It is difficult to imagine a summer vacation in a country house or in a country house without long and sincere conversations over a cup of fragrant tea or a glass of wine. But it is much more pleasant to spend your time on the open terrace or veranda instead of sitting in a stuffy room on a sunny day.
What is the difference between a veranda and a terrace?
What is the difference? There are differences between the terrace and the veranda , but often these two concepts are confused. Let's try to figure out what the differences between these buildings are, and also consider the features of construction and decoration.
Terrace
This building is an extension without a foundation, located on a raised base (15-50 cm above the ground) and having a hard surface. The terrace, unlike the veranda, is open, without walls and windows. However, as a rule, a roof or a canopy from the rain and a fence are arranged above it.
The terrace can be of several types:
- Fully or partially closed or open.
- Surrounded by railings or without them.
- Single or multi-level.
- Located on the side of the entrance to the house or encircling it around the perimeter.
- Separate or adjacent to the building.
Veranda
This is a closed or open unheated room. As a rule, it has a roof, located on the entrance side or on the back side of the building with access to the garden or courtyard. Often it is built directly into the house itself. The veranda is made of the same material as the house (wood, stone, brick or blocks).
There are different types of verandas:
- Open.
- Glazed.
- Unheated.
- Insulated.
The main differences
To understand how the veranda differs from the terrace, consider the table.
Specifications | Terrace | Veranda |
Roof | Most often it does not, but sometimes it closes with a temporary canopy. | There is. |
Walls | Replaced by handrails or low sides. | There is, but the veranda has large openings, which are often glazed or covered with protective screens. |
Warming | Not. | Closed verandas are insulated to maintain a comfortable temperature during the off-season. |
Heating | Is absent. | Often held to use the veranda in the winter. |
Floor | A special weatherproof coating is required. | Any available materials are used. |
Location | On a small hill. Out of the area of the house. | Built in or adjacent to a residential building. |
Appointment | Summer relaxation area. | For relaxation in the summer, but the heated and insulated veranda turns into an additional room. |
Considering how the veranda differs from the terrace, it can be seen that the terrace is a summer building designed for outdoor recreation. And the veranda can perform these functions, but, in addition, its main task is to protect the front door of the house from rain, wind and snow. In other words, it is a vestibule that saves heat. But today, increasingly, this part of the residential building is used as an additional building.
In fairness, it should be noted that the difference between the veranda and the terrace is becoming less and less noticeable.
Terrace construction
What is the difference between a veranda and a terrace, we figured it out. Now consider the features of construction.
- First of all, it is necessary to develop a project in which the functions and appearance of the extension should be provided, the strength and reliability of all elements of this design should be taken into account. You can choose a ready-made terrace project or develop your own version. For construction, it is better to use European oak and larch.
- Prepare the foundation. This issue can be solved in various ways. If a monumental massive construction is being built, the most optimal option is a single foundation, flooded for the house and terrace. This will help to avoid distortion and split of the building due to the uneven distribution of loads. It is also possible to lay a separate foundation. This option is advisable when building an open terrace in the presence of a ready-made country house. In this case, one should take into account the depth of groundwater and features of the soil. Another option is the construction of a terrace without a foundation. This method is acceptable if a lightweight structure is designed that needs to be placed at ground level.
- Install the terrace, make a canopy or a roof common with the house, equip the railing and stairs.
Construction of the veranda
The veranda is built with a foundation separate from the residential building. First of all, you need to break the axis of the building. To determine them, use a cord, tape measure and pegs. Measure the distance from the house to the veranda and hammer the pegs. Between them pull the cord, which serves as a guide for the construction of the foundation. At the corners of the veranda establish columns. They dig holes under them, put sand at their bottom, lay out blocks and fill the joints with cement. Then they proceed directly to the construction of the structure itself.
Decor
After the construction of the veranda and terrace with their own hands is completed, proceed to their design. To decorate and create additional comfort, decorative plants in ceramic pots are used, wicker furniture is installed from the vine.
An interesting solution for decorating the terrace is a small fountain. In general, the decor and arrangement of a terrace or veranda is completely dependent on the preferences and financial capabilities of the owners. To find the right option for the situation, you can see photos of interesting solutions.
So, we figured out how the veranda differs from the terrace, the features of their structure. If these facilities are properly equipped, then the family will spend all the warm time there.