Under-Deck Storage & Skirting
Under-deck storage and skirting is the Handis carpentry that turns the four to eight feet of clear space under a second-story deck from a wasted open joist bay into bike storage, garden-tool storage, or just clean visual closure of the underside — cedar or composite vertical skirting boards with a proper 1-inch ventilation gap that prevents the trapped-moisture rot that closed-in skirting causes in the Seattle climate, a hidden access door with a magnetic latch sized to the clearance you need, and an optional under-deck drainage system (Trex RainEscape, TimberTech DrySpace, or equivalent) that catches the rain water that falls through the deck-board gaps and channels it to a downspout — turning the under-deck space into dry usable storage even in the wettest months. Two to five working days, from $1,500 for basic vertical cedar skirting on a small deck to $5,000 for full skirting with access door and an under-deck drainage system on a 14 by 16-foot deck. Pure Handis carpentry — no plumber, no electrician, no permit (skirting and access doors do not require permits in Seattle and most surrounding jurisdictions).
Service
What Under-Deck Storage & Skirting Covers
Under-deck storage and skirting is the Handis carpentry that closes in the underside of a raised deck for visual cleanup, weather protection of the space underneath, and optional dry usable storage. The build is pure carpentry — no plumber, no electrician, no permit (skirting and access doors do not require permits in Seattle and most surrounding jurisdictions). The critical detail in the Pacific Northwest is the ventilation gap between skirting boards — closed-in skirting traps moisture against the deck framing and the skirting boards both rot within five to seven years. Done correctly, with the proper gap and the optional drainage system, the under-deck space lasts twenty-plus years and gives you real usable storage in a wet climate.
Pressure-Treated Framing Tied to Deck Posts
The skirting frame is built in pressure-treated 2x4 or 2x6 lumber, tied to the existing deck posts and beam with hot-dip galvanized Simpson Strong-Tie angle brackets. The frame creates a continuous attachment point for the vertical skirting boards and provides the rough opening for the access door. Frame is set true, plumb, and level — important because a frame that is out of plumb makes every vertical skirting board lean by a small angle that the eye picks up immediately from the yard.
Vertical Skirting Boards with One-Inch Ventilation Gap
Cedar or composite vertical boards installed on the frame with a 1-inch ventilation gap between boards. The gap is non-negotiable in the Pacific Northwest — it lets air circulate behind the skirting and dries out the under-deck space after rain, preventing the trapped-moisture rot that fully closed-in skirting causes. Cedar boards (5/4 by 6 or 1 by 6, clear or knotty grade) are the most common choice; composite boards (matching the deck above for a coordinated look) work where the homeowner wants the no-maintenance route. Board height matches the deck-to-grade clearance. Top and bottom edges sealed with paintable acrylic at the trim transitions.
Hidden Access Door with Magnetic Latch
The access door is cut from the same skirting material as the surrounding boards and hinged on hidden cabinet hinges (Blum or Salice exterior-rated) so the door is invisible when closed. A magnetic catch holds the door shut; a small finger-pull recess (Hafele or similar) gives you a place to pull from. The door is sized to whatever you need to get through — a 24-inch door for garden tools, a 36-inch door for bikes, a 48-inch door for a small lawn tractor. Standard practice is one door per deck unless the deck is long enough to warrant two doors at the ends.
Optional Under-Deck Drainage System (Trex RainEscape, TimberTech DrySpace)
A real under-deck drainage system installs above the joists and below the deck boards — a series of troughs that catch the water falling through the deck-board gaps and channel it to a gutter at the low end of the deck, which routes to a downspout. The system turns the under-deck space into dry usable storage even when it rains all day. Trex RainEscape and TimberTech DrySpace are the two major systems we install; both have ten-to-fifteen-year manufacturer warranties on the membrane and the gutter. Installation adds $1,000 to $2,500 to a skirting project depending on the deck footprint. Without the drainage system the under-deck space stays usable for items that tolerate occasional dampness (bikes, garden tools, hose reels), but not for items that need to stay dry (cardboard boxes, fabric, electronics).
