Veranda vs terrace: similarities, differences, arrangement tricks

00:00, 23.04.2021 6

Breakfast overlooking the garden and no complaints from regulatory authorities - is this even possible?

Photo: glavstroy365.ru

With the beginning of the warm season, the desire to have a space at home that would be in the open air, where one could sit comfortably, and at the same time not have to wear galoshes or a hood, is growing stronger. A civilized “breakfast on the grass” can be arranged on your own terrace, and if you plan to build a veranda at home, then theoretically you can spend time there comfortably even in winter. What is the difference between a terrace and a veranda, is it profitable to “embed” them into the house, how to do everything correctly according to the law - in a quick review of the “House in Focus” section.

Veranda - an extension or a separate structure?

The word itself comes from the Portuguese varanda and means a room built into a house (with a common foundation and roof) or designed as an extension. There are also free-standing verandas. This design option is usually found in parks, kindergartens and hospitals.

Users often search for:

• How to attach a veranda to your house
• Terrace to the house

The word is translated from Persian as “gallery”. Both buildings have similar features: a large area, the presence of a roof, walls, and panoramic windows on one or two sides.

Verandas can be:

1. open (not glazed);
2. closed (glazed);
3. insulated;
4. unheated.

The open type option is shown in the photo below.

This design differs from a closed one in the absence of windows, that is, it is not glazed. Therefore, it is used exclusively for summer pastime at the dacha or in a country cottage. The gated building is designed to delight the owners and guests of the house all year round.

As for the unheated and insulated veranda, everything is quite simple. If you live in an area with a favorable climate or decide to build an extension to your dacha for meeting with friends in the summer, then there is no point in insulating the veranda. If you are planning to make a winter garden, the entrance to which is through the veranda, then insulation is necessary. Foam plastic, mineral wool, polyurethane foam and other materials are suitable for this purpose.

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

1. The veranda can be glazed, while the terrace is an open area.
2. A mandatory element of a veranda is a roof, but a terrace does not have a roof.
3. The veranda serves as part of the house, an extension to it. The terrace is located outside the house, often on a small hill.
4. The veranda can be insulated, while the terrace cannot.

Date of publication: 02.11.2013

Sources used:

• https://besedka.guru/vidy/chem-otlichaetsya-veranda-ot-terrasy.html
• https://besedkibest.ru/verandu/veranda-i-terrasa-otlichie/
• https://landshaftportal.ru/chem-otlichaetsya-veranda-ot-terrasyi/
• https://thedifference.ru/chem-otlichaetsya-veranda-ot-terrasy/

More about varieties

The first construction option is suitable for use in the summer or in countries with warm climates. Performed without a foundation. The appearance of such a structure can be seen in the photo below.

A closed terrace is distinguished by the fact that during its construction a foundation is always laid, permanent walls are constructed, and heating and ventilation are often carried out. Thanks to such design features, this room is suitable for relaxation at any time of the year. Many homeowners use a closed terrace as a dining room or additional living room.

The universal terrace is a “two-in-one” structure: a closed building can be easily converted into an open one (by removing double-glazed windows and doors) and vice versa (due to the mechanism of a folding roof and walls). A universal terrace, like a closed structure, is built on a foundation and, if necessary, connected to a heating and ventilation system.

Terraces also differ in the following characteristics:

• presence/absence of fences and roof;
• one or more levels;
• location (can rest on a building or a slope, be designed in the form of an “island”, or surround a particular object, for example, a swimming pool);
• shape (square, rectangular, asymmetrical).

Construction Features

The construction of any building or structure is a labor-intensive process. It is necessary to approach this matter responsibly. An ordinary extension to a house or a site next to it must comply with norms and standards. Further, the article discusses the main features of the construction of the above structures.

You may be interested in information on how to properly build a closed gazebo for your summer cottage.

