Page 8 - North Shore Cluster_FR.April2020

Decks

Color
• Left to weather naturally
• Or, treated with a clear, colorless sealant

Elevated Decks

• Deck must be square or rectangular.
• The deck depth must be a maximum of 12’ from the main house wall to the edge of the
deck or, no more than one half the distance between the main house wall and the rear
property line, whichever is less.
• The deck must be constructed in such a way that angled knee braces are not required on the
deck posts for additional support.
• All elements of the deck extending beyond the party wall, including outermost edge of the
railing, must be set back 2’ from the shared property lines.
• Deck supports must be a minimum of 6” X 6”.

Railings

• The railings must be the straight 2” X 2” wood vertical picket design at the minimum height
required by Fairfax County code.

Privacy Screens

• Must be constructed of wood left to weather naturally.
• Privacy screen and deck railing wood must match and complement each other.
• Designs must be horizontal lattice; lattice work must be two inches wide.
• The lattice must be framed with either trim boards or wood lattice channel pieces and
finished to match the deck in conformance with the RA Design Guidelines for privacy
screens.
• Privacy screens must extend no more than 36” above the railing and run the entire length of
the side of the deck.

Click here for more information on decks in Fairfax County.