Trim and Transition Details
Top edge of the skirting trims against the deck rim joist with a Z-flashing or a paintable trim board that hides the joint and sheds water away. Bottom edge of the skirting trims against grade with a 2-inch clearance (prevents direct soil contact and keeps the bottom board out of standing water) and a paintable trim or a galvanized drip cap. Corners are mitered or trimmed with a cedar corner board, depending on the visual you want.
How the Skirting and Storage Build Works
Five sequential phases from layout to finish — the actual sequence we run on every under-deck skirting and storage project. Pure Handis carpentry; no licensed-sub handoff.
Estimate Visit + Layout + Drainage Decision
On the estimate visit we measure the deck footprint and the deck-to-grade clearance, confirm the skirting material (cedar or composite to match the deck above), confirm the access door size and location (24-inch garden-tool door, 36-inch bike door, 48-inch tractor door), and confirm whether the optional under-deck drainage system (Trex RainEscape or TimberTech DrySpace) is in scope. Drainage decision is yes if you want truly dry storage; no if items can tolerate occasional dampness.
Pressure-Treated Framing Layout + Anchor
Pressure-treated 2x4 or 2x6 frame built around the perimeter of the deck, tied to the existing deck posts and beam with hot-dip galvanized Simpson Strong-Tie angle brackets. Frame is set true, plumb, and level — out-of-plumb frame makes every vertical skirting board lean by a small angle that the eye picks up immediately. Rough opening for the access door framed in the same lumber. Day 1.
Optional Under-Deck Drainage System Install
If the drainage system is in scope, the Trex RainEscape or TimberTech DrySpace troughs install above the joists and below the deck boards, channeling water to a gutter at the low end of the deck and routing to an existing downspout (or a new downspout if needed). Manufacturer-spec installation with the supplied hangers and sealant. Day 2.
Vertical Skirting Boards with Ventilation Gap
Cedar or composite vertical boards installed on the frame with a 1-inch ventilation gap between boards held by a spacer gauge so the gap is dead consistent across the run. Top edge trims against the deck rim joist with Z-flashing or paintable trim. Bottom edge has a 2-inch clearance to grade with a paintable trim or galvanized drip cap. Days 2 to 4.
Access Door Install + Trim + Walk-Through
Access door cut from the same skirting material, hinged on hidden cabinet hinges so the door is invisible when closed, magnetic catch and finger-pull recess installed. Corner boards trimmed (cedar or composite to match). Final walk-through with you, hand-off of warranty paperwork, manufacturer warranty paperwork for the drainage system if installed. Day 4 to 5.
Under-Deck Storage & Skirting Pricing
Final pricing depends on deck footprint, skirting material (cedar or composite), access door size, and whether the under-deck drainage system (Trex RainEscape or TimberTech DrySpace) is in scope. Pure Handis carpentry — no licensed-sub fees, no permit. Request a free in-home estimate for an accurate quote.
Tell us the deck footprint and the storage you want underneath — we will quote the skirting and the optional drainage so the space stays dry.
Why Homeowners Book Handis for Under-Deck Storage & Skirting
Under-deck skirting looks like a small simple build until you see what closed-in skirting does to a Seattle deck after five years. The deck framing above gets wet from rain falling through the gaps and never dries because the skirting trapped the moisture. The skirting boards themselves wick water at the bottom edge against grade and rot from the inside out. The trapped moisture and the dark space breed carpenter ants and powderpost beetles within three to five years, and now the deck has a pest infestation that the homeowner did not see coming. The first photo from one of those skirting-removal jobs is always the same — black streaks of rot on every joist face, beetle holes in the bottom plate, ant trails running up the posts. None of these are exotic mistakes; they are the predictable failure mode of skirting installed without ventilation by a contractor who never had to live with it. Handis builds skirting with the proper 1-inch ventilation gap between every board so air circulates and the under-deck space dries out after rain. Cedar or composite, hidden access door, optional drainage system, twenty-plus-year lifespan, no infestation.
One-inch ventilation gap on every vertical skirting board — non-negotiable
The 1-inch ventilation gap between vertical skirting boards is non-negotiable on every Handis skirting project in the Pacific Northwest. Closed-in skirting (no gap, or a gap so small that air does not circulate) traps moisture against the deck framing — rain falls through the deck-board gaps from above, the under-deck space stays wet, and the framing rots from underneath. We have replaced enough closed-in skirting jobs to know the failure mode. The 1-inch gap is held to with a spacer gauge across the entire run so the gap is dead consistent visually and the airflow is dead consistent functionally.
