The house door will serve as the primary access to your deck. The location, size and style of this door will have a major impact on your overall deck design. Unlike the ledger board, a door is not likely going to be practical to move. This is a situation you usually have to make the most of. How does the doors position relate to the rest of the house and yard? Remember that the space directly in front of the door will need to remain free for traffic flow. It also may be important for you to maintain a view through a large sliding door.

Centering a deck on a doorway may create an uncomfortable division of spaces by misdirecting traffic flow and obstructing views. Consider applying the deck left or right of center to establish a thoughtful balance and properly negotiate traffic and views. In Northern Climates it is necessary to step down from the door position to the deck in order to keep the door operating free from catching on snow and ice. If you have a sliding door attached to a cantilevered projection of the house you may need to use a special framing technique to transfer the decks load away from this area.