Verandas

In this article, you have already learned that there are two types of verandas. Before starting construction work, you need to decide whether the room will be glazed or not. In the case of a closed type, it is worth thinking about heating and insulating the walls. It is recommended to plan the structure in advance to lay a solid foundation for the entire building.

• The most popular materials for constructing verandas are brick and wood. They have a number of positive characteristics:
• strength;
• good thermal insulation;
• wide selection on the building materials market, etc.

If you decide to attach a veranda to a finished house, then pay attention to ensuring that the exterior decoration of the house or cottage matches the entire building. The design must fit harmoniously into the overall design of the structure.

Important! If you are adding a veranda to a finished house, then you need to deepen the foundation by at least 30 cm to avoid distortion of the structure.

Terraces

The construction of a terrace also has its own characteristics, since this structure can be located next to the home, away from it or on the roof. The site is built with or without a foundation. There are no windows in this seating area. The structure comes with or without a roof. The canopy should be attached to support posts that are installed on the surface of the site.

Most often, the fencing of the site is a railing or half-wall. It all depends on the wishes of the owner himself. The materials used to build the structure are the same as those used in the construction of conventional buildings (brick, wood, metal, foam blocks, etc.). Precipitation can easily enter the site, so the wood must be moisture-resistant (for example: oak, spruce or pine boards coated with a protective composition).

Let's sum it up

Thus, both concepts are very similar to each other. For example, the difference between an open veranda and an open one-level terrace with a roof is practically not noticeable, so inexperienced people often confuse them.

But if we consider buildings in traditional design, then each of them has a number of features.

• Veranda: it is necessary to have a roof, a common foundation with the house, it is made as an extension or directly built into the room.
• Terrace: walls are replaced with sides/railings, built outside the building on an elevated surface.

Main differences

Veranda and terrace are different designs. The only thing in common is that both represent an additional structure.

The veranda is a continuation of the main building, usually designed during the planning of the house. The terrace never has a common foundation with the living space.

A veranda, as a rule, is a glazed room with a roof and walls; a terrace is an open canopy built directly on the ground.

The veranda can be used year-round as a full-fledged, but unheated room. The open extension is used only in the warm season, since due to the lack of walls it is not able to protect against adverse weather conditions.

The terrace has its pros and cons

So, choose a terrace if:

• the structure is being built with the goal of spending a lot of time outdoors;
• the building is located in a warm climate zone;
• the plot is large and the construction will not reduce its functionality;
• there is enough space in the house and no additional premises are needed;
• I plan to spend a lot of time in the sun.

You need to add a veranda to your house if:

• there is a need for additional space for year-round recreation or fitness;
• you need a place to store things;
• the structure is designed in a cold climate zone with unfavorable weather conditions;
• The small area of ​​the plot does not allow the construction of a full-fledged terrace.

It should be noted that a veranda is a more expensive construction option, since it will require building material for the walls and a full roof. Building a terrace is much easier - the costs will only be for the construction of the foundation, decking and canopy.

To understand the difference between a veranda and a terrace, you need to understand the meaning of each word. This will be discussed in the article.

Construction process

First you need to make a high-quality foundation. You need to use only good materials so that the structure does not fall apart in the end.

Work order:

1. First you need to mark the place where the future structure will be placed. To do this, you need to drive reinforcing bayonets and wooden pegs into the ground, and then pull twine on them to “outline” the territory.
2. In the corners it is necessary to place temporary supports on which the side logs will be installed. The terrace should be located above ground level at a distance of 30 or 40 cm.
3. It is necessary to use a building level to level the entire horizontal line. You will need to put various construction debris under the tiles to level the structure. You can use pieces of brick or stone. But it is necessary to remember that the logs must be installed at a slope of approximately 2 degrees from the house.
4. The twine must be pulled along the upper edge of the log, and then firmly fixed to the pegs. The logs are removed and you can begin to create the foundation. To do this, it is necessary to place cement columns in the corners, the height of which should be equal to the temporary supports on which the logs were not placed.
5. It is necessary to dig a trench between the posts, and then fill it with cement and place a curb in it so that half of the structure is in the ground. Using a level, the planes are leveled. After this, you need to wait for the concrete to completely harden.
6. The same base must be created on the opposite side. All resulting voids should be properly filled with sand.