Two-inch clearance at grade — prevents wicking and standing-water rot
The bottom edge of the skirting holds a 2-inch clearance above grade — that is the threshold below which a skirting board wicks water from the soil into the bottom edge and rots from the inside out. 2 inches gives enough air gap to keep the bottom board dry; gives enough space for ground litter and falling leaves to drain instead of pooling against the skirting; and gives the visual line a clean shadow gap at grade.
Hidden hinges and magnetic latch on the access door — looks like surrounding skirting
The access door is cut from the same skirting material as the surrounding boards and hinged on hidden cabinet hinges (Blum or Salice exterior-rated) so the door is invisible when closed. A magnetic catch holds the door shut; a small finger-pull recess gives you a place to pull from. Visitors look at the skirting and never notice the door. The owner opens it for bikes or garden tools as needed.
Optional Trex RainEscape or TimberTech DrySpace — dry under-deck storage
Under-deck drainage systems install above the joists and below the deck boards — a series of troughs that catch the water falling through deck-board gaps and channel it to a gutter at the low end of the deck, routing to a downspout. The Trex RainEscape and TimberTech DrySpace systems both carry ten-to-fifteen-year manufacturer warranties on the membrane. Installation adds $1,000 to $2,500 to a skirting project and turns the under-deck space from occasionally-damp storage into reliably-dry storage. We install both systems to manufacturer spec.
Insured, background-checked, 1-year project warranty
Every Handis carpenter carries liability insurance and has cleared a background screening. The 1-year project warranty covers skirting board fastener integrity, ventilation gap consistency, access door operation, and any cedar joint or trim — if any of those fail or shift within a year from our installation we come back and fix at no charge. Cedar skirting carries the fifteen-to-twenty-year cedar lifespan. Composite skirting carries the manufacturer's warranty (typically twenty-five years). The drainage system membrane carries the Trex or TimberTech manufacturer warranty.
Estimate
Tell us the deck (footprint, deck-to-grade height, board material above), the skirting material preference (cedar matches a cedar deck, composite matches a composite deck), the access door size and location (24-inch garden-tool door, 36-inch bike door, 48-inch tractor door, one door or two), and whether you want the optional under-deck drainage system for dry storage. We send back a clear estimate and a project timeline.
Customer Reviews
Under-deck storage and skirting reviews from real Seattle-area Handis customers.
Skirting and storage for the 14 by 16-foot raised deck behind our Issaquah house. They framed pressure-treated, ran cedar vertical boards with the proper ventilation gap (not closed-in like the previous owner wanted, which would have rotted out in five years here), put in a hidden access door for the bikes, and installed a Trex RainEscape system overhead so the storage space stays dry in the wettest months. Four working days. The bikes finally have a home.
Standard 10 by 12-foot Magnolia deck — cedar skirting and a hidden access door for garden tools. Three days. The 1-inch ventilation gap is visible across the run and looks intentional rather than sloppy. The access door is so well-hidden that visitors do not notice it; we open it from inside the magnetic catch and a finger-pull recess. Two years in, no rot, no surprises.
We had previous under-deck skirting that the original owner installed closed-in (no ventilation gap). Five years later the deck framing had rot streaks on every joist face from trapped moisture and we had to pull the entire skirting plus replace three rim joists. Handis did the framing repair and re-skirted with proper 1-inch gaps. Two years in the under-deck space stays dry between rains and the deck framing is back to clean wood. The difference is real.
Composite skirting to match our Trex deck above, with a hidden access door and a TimberTech DrySpace drainage system. Four days. The under-deck space is fully dry now — we keep cardboard boxes and seasonal decor underneath that used to live in the garage. The composite skirting will outlast us; the drainage system has a fifteen-year manufacturer warranty.
Basic cedar skirting on a small 8 by 10-foot Capitol Hill deck — no door, no drainage, just visual closure of the open joist bay so the yard looks finished from the property line. Two days. Cost came in right at $1,650. The cedar has patinaed to silver in eighteen months and the skirting blends into the deck above seamlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about under-deck storage and skirting — materials, ventilation, the access door, the optional drainage system, pricing, timeline, and what to expect.