Decks liven up any yard

There's nothing like a deck to turn the backyard into a delightfulretreat for relaxing, entertaining and communing with nature.

Some Chicago area builders say 40 percent to 50 percent of theirsingle-family home buyers want wood decks.

And few are settling for a simple 10-by-10-foot wood-slab patioentered from the house only through sliding glass doors in the familyroom.

Today's decks often are elaborate affairs, stretching the entirewidth of the back of the house and perhaps wrapping around it a bit as well.

The demand for decks and builders' willingness to meet it wasmuch in evidence at two recent extravaganzas sponsored by local homebuilding …