ZipUP UnderDeck® Ceiling & Drainage System
Double the square footage of your deck and use it in more seasons and weathers by installing a beautiful ZipUP UnderDeck® ceiling. No matter what time of year it is, a new deck drainage system will immediately upgrade your deck enjoyment. The best part: ZipUP UnderDeck is amazingly doable, whether you’re an experienced DIYer or a newcomer to home and deck projects.
Table of Contents:
If you’re interested in creating a dry, protected space under your deck, we want to encourage you - and we want to make the process easy! We’ll run through a few of the many reasons we love ZipUP as an under-deck ceiling. But first, check out these three DecksDirect resources that will make your underdeck installation a breeze:
Easy Underdecking With DecksDirect
Installation video
ZipUP UnderDeck drainage system is made up of five simple components with an installation process anyone can follow. Here’s a short video laying out the entire process step by step:
ZipUP Calculator
DecksDirect makes it easy to buy underdeck ceiling materials. With this simple calculator, you can enter the dimensions of your deck and get a full list of materials you’ll need, plus an instant price quote:
ZipUP UnderDeck Calculator 
Why We Love Zip Up UnderDeck
ZipUP is an amazing way to enhance your deck - for lots of reasons. If you want a high-impact deck upgrade you can accomplish quickly, adding an underdeck ceiling is just what you’re looking for. Here’s why:
It’s Easy To Install
ZipUP UnderDeck was designed with the DIYer in mind. Installation is easy to learn and simple to accomplish. If you’re familiar with home projects, installing ZipUP will be well within your wheelhouse. If you’re not very experienced making your own home or deck improvements, ZipUP is a perfect way to test the waters.
The entire system is made up of five simple parts, including screws and hardware. You can easily get all five components shipped to your door with DecksDirect’s help:
- Wall Trim creates a frame for your underdecking around three sides. (The fourth side is where your water will drain out into a gutter system of your choice)
- Pitch rails create the slope that funnels water away from your underdeck area.
- Main rails create the framework for your deck ceiling
- ZipUP panels snap into your main rails, creating a water runoff path and a smooth, finished look for your deck ceiling
- The hardware kit fastens everything together
If you want to learn more about each component, check out our guide here. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to install the entire system.
No special tools required
Another bonus? You can install ZipUP’s deck drainage system without needing to buy any specialized tools. A handful of typical household tools (power drill, hacksaw, utility knife, safety glasses and tin snips) will be plenty to get your deck ceiling installed.
Easy to remove or replace a single panel
With easy installation comes easy maintenance. ZipUP panels are easy to remove for cleaning, maintenance, or very rarely, replacement. The best part? You can remove one ZipUP panel and clean or repair it without disturbing any other panels already in place.
You can install it on new or existing decks
Some deck drainage options have to be installed when you build a deck. That means if you’re renovating an existing deck, you’re out of luck.
ZipUP is different. You can install ZipUP under your deck at any time, without removing any of your boards, railings, or framing elements.
It amplifies your deck enjoyment
If you think you love deck life now, wait until you experience it with ZipUP. An underdeck ceiling takes outdoor living to the next level, in more ways than one.
Double the square footage of your deck
Utilizing the space underneath your deck doubles the living area you can enjoy. That means room for more guests and furniture, but also a spacious, comfortable environment where no one feels cramped.
Separate areas above and below a deck allow you to create dedicated spaces for grilling or eating without infringing on your seating area or making your deck space feel cluttered or overcrowded.
Get a deck and a porch
Many homeowners expanding their outdoor space have to choose between an open-air deck and a covered porch. But why not have both? That’s exactly what ZipUP UnderDeck delivers. You get the direct sunlight of an expansive open-air deck on top, with the sun and rain protection of a covered porch below. It’s simple: underdecking just makes your deck more versatile.
Love more seasons on your deck
That kind of elemental protection underneath a deck allows you to use your outdoor living space in a wider range of seasons and weather conditions. When you install ZipUP, rainy days can’t stop your deck life. In the intense heat of summer, you won’t have to stay indoors for lack of shade. You can get an early start on spring, enjoying the pleasant April Showers from under the cover of your deck ceiling. And you won’t have to pack up your deck furniture so early in the fall. With a dry space sheltered from cool autumn winds and even early snowfalls, you can sip a warm drink and enjoy the fall leaves in your picturesque under-deck area.
It’s a beautiful decorative addition
The underside of your deck is typically all function and no style. Bare floor joists aren’t exactly a popular decorative touch. But that changes in a hurry with ZipUP. Beyond its super-valuable function, ZipUP is also a gorgeous design that takes your underdeck area from “unfinished” to “unforgettable.”
ZipUP covers over your deck joists with smooth clean panels that shine. With three color options (beige, gray, white) and two finish options (serrated and pebbled) ZipUP can deliver the exact look you’ve dreamed of for your underdeck space. Most importantly, your space will look finished and polished - not like an in-progress construction build.
ZipUP deck drainage system protects your deck frame from moisture
ZipUP UnderDeck is good for you - but it’s also good for your deck. When you create a dry space underneath your deck and funnel away rainwater, you add years to the lifespan of your deck’s frame. That means less time inspecting your frame and replacing rotten deck joists, posts, or beams, and more time enjoying your amazing, two-level outdoor space.