An under deck ceiling system is a new trend in outdoor living that will allow you the chance to utilize an otherwise worthless space.  How many times have you thought about wanting to sit outside, however it might be raining?  What about those times that your basement door exits underneath your deck?  Wouldn't it be nice to have an area sheltered from the rain and elements?

The under deck ceiling systems started from the home remodeling industry and sun room installations.  With many of the ceilings being created in areas that were exposed to higher humidity or exterior weather conditions, a material that could withstand various weather was needed.

Most under deck ceiling systems today are vinyl or synthetic based materials.  This allows them to withstand lots of different exposures to various weather.  The purpose of the under deck ceiling system is basically to give you an area of shelter, mostly from rain, under your existing deck.

If you have a walkout basement, or a 2 tier deck, you could use an under deck ceiling.  The installation is simple and most of the time include some type of gutter system to divert rain water.

Imagine looking up at the deck flooring above your head.  You see the ugly old boards, maybe some nails, a few bees nests and whatever else you can see.  With an under deck ceiling system, you will no longer see that.  Plus, you can now utilize that space in inclement weather such as rain and not worry too much about getting wet or moving all of your guests inside.

There are many different types of under deck ceiling systems that you can purchase and have installed. The more popular variety is the vinyl ceiling materials. Much like vinyl siding, it is easy and quick to install and allows for numerous configurations and installation types. Most of the vinyl ceilings are click type or slide track installations that install easily and are pretty good with their waterproofing as well.

You can also purchase natural wood or synthetic wood systems that install on your ceiling. These are also pretty easy to install as they are often interlocking to allow for waterproofing, but they are more expensive.

One thing to consider that is sometimes considered an option by some companies that sell under deck waterproofing systems is gutter systems for them. You can purchase and install gutter systems that will collect and divert the rain water away from your ceiling area. This is a good idea if you recieve a lot of rain.

You can also find and install ceiling fans into these areas and sun and wind screens as well.

While anyone can put in the underdeck waterproofing systems themselves, there are a couple of important things to consider.

First, you will want to remember the direction that you will be installing the system panels in. This is especially important if you are installing the rain gutters system on your deck. Having deck waterproofing already complete also will help keep your underdeck panels clean.

Another important safety consideration is to remember that if you are working off of a ladder or on unstable or uneven ground, use caution. It is best to have at least one person working with you in order to allow you to remain on the ladder while they hand panels to you to be installed.

There have been some people that have saved money by using vinyl siding as underdeck ceiling system panels. This can work, however vinyl siding doesn't lock in as securely as the under deck ceiling system panels. Under heavy loads of rain or snow and ice, they have been known to collapse, break or pull down.