Creating a Dry Space: Under-Deck Drainage Systems

Maximize the square footage of your property by capturing the rain and creating a secondary, bone-dry outdoor living room beneath your elevated deck.

If you have an elevated deck (typically 8 feet or higher off the ground) attached to a walkout basement, the space directly beneath the deck is an incredible opportunity that is often wasted. It usually turns into a muddy, dark storage area where water constantly drips through the upper deck boards.

By installing an engineered Under-Deck Drainage System, we capture that water and fundamentally double your usable outdoor square footage.

How Dry Space Systems Work

Before the composite surface boards are screwed down, we install a heavy-duty waterproof membrane (such as the Trex RainEscape system) directly over the structural floor joists.

This continuous plastic trough system is pitched at a precise angle. When rain falls through the cracks of the upper deck, it lands on the trough and is immediately shunted into a traditional aluminum gutter system hidden behind the fascia board, which downspouts the water safely away into the yard.

The Aesthetic Finish

Once the underside is guaranteed dry, the real magic begins. Because no water can penetrate downward, we can install a gorgeous tongue-and-groove pine or beadboard ceiling underneath the deck joists.

We then wire the dry ceiling for recessed lighting, stereos, and large ceiling fans. The end result is a massive, completely sheltered outdoor living room directly outside your basement doors, perfectly capable of housing luxury patio furniture and outdoor televisions without fear of weather damage.