Natural terrace

Did you know that the word terrace comes from the Latin word for “earth”, meaning a structure that is built or raised up from the earth. Over the years, terraces have undergone significant transformations, with the term becoming synonymous with any type of structure that links the outdoors with the space within. Today, terraces are often found in gardens, particularly in sloped or hilly terrain, as well as on rooftops and in place of ordinary patios. Teckwood’s composite wood terraces in particular, have become popular as they create a beautiful, natural bridge to the outdoors. Like any structure, though, wood terraces do have several considerations affecting their construction. Build a better terrace with help from the design team at Teckwood.

Terraces can often differ from regular decking or patios with their placement. They may be on the roof of a building or short distance away from the house within a garden. They might also be built into the side of a hill.

So, the first consideration when building any type of terrace is its accessibility. Unless your terrace is being built right outside your backdoor, consider how people will reach the area. Will stairs have to be built to the roof? Will you use a recycled plastic decking walkway of the same material to create a path to the garden or up the slope? Will you use a different material to create a unique design, such as river stones or pavers that can surround the composite wooden terrace to give it additional style?

Any terrace needs to have good drainage. Rooftop terraces, which have walls built around them, can find themselves becoming basins, which collect rainwater over time. Hillside terraces and some garden terraces will also need water drained or channelled away from the area to avoid things like erosion, which could shift the earth away from beneath the structure, causing it to become unstable.

Because composite wooden terraces are often built slightly raised up from the ground, any erosion may not be easily apparent until the footings of the terrace begin to loosen. Therefore, proper drainage needs to be installed beneath the structure to help ensure that no erosion takes place and that rooftop terrace designs do not become waterlogged.

In some instances, the final size and shape of your terrace will be dictated by the area you install it on. For example, rooftop terraces often take the entirety of the roof.

Hillside terraces may have more room for unique designs, with multiple levels being built into the hill as it moves upward. Terraces surrounding pools will need to be large enough to accommodate the water area, as well as leaving enough room to manoeuvre around it.

In addition to the amount of space that you have, consider how you will use the terrace to determine its final size. For example, if you plan on using the terrace for entertaining, you’ll want to include enough space for furnishings, a grill, or possibly a bar. Terraces meant for enjoying a garden may be smaller, butting right up against the plants you wish to admire. A terrace used in place of a patio or deck may need to be large enough to accommodate a patio-style table or lounge chairs, while a terrace surrounding a pool may work best if there’s enough room for sunbathing.

One of the nicest things about using wood plastic composite decking to create your terrace, as opposed to creating a patio or using other materials, is the fact that you can build things right into the design that can enhance its use. For example, the same wood plastic composite decking you use to create the terrace can be used to build seating or benches right into the perimeter of the design. You can also build storage into the terrace, stairs or steps, walkways, wet bars, or tables. Using the same material throughout gives you a sense of continuity through the design and helps you use the entire space more effectively.

It makes sense to use a Teckwood composite decking board to make the most of your terraced area as they do not splinter and are resistant to moisture and rotting, so you can enjoy the terrace for longer without issue. Teckwood’s Hallmark system requires no additional maintenance such as staining or treating, it is barefoot friendly and offers excellent ant slip values.