For these purposes, pouring a strip foundation is also suitable. The internal space can be filled with crushed stone, thus creating a water drainage system.

Wood flooring

After all the previous steps have been completed, you can move on to the next step. Now you need to properly install the wood flooring.

Work order:

1. It is necessary to place logs on pillars and curbs and secure them well with screws.
2. It is worth marking the places where the bars will be attached.
3. The beams are laid and connected using corners with logs.
4. You can move on to laying the boards. If ordinary wood will be used, then it is best to choose larch, since it ideally withstands outdoor conditions. Typically, boards with a width of 10-15 cm and a thickness of 2 cm are used. The boards must not be laid end to end, but a certain gap of several centimeters must be maintained. This is necessary for ventilation. This way the terrace will not rot.
5. All edges of the flooring must be trimmed using a jigsaw.
6. The coating is varnished with high quality, but before that it must be painted.

If you are going to lay decking, you need to lay it away from the wall. You should retreat 1 cm from the building.

Object decor

To add decorative elements to the building, you need to use beautiful flower arrangements. You can use potted plants that are planted around the perimeter. If you plant several thujas on the windy side of the structure, they can not only have a decorative effect, but also protect from the wind and sun.

To close the area from prying eyes, you can use hanging tulles, which are collected in bunches when necessary.

Wicker or rattan structures are usually used as furniture, since such a structure will not be afraid of various weather conditions. Their appearance is quite light and does not clutter up the space.

Each owner will independently create and think through interesting ways in which they can decorate a terrace on their site. That is why there will be no absolutely identical buildings in the world.

Purpose of the terrace

The terrace is used in the warm season for relaxing outdoors, staying in the microclimate of the garden in the clean air. Therefore, it is built mainly in southern areas, as it is excellent for outdoor leisure. At his own discretion, the owner plans its purpose, which determines the design solution, dimensions, and location on the site.

• If this is a recreation area for all household members, then it is equipped with summer chairs, children's equipment, a table for games, items for summer games and entertainment;
• For lovers of gatherings receiving guests in nature, it’s time to provide a barbecue, take care of the table and furniture for seating guests;
• If you want to sunbathe, part of the terrace is built without a roof.

There are plenty of ideas for construction.

WHICH SIDE IS IT BETTER TO POSITION

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a terrace or a veranda - there are principles that are the same for their location and arrangement. If you do not take this into account, you can be very upset later. So, if possible, place your resting place near the south wall. If the layout does not allow it, choose the west or east sides (by the way, what do you admire more often - the sunrise or the sunset?). But not the north!

During construction, it will be useful to take into account the direction of prevailing winds. This is necessary to protect the terrace from cold and snow. The windward side is the worst. Choose a leeward one, which will cover the house with its “back” from drafts.

Think about what the view will be like from the veranda: from here it’s nice to admire the blooming garden, or watch your offspring play on the playground. But orientation towards the street and the neighbor's yard is undesirable.

Definition of a terrace

A terrace is a platform attached to the main building or located away from it. It is open, not glazed, and may have:

• various types of perimeter fencing;
• be partially fenced;
• have no fence.

As a rule, it is located on a separate base from the house. The foundation is selected depending on the geometric dimensions, design solution, and design load. These are columnar, strip or pile (pile-screw) foundations.

To shelter from precipitation and the hot sun, owners often provide a roof or a light canopy. Coating can be done:

• for the entire area;
• for a certain part, and the rest of the territory remains open;
• completely absent.

This is decided by the owner based on taste preferences, intentions of use, and aesthetic considerations.