21 Ways to Upgrade Your Deck

Before you add anything to your deck, create a solid foundation. Cosmetic changes can't hide a deck in disrepair or dirty, ugly boards.

Storage boxes made from the same deck material look good, provide places for virtually anything, and serve as extra seating.

Cut a hole near an edge of the deck and plant your favorite flowers or small trees so they can grow up through the boards.

Add a custom aluminum roof frame with removable clear polycarbonate panels or outdoor fabric. If you don't need protection from rain, install a retractable awning or build a pergola with vines such as wisteria climbing over it.

A railing, gate, or other entry feature can turn your deck into a safe, cozy enclosure. Plus, the railing provides a platform for fitted planters, birdbaths or feeders, or other garden ornaments. Top your railing with a ledge so it can double as a spot to set drinks.

Guests and family members alike appreciate places to sit, and built-in benches can be made to look like original parts of the deck. Whether the benches are freestanding or attached, make them blend in by building them from the same materials used for the deck itself.

Whether bursting with flowers or foliage, hanging or artfully arranged in pots, plants are the perfect way to enliven a space and soften a deck's edges. If you have a wood deck, place the pots on brick or other supports so they're not in direct contact with the wood when you water the plants; this can lead to rot.

Railings can do more than enhance the safety and appearance of your deck -- they can make a style statement. Decorative ball tops and turned spindles are among the many specialty products available to embellish railings.

If you gave up your garden to build or expand your deck, grow veggies in containers on your deck for an eclectic look and homegrown food for dinner. Start with tomatoes, beans, peas, and carrots. Put the containers on rolling supports so you can move them around easily.

Add tall, evenly spaced 4x4 posts around the perimeter of your deck and connect them with tree limbs for a rustic look. Or add glass panels between post gaps to block wind while retaining views.

Extend your living space onto your deck and enjoy easy access by adding double doors. Use furnishings and fixtures to create distinct zones for grilling, dining, and lounging.

A greenhouse or a similar structure can attach to a deck and serve as a wonderful getaway space while fulfilling its designated purpose.

A weatherproof outdoor sound system is a soothing finishing touch for any deck.

Consider all of your furniture options: hardy wood such as teak, aluminum, steel, and recycled plastics. An outdoor rug completes the scene.

Replace wooden rail spindles with wrought-iron ones and the deck boards with rot-resistant composite planks.

Dedicate a corner or add on to the deck to accommodate a hot tub.

Add skirt boards or trellis material around your deck perimeter between its surface and the ground. This lends a finished look to the project and can let the space below the deck serve as handy storage.

Extend your deck in one or several directions, add a level up or down, or curve an edge for visual interest.

Create an outdoor kitchen, complete with grill, sink, undercounter refrigerator, wine cooler, and eating area. Got money left over? Add a tiki bar!

Solar or low-voltage post-top lights create ambience when your dinner guests linger into a summer evening.

Tucked into your deck flora, statuaries can be tasteful and even mysterious -- real conversation starters.