Trex Outdoor Deck & Patio Ideas for Backyards

While building a deck or patio is a great way to add a personal touch to your backyard, the endless possibilities can make getting started overwhelming. You need to consider how you want to use your space, how it will hold up over time, how the weather will affect its utility, and how much it may cost.

No matter how you answer these questions, there are plenty of backyard porch or deck ideas you’ll love. Here are a few of our favorites:

1. Backyard Deck With a Pergola

Pergolas are the perfect blend of form and function for any outdoor space. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they also offer shelter from the elements. A classic pergola provides dappled shade even under the intense summer sun, and growing vines or adding a fabric canopy to your pergola can improve shade cover while adding visual interest.

2. Backyard Pool With Deck

Poolside decks are one of our favorite ways to keep cool during the summer months, especially when they are built with a stain-, splinter-, and mold-resistant composite material like Trex® decking. Plus, the design options are endless. Choose a style and a color of decking you love and create something you can enjoy with family or friends for many summers to come.

Want to see more of what’s possible when it comes to low-maintenance pool decks? Explore our poolside deck ideas.

3. Deck With a Hot Tub 

No space for a pool? How about a hot tub? The same principles stand as creating a deck with a pool — the deck is a great place to dry off and helps avoid a muddy lawn. But the best thing about a hot tub? It lets you get year-round use out of your deck. Hot tubs are a great way to enjoy your deck in the colder months by keeping you warm, even in the snow.

Check out hot tub deck ideas to find something you love.

4. Outdoor Dining Set and Chairs

Whatever outdoor patio ideas or deck concepts you settle on, dining sets, chairs, and even coffee tables and sofas will add a pinch of personal style and a pound of usability to your backyard. Playing around with outdoor deck furniture ideas can be just as fun as decorating inside, so enjoy the process of figuring out how to dress your deck or patio in a way that reflects your personal style.

5. Outdoor Kitchen

Outdoor kitchens are diverse — they can be anything from a covered patio grilling area to a full food prep area with counters and running water, a pizza oven, and a ten-seater dining table. A backyard kitchen means you can take parties outside, eat á la carte the first perfect day of the year, or experiment with smoking food (without smoking the whole house).

6. Fire Pits and Fire Pit Tables

Fire pits mean you can use your deck even when it’s cold out and, above all, they’re fun. Want to toast s'mores after you’ve eaten the meal you prepared in your outdoor kitchen? Or maybe you live somewhere that’s chilly nine months of the year and want to be able to use your backyard? A fire pit may be the answer.

If you want to keep your outdoor socializing up through winter, fire pit tables are a multi-functional and stylish option. They allow you to gather around the fire pit and still have somewhere to set down drinks or eat an al fresco meal, all while staying safe.

7. Deck Lighting

Deck lighting ideas range from discrete and modern to full design features. Whether you’re concerned with the visual appeal of outdoor chandeliers or simply the practicality of a lit pathway, you should consider adding lighting to extend the time you can use your deck or patio. Deck lighting improves safety in low light, allows friends and family to hang out all night long, and can add a touch of sophistication to even the simplest deck.

8. Rooftop Deck

In some situations, backyard ideas with a deck just won’t work. Maybe you don’t have enough space for a deck out back, or perhaps the backyard is your space for gardening.

In these cases, rooftop decks are a great option. They can be more complicated to build and require a suitable roof area. Still, rooftop deck ideas offer a solution when space is at a premium or you want a private space away from the family backyard.

9. Privacy Ideas

The last thing you want to worry about when enjoying your outdoor deck is nosy neighbors. Luckily, privacy can be a quick fix. Trex offers a variety of fencing and privacy screen options to complement your deck. There are plenty of composite fencing ideas out there, helping you make privacy an intentional part of your outdoor design rather than an afterthought.

10. Plants and Gardens

Planting around your deck can create a ‘secret garden’ feel. Surrounded by greenery, a deck can be a private, magical space. Of course, many people lack the space for a large garden in addition to a deck or don’t have the budget (or patience) to fill their yard with mature trees.

Luckily, planting on a deck also looks excellent. Container gardening or raised garden beds are a great option for growing everything from ornamental flowers to herbs, fruits, and veggies. For some drama, hanging baskets can maximize vertical space and add cascading foliage, while trellises or gazebos can create the perfect environment for climbing plants. These alternatives offer a lush backdrop for your deck without the need for professional landscaping.

11. Small Deck

Limited space doesn’t automatically mean you can’t have a deck. Decking ideas for small spaces can transform an awkwardly shaped or cramped yard into your own personal haven. In fact, creating multiple areas in your yard using a deck and maximizing storage possibilities can make a small space seem much bigger.

12. Gazebo

Adding a gazebo to your outdoor deck increases the visual appeal of your patio while creating a distinct, useful space. Often confused with pergolas, gazebos have a similar design but usually include a permanently closed roof. Depending on your design preferences, you may choose a classically octagonal gazebo, or opt for a simple square or rectangular shape for your outdoor shelter.

Regardless of the design you go with, gazebos offer more than just good looks. They also provide shade in the summer and protection from the elements in fall and winter. They’re a lovely space to build benches or arrange outdoor furniture, creating a backyard feature and a functional space to spend time, whatever the weather.

13. Two-Story Deck

Multi-level decks offer a chance to create distinct outdoor spaces with different vibes and purposes. They also mean you can maximize usable deck or patio floor space while freeing the rest of your backyard up for planting, a classic lawn, or any other great outdoor design ideas you cook up!

Two-story decks also create a covered space on the lower level, providing an area that can be used, rain or shine.

14. Contemporary Ideas

The idea of a deck might bring to mind wood boards and railings with a rocking chair or two. In reality, however, a deck can be whatever you want it to be. Your deck should reflect your personal style just like your home does, so don’t let tradition restrain you. Create a clean, modern outdoor space using light colors, glass or metal railings, low-maintenance wood alternatives, and minimalist planting and furniture.

15. Budget Ideas

Being on a budget shouldn’t stop you from creating a beautiful, usable outdoor space with a deck or patio. Trex offers a wide variety of decking boards, with options to suit all budgets in multiple styles and with multi-decade warranties.

Keeping your deck small will keep costs down, and it doesn’t mean your options are limited. Whether it’s about finances or square footage, decking ideas for small spaces can be just as inspiring as wrap-around decks and elaborate designs.

16. DIY Ideas

DIY backyard porch and deck ideas vary from building it all yourself to simply DIYing design elements. Getting a contractor to build your deck’s substructure and laying deck boards yourself is a great middle-ground for many people who are handy but time-poor or who want to save some money on deck construction.

Whether you choose to build your new deck yourself or hire a professional, designing an original deck fitted to your backyard, style, and budget is now simpler than ever with tools like the Trex® Deck Designer tool.