Enclosure of the terrace with your own hands: design options, recommended materials

Most modern cottages are equipped with terraces designed for outdoor recreation. A feature of such sites is that they are located above the ground level, so in most cases a perimeter is installed around the perimeter, preventing a person from falling from a height. The terrace enclosure is not always envisaged by the project, and there are situations when the presence of protective structures becomes necessary already in the process of operating the veranda. At this stage, the owner must decide on the design, material and method of installation of protective elements. Today we will consider, from what it is better to make a fencing of a terrace, in what variants it can be executed and how to cope with the task independently.

Types of structures

For functional purposes, there are closed and open fences.

The first view is established in order to protect the site from extraneous views, wind, rain and other atmospheric phenomena.

The enclosure type of the open type is more decorative. It does not block the view of the site and does not prevent the sun's rays from entering the veranda. When making a choice in favor of this or that decision, it is necessary to consider, for what the given construction is most often used. For maximum contact with nature, sunbathing, growing plants or holding celebrations in the open air, open options are best suited. That's only in this case you need to be prepared for the fact that suddenly started wind or rain can disrupt your plans.

What are the criteria for choosing the material for the handrail?

First of all, the selected materials should harmoniously fit into the surrounding interior. Also important is the weight of the future design. It is desirable that the products do not weight the terrace, the base of which was calculated for a certain load. The chosen option must withstand the impact of the environment, be unpretentious in care and easy to install. You should pay attention to the availability of products, so that in the event of repair, you could easily purchase an element for replacement. The materials used for the construction of fences are natural and synthetic. Each species has its positive and negative characteristics, therefore, making a choice, it is worth familiarizing with each of them in more detail.

Synthetic materials

The terrace fence, made of synthetic materials, is attractive in that it does not require special care and treatments. This element of the exterior is very resistant to moisture, temperature fluctuations and thus has a very impressive appearance. This category includes products made of polyvinyl chloride and wood-polymer composite (DPC).

The last material looks very similar to the painted natural wood. It is made by mixing polymers and wood pulp, resulting in a plastic mixture that allows you to perform the most unusual compositions. It should be noted that, despite its similarity with wood, this species is completely devoid of all the negative qualities inherent in natural raw materials. It is distinguished by its high strength, resistance to moisture, is not prone to deformations and does not lose its original appearance during use. Excellent performance characteristics inherent in the DPC make these products very popular - they gain more and more liking from the consumer.

PVC fencing attracts its cheapness and ease of installation, but the fragility of plastic does not allow it to make an equal competition with natural materials. Most often it is used as decorative elements, not designed for the impact of any loads.

Metal enclosures

Metal rails provide the highest level of security for visitors to the veranda. Sturdy and stable structures perfectly withstand mechanical stress and prevent falling from the platform. However, it should be borne in mind that the fencing of the terrace made of metal must have a very elegant appearance, since thick elements can heavily weight the structure and, as a result, the foundation will not withstand the additional load.

For the manufacture of wrought iron handrails it is preferable to use stainless steel grades that have a longer service life in conditions of high humidity. Speaking about the financial side of the issue, it is worth mentioning that the metal fencing of the terrace can not be established without the use of special welding equipment, which significantly affects the cost of the entire structure. The design can be cheapened by combining several materials. Recently, a combination of wooden and metal parts is very fashionable, so the resulting fence will be not only durable, but also stylish.

Wooden constructions

The fencing of the terrace of wood is ideal for those cases when the house and the playground are made of the same material. Such products are most popular, because the wood is quite simple to process, which makes it possible to make rails of the most diverse design. To their positive features can be attributed to the fact that wooden structures are very stable and have a small weight. Treatment with protective solutions makes it possible to minimize the shortcomings of natural raw materials and extend the life of the product in outdoor conditions. If necessary, railings made of wood are easily amenable to restoration and repair.

Skillful owners choose this particular material, as it makes it possible to manufacture and install the fence with their own hands, without special equipment. Taking this fact into account, we will continue to consider the method of manufacturing and installation of wooden structures.

Basic ways of positioning the material

According to the way of execution it is possible to distinguish the following variants of fencing of terraces:

- vertical (when all columns, slats and other elements are perpendicular to the ground);

- horizontal (meaning the appropriate location of jumpers, balusters and supports);

- Cross (masters have all the elements of the fence so that they intersect each other).

Selection of wood

When we are going to make a terrace fence made of wood, special attention should be given to choosing the right type of wood. This stage should be approached as responsibly as not every tree species is suitable for use in street conditions.

The best option is pine. Its structure contains a large content of resin, which protects the material from moisture, prevents drying out and prevents the formation of rot, fungi and mold. Also, you can use more noble and expensive varieties. These include oak, beech and Siberian larch. The latter option is very durable - you can do without a protective coating.

The use of spruce is possible only after preliminary heat treatment. Ash wood, because of the instability to atmospheric phenomena, is not suitable for outdoor works.

Preparatory work

Before you start making rails, you should create a detailed drawing of the future design, which will indicate the width and height of the terrace fence, as well as the number and parameters of all parts.

For sites located high above the ground, it is better to install fences of not less than 1 meter. For low verandas, you can use fences of any size. The next step is to calculate the number of supports required. They are installed on all corners of the terrace, and if it is large, then every 120 cm.

As mentioned before, the fencing of the terrace can be performed in a wide variety of variants, which differ in the way they are installed. We will consider the simplest installation technology, which does not cause any special difficulties.

Mounting technology

Based on the parameters obtained during the measurements, they begin to make fences. First of all, the supports are installed. For them, take a square beam, the thickness of which depends on the expected load and dimensions of the veranda. These elements should be tough and strong enough, because they depend on the safety of tourists on the territory of the summer area. The height of the supports should be 20 cm above the rails themselves (in the event that the roof is not supported on the first ones).

On the perimeter of the veranda is done marking the places on which the poles will be installed.

For their fastening in the rack, cut a step into the floor of the tree. The width of the recess should correspond to the thickness of the base plank. The resulting step is installed on the beam and screwed to it with the help of furniture screws.

Fastening of handrails

Most often, handrails are fastened in the same way as the main columns. As a handrail, use cut slats or pre-prepared balusters. Also, it is possible to produce a rail in the form of a frame, which after assembly is installed in the opening between two supports. Its lower part is attached to the base of the veranda, and the rail is fastened to the top rail. At this stage, the wooden structure is tested for strength and stability. With the help of the building level, all errors are identified and eliminated.

In the places of greatest load it is recommended to install additional ribs in the form of small wooden racks. They are located so that they do not interfere with the comfortable movement of the tenants of the house.

At the final stage of installation, fix the decorative inserts and various elements necessary for the decoration of the fence.

At the end of the work all the wooden elements are treated with protective solutions and covered with coloring compositions that impart a decorative effect.