# Apartment deck etiquette **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 26, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180 "2004-09-26T17:45:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RumpleForeskin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@RumpleForeskin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumpleForeskin)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180/1 "2004-09-26T17:45:19Z")
I live on the first floor in my apartment building, which has a small squared-off section for a table and grill. The apartments on the floors above all have decks with roughly the same dimensions as my squared-off section. Am I right to assume that decks are private and not to be used by neighbors who want to ask a question? The question seems pretty obvious, but why doesn’t the same rule apply to first floor apartments that have no deck? Is it all a matter of accessibility? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180/2 "2004-09-26T19:03:49Z")
That’s the general etiquette, in the same way that it’s rude to look in someone’s window even if the shades are open. But etiquette died out a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180/3 "2004-09-26T19:23:58Z")
> [@RumpleForeskin](#): > > I live on the first floor in my apartment building, which has a small squared-off section for a table and grill. The apartments on the floors above all have decks with roughly the same dimensions as my squared-off section. > > Am I right to assume that decks are private and not to be used by neighbors who want to ask a question? The question seems pretty obvious, but why doesn’t the same rule apply to first floor apartments that have no deck? Is it all a matter of accessibility? If people could fly, they’d be using the ones above the first floor for the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180/4 "2004-09-26T19:57:04Z")
> [@RumpleForeskin](#): > > Am I right to assume that decks are private and not to be used by neighbors who want to ask a question? The question seems pretty obvious, but why doesn’t the same rule apply to first floor apartments that have no deck? Is it all a matter of accessibility? Who are the neighbors asking a question of when they use your patio? Is the apartment management office adjacent to your patio and so they’re standing on your patio when they talk to management? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180/5 "2004-09-27T01:18:15Z")
Yeah, I don’t get this question – do you mean people just coming up an talking to you while you’re on the patio? It’d be better for them to see you on your patio, and go ring your doorbell instead? Wouldn’t that be kind of a hassle to you? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180/6 "2004-09-27T01:59:39Z")
> [@RumpleForeskin](#): > > I live on the first floor in my apartment building, which has a small squared-off section for a table and grill. Sorry for the tangent. That’s not for a grill. If you check your fire code you will almost certainly find out that a grill on your patio/deck places the grill too close to the building. The guy below me once had a blazing charcoal fire on his deck. I could see flames and was getting fumes in my place through the windows and knocked on his door to complain. He wouldn’t answer so I called the fire department and they sent a full-dress fire engine and were only too happy to come and give him a stern warning (I don’t think they cited him but they could have). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180/7 "2004-09-27T03:58:43Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Sorry for the tangent. That’s not for a grill. If you check your fire code you will almost certainly find out that a grill on your patio/deck places the grill too close to the building. An electric grill probably wouldn’t be a violation. ---
**Author:** ![moggyAU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@moggyAU](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moggyAU)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180/8 "2004-09-27T04:42:33Z")
I once lived in a place like that. People use to walk on my “deck” at times, until i pointed out to them that they were pissing me off. I think it largely depends on the Body corporate fo your bulding and whether fences apply. ---
**Author:** ![RumpleForeskin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@RumpleForeskin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumpleForeskin)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180/9 "2004-09-27T23:41:21Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > That’s not for a grill. Actually it is. The rule states that charcoal/electric (not sure about gas) grills are fine for ground-level apartments and only electric grills are allowed for the apartments up above. You are correct in that the grill cannot be too close to the building though. > [@Dewey Finn](#): > > Who are the neighbors asking a question of when they use your patio?. On two occasions my patio door was knocked: one was some kid looking requesting sponsorship of some school activity, and the second was by a neighbor (adult) asking if I wanted to participate in the “yard sale”…which only slightly annoyed me. To be honest I thought it was more odd that troublesome. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-deck-etiquette/266180/10 "2004-09-28T01:11:49Z")
> [@RumpleForeskin](#): > > . . . On two occasions my patio door . . . If your patio has a door or gateway to a common or public area, and somebody in the common or public area can see (or hear) that you are on your patio and he wants to speak to you, then naturally he’s going to knock on the patio door. To go into the building and knock on the front door of the apartment seems only to inconvenience both you and him.