Not many tiny houses give you the option to enjoy outside space while still being on your property.
However, some building companies and tiny house lovers have found creative ways to incorporate rooftop decks into their tiny house.
These are perfect for people wanting to enjoy outside space, while still retaining privacy in their home.
In this article, we answer how exactly tiny house rooftop decks work, as well as showing you three wildly different examples you can take inspiration from and some ideas for essential items you will want to include on your deck.
Let’s go.
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How do rooftop decks work in tiny homes?
Every tiny house rooftop deck is different.
However, they either use a section of the roof itself (usually a flat roof), or an overhang that forms part of the roof on the ground floor.
They are made with wood panels, similar to wood decking in regular homes.
Access too can be different from house to house, however the most common form is via a ladder or staircase on the outside of the property. They can also be from ladders on the inside, or via doors or windows too.
Tiny house rooftop plans
1. Sakura tiny house
The Sakura tiny house by Minimaliste Houses has a unqiute rooftop deck that is accessible from the inside.
Wood planks have been used for the deck itself, which is flat on the roof and supported by a wood fence around the perimiter.
It’s a great space for two people to sit and enjoy the views from the top of the tiny house.
While other tiny house rooftop decks route of access is via a ladder or staircase on the outside of the property, the Sakura has a small ladder inside that you can use to reach the deck.
It is placed on the floor of a large L-shaped loft and you climb through the open skylight window to access the roof deck.
When you want to use the inside loft for storage, you can fold away the ladder and bring it back down when you want to climb up to the deck.
Here’s a video on how the tiny house rooftop deck works in the Sakura:
2. Little River tiny house
Our next example is this gorgeous tiny house rooftop deck in the Little River tiny house.
Access to this roof deck is simply amazing. Unlike the Sakura tiny house, there’s no ladder to climb to reach the deck. You open the window in the master bedroom loft and can step right out onto it.
It’s a very large space that utilizes the top of the awning in the tiny house. It only makes sense for you to be able to step out on top of it from the bedroom.
On the rooftop deck itself, there’s a bar and seating that allows you to relax and enjoy the view from the roof.
To your right, there’s a trellis with vines on for added privacy and some extra greenery.
Also, the outside space, including the rooftop decks, almost doubles the square footage of the property.
The creators of the Little River tiny homes have done a fantastic job to utilize all of the space they had available.
Here’s a video giving you a tour of the tiny house rooftop deck in the Little River tiny house:
3. Schooner tiny house
The last tiny house rooftop deck example on our list is from the Schooner tiny house by Viva Collectiv.
It’s different to the other two on our list as the deck is not part of the tiny houses flat roof.
Instead, it’s sunken into the roof.
This means that inside the house there’s a lower ceiling to incorporate the outside space for the roof.
The deck is square and surrounded by the other parts of the ceiling and roof.
There’s also a mechanism on the roof that provides shade to the deck.
Access to the rooftop deck is straighforward.
There’s a short ladder on the back of the tiny house and a door that can be open and closed for ease of access.
This tiny house rooftop deck is perfect for people who desire a private outside space, that you would hardly know even know existed when you saw it from the outside.
What to have on your tiny house rooftop deck
Rooftop seating
Rooftop seating for your tiny house roof deck is a must.
Private outside space comes at a premium in tiny homes, where it offers a place to relax in the fresh air and sun.
Therefore, comfort is a high priority when it comes to your roof deck and outside seating is a must.
Here’s a great example of a compact and functional seating item that you can get for your roof deck.
Rugs and flooring
Making your tiny house rooftop deck look great is also important.
If you’re not a fan of looking at wood decking, then simply covering it with a decorative rug will solve your problem.
There’s tons of options to choose from when it comes to outside rufs for your tiny roof deck, and most will be large enough to fill the entire floor space.
Check out this example here and many more.
Solar powered ambient lighting
The last essential item you need for your roof deck is lighting.
When you’re sitting out and enjoying the sunset, you’ll soon be left in complete darkness to navigate your way down a ladder, back in to your tiny house.
Having soft but useful lighting on your rooftop deck means you can sit out on it until late at night and see what you’re doing.
Here’s an example of lights that power themsevles with solar energy.
As long as your tiny house rooftop deck isn’t covered, these won’t need to be hooked up to a power source and will charge throughout the day. It’s a great option if you’re living off-grid in your tiny house too.
Check out this example of solar powered lighting here:
