After more than 12 years with Mike Jansen Custom Decks, I’ve seen just about every type of deck project you can imagine, along with the common mistakes homeowners never realize they’re making until it’s too late. Deck design isn’t just about choosing a pretty board color or sketching out a layout. It’s about creating a space that actually works for the way you live, holds up to Midwest weather, and adds real value to your home. Over the years, I’ve walked countless homeowners through ideas, revisions, and “I wish we would’ve known that sooner” moments. That’s exactly why I put this list together: to highlight the most common deck design mistakes we see and help you avoid them before they become expensive regrets.

1. Not Installing Stairs

One of the biggest regrets homeowners share is skipping stairs to save space or money. Without stairs, your deck becomes a dead end instead of part of your yard. Later, when you want:

  • Easy access for kids
  • A path to the grill down on the patio
  • A shortcut to the garden
  • A second entertaining zone

…you’ll wish you had added them from the start. Adding stairs afterward is more expensive and often limits your design options.

2. Putting Stairs in the Wrong Spot

Even when homeowners do include stairs, one of the biggest regrets is putting them in the wrong location. Stairs aren’t just a way to get off the deck, they shape how you use the entire space.

Poorly placed stairs can:

  • Interrupt furniture layouts
  • Force traffic through your dining area or away from your entertaining area
  • Block views
  • Create awkward footpaths

Stairs work best when they have a dedicated area, not squeezed onto the edge of the deck as an afterthought. A small landing or “stair zone” makes a huge difference.

A landing:

  • Creates a safe transition point
  • Gives your stairs a natural destination
  • Opens up better layout options for seating and grilling
  • Looks intentional instead of tacked on
    When stairs are thoughtfully placed, they feel like part of the design rather than an obstacle you
    continually work around

3. Choosing a Decking Board Based Off Pictures or From a Brochure

Always look at real samples outdoors, not in a showroom or out of a catalog. We send our customers home from our showroom with REAL decking samples to put next to their house before deciding on their color. Colors can look completely different depending on:

  • Lighting – sun vs. shade drastically changes the appearance
  • Surroundings – house color, landscaping, and furniture all affect how a deck looks
  • Material texture – composites, wood grains, and finishes reflect light differently

Always test physical samples outdoors. Spend time looking at how they change during the day and against your house and yard.

4. Underestimating How Much Space You Need

A deck that looks big on paper gets cramped fast once you add:

  • A grill
  • A table
  • A couch
  • A walkway around each

A good rule: design for how people actually move through the space, not just how it looks empty. If you want to be able to comfortably fit a table and 6 chairs on your deck, we recommend a minimum deck width of 12 feet, for example. This allows for ample room for both the furniture and for you and your guests to move around the deck without feeling cramped by furniture.5.

5. Dividing the Deck into Multiple Levels

Multi-level decks sound like a great idea—until you start living with them. Many homeowners regret adding even a single step-up or step-down because it instantly chops up the space and limits how it can be used.

Even a small height change can:

  • Break up what could have been a large, usable area
  • Make furniture layouts far more difficult
  • Turn simple walkways into tripping hazards
  • Create “dead zones” where nothing fits well
  • Make the deck feel smaller than it actually is

What most people don’t realize is that you lose far more usable square footage by adding levels than by keeping one continuous surface. A clean, single-level deck gives you flexibility: dining, lounging, grilling, entertaining, all without boundaries or interruptions.

6. Skipping Lighting During the Build

Deck lighting isn’t just about looks, it’s about safety, usability, and creating a space you can enjoy long
after the sun goes down. The three main types of deck lighting we recommend are:

  • Riser lights – illuminate stairs for safe nighttime use
  • Post accent lights – add soft, functional perimeter lighting
  • Post cap lights – provide both style and visibility around the railing

Many homeowners regret not installing lighting during the initial construction. Once the deck is built, adding lights becomes harder, more invasive, and far more expensive. Wires need to be fished through finished framing, holes have to be drilled below railing posts and sometimes rails have to be removed completely.

Lighting is one of those features that seems optional—until you realize how much you actually use your deck at dusk and in the evening. Planning it up front ensures a safer, more comfortable, and far more inviting outdoor space.

7. Building Too Low to the Ground

Low decks feel sleek—but without ventilation, they trap moisture. This leads to:

  • Rot
  • Mold
  • Shortened lifespan
  • Composite fade or warping depending on brand of decking

If your deck is low to the ground, you must design for airflow or adjust the height. Many homeowners want to keep pets out from under the deck, which is a very valid want, but they COMPLETELY enclose the structure without adding gaps or venting and it very quickly leads to major structural problems.

Privacy lattice is always a great option (and it’s available in vinyl material) to allow ventilation below your deck. If you want to go for a fully enclosed fascia look, be sure to leave adequate gaps between the horizontal fascia boards to let some air in below the deck.

We’ve even recommended to some of our customers to skip the deck altogether and opt for a poured concrete patio because we believe in the long run it’s the better choice for their yard.

8. Installing Built-In Furniture or Benches

Built-in seating and furniture can look great in photos, but in real life, they often become one of the most regretted decisions on a deck. The biggest reason? How you use your deck now may not be how you want to use it in three years.

When you add built in benches or seating:

  • Your layout becomes permanent. Moving things around for a new entertaining setup or adding a grill can be impossible.
  • You limit flexibility. A sectional or table that fits perfectly today may feel cramped once your family grows or your furniture style changes.
  • It can feel crowded. Fixed seating often takes up more space than free-standing furniture, leaving little room for traffic flow or additional features.
  • Upgrades are harder. Adding cushions, a fire pit, or storage benches later often requires cutting or modifying the built-ins.

Many homeowners start with the best intentions: “I’ll have built-in seating for parties”, but later wish they had opted for modular, movable furniture. A flexible deck lets you adapt to changing needs, from summer barbecues to cozy evenings with just the family

9. Forgetting About Maintenance and Long-Term Costs

Choosing materials without understanding the upkeep. Pressure-treated lumber may save you money
today, but long-term you’re signing up for:

  • Staining
  • Splinters
  • Warping
  • Replacements

Low-maintenance composites save homeowners more than they realize and are becoming much more affordable than they used to be.

10. Not Hiring a Specialist

A deck is not “just a deck.” It’s a structure, an investment, and a long-term part of your home. It requires permits and inspections to ensure safety.
The biggest mistakes we fix come from:

  • Handymen
  • General contractors
  • DIY attempts
  • “A guy who built one for a friend”

Deck specialists design differently, build differently, know building code requirements, and know how to avoid every regret on this list.

Final Thoughts

A great deck doesn’t happen by accident. It takes experience, design thinking, and an understanding of
how homeowners truly live outdoors.
If you want a project built to last—and built intentionally—we’re here to help.