What's the Difference Between a Balcony and a Terrace? (2024)

FAQs

What's the Difference Between a Balcony and a Terrace? ›

A terrace is an open space that can be attached or detached to a building. In contrast, balconies are small elevated platforms that are affixed to a given room in the house. Whereas a terrace can have multiple access points, a balcony is typically only accessible through the room.

Terraces are usable outdoor spaces designed for the side of a home or roof of a building, while balconies are elevated platforms that jut out from a room. Both are exterior structures, however, terraces are usually larger in size.

US answer. We do not say “terrace” except for landscape levels or farming. We use “veranda” only humorously or in the South meaning the porch. A porch is a covered (roofed) extension of the house that is open to the elements and attached to and accessible from the house.

Unlike balconies, terraces can be recessed into the building as opposed to jutting out from the side. The former can also be partially enclosed, while terraces are always open to the sun.

Terraces need not always protrude from a building; a flat roof area (which may or may not be surrounded by a balustrade) used for social activity is also known as a terrace. In Venice, Italy, for example, the rooftop terrace (or altana) is the most common form of terrace found.

Let's find out. A terrace is a raised, flat, open space that can be either attached to a building or free-standing. It's usually larger than a balcony and is accessible through multiple entry points.

A terrace is consideravbly larger and will mean you have enough space for sun loungers rather than just a couple of chairs.

Location – A terrace is built on the ground (raised a bit), while a balcony is elevated, typically on the second story or higher. In modern architecture, there are variations of this, including the “rooftop” terrace, which, as you may have guessed, is simply a terrace built on top of a roof.

At a pinch, a large wooden balcony might be called a deck, but never a patio or porch or gallery. A gallery is similar to a balcony, but instead of being ouside a building, is inside a large indoor space, like a theater or atrium. This is a much less common word.

Verandas are roofed and will often wrap around the front of a house – different from typical porches – and can even extend way around the sides. Verandas oftentimes include a railing, which makes tons of sense.

What is a balcony with a roof called? ›

Verandas and porches are extremely similar. In fact, verandas are often called wraparound porches, though there's one major exception: Verandas always have roofs. These large, open-air spaces wrap around a building at ground level. They're not typically raised or screened in, though they may feature railings.

It is worth mentioning that a French balcony does not consist of a step out veranda; a French balcony is usually a floor to ceiling sliding door/window that opens to a safety rail. (If you would prefer a step out veranda, you need to upgrade to a full balcony stateroom).

Derived from the Italian balcone meaning scaffold, the High German balcho or beam and the Persian term balkaneh, a balcony is a kind of platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns, brackets or cantilevered and enclosed with a balustrade.

A terrace consists of a flat or gently sloping geomorphic surface, called a tread, that is typically bounded on one side by a steeper ascending slope, which is called a "riser" or "scarp". The tread and the steeper descending slope (riser or scarp) together constitute the terrace.

Typically, a terraced house will be 2 or three stories high and only 2 or 3 rooms deep. Traditionally the room which is entered directly from the street, the front room, would be used to greet guests and the back room would be used as a private living area.

: a relatively level paved or planted area adjoining a building. b. : a colonnaded porch or promenade. c. : a flat roof or open platform.

In geology, a terrace is a step-like landform. A terrace consists of a flat or gently sloping geomorphic surface, called a tread, that is typically bounded on one side by a steeper ascending slope, which is called a "riser" or "scarp".

A patio (/ˈpætioʊ/, from Spanish: patio [ˈpatjo]; "courtyard", "forecourt", "yard", "little garden") is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that adjoins a structure and is typically paved.