t emit synthetic compounds or chemicals, making it safe and healthy for people, pets and the environment.

To discover more about Accoya, visit their Houzz profile here.

This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.