Outdoor Living Space

Brush them off! Standing water can cause mildew to form on the surface of a coating.

Turpentine will not harm an existing coating. Pitch is a non-water soluble, organic wood extractive material found in species such as Ponderosa, Southern and White Pine.

Snow Problem! Do not use a metal shovel to remove snow from a deck; it can pierce the underlying coating and cause it to erode.

Only use sodium chloride (i.e. Halite) types of salt on a wood deck or porch that has been water-sealed or stained. Calcium chloride salts will reduce the effectiveness of a water-repellent coating.

There are a few good reasons for installing low voltage lighting in your new deck. Most people work all day and enjoy their decks in the evening. Lighting adds a great look without turning on the floodlights. Lighting built into steps is a great safety issue. When steps and level changes are lit, people will have less chance of tripping. The third benefit of lighting is a cheap means of a burglary system. Burglars don't like well-lit backyards.

We decided before building our first deck in 1993 that a quality product at a fair price, with great service and a warranty was where we wanted to position our company. We all have heard that you get what you pay for and if you pay a cheap price you will get a cheap deck. Our company has specialized in decks and this has allowed us to buy our products very competitively. .

Our other major cost is our labor. We use skilled carpenters and apprentices who may cost more than the competitors workers but our trained craftsmen have the experience of thousands of decks and are not learning the business in your yard. We feel our complete package is good value for our customers and we would like the chance to design and price your project. Please give us a call.

Every deck is different. They range in price from $2,000 - $50,000 or more. An average deck in the price range of $7,000 - $10,000 can be built in approx. 2 days. When we start a deck project, we rarely leave until we are done. Our builders work 5 or 6 days/week and are at the job unless it is raining

Composite products have been around for about 10 years. Most of the manufacturers offer warranties from 10 years to lifetime. Any of the low-maintenance products will outlast wood, which has a life expectancy of less than 10 years, and most of them will last as long as you are in your home and longer.

Some composite products are heavier than wood but many are lighter. Regardless, each deck is constructed with the span length of the product and the weight of it taken into account

Yes, a permit is always recommended. Check with your local building department to see what they require but generally, any deck over 2' in height requires a permit. If no permit is obtained, there could be a problem with the sale of your home if you put it on the market. Use your local building department as a resource for any building code requirements.

Decks R Us uses ACQ treated lumber for the substructure. Generally, 2' x 8' is used and is spaced 16" apart. This is overbuilt according to the building code, but it will add years to the life of the deck.

There are not many non-wood substructure products available. We have done a few steel substructures but the cost is considerably higher. There is a product called ROT NOT Joist Cap (www.rotnot.ca) that does protect a pressure treated joist from moisture and the elements that cause it to rot and decay. With this product, the substructure will last just as long as the composite floor.

It all depends on what product is used for the decking. Some age and weather better than others. If you use inexpensive decking products, you will be replacing your deck within 10 years. Cedar decks will have faded to a gray color or, if stained, will have discolored to some degree. Most low-maintenance products, if properly cleaned and cared for, will look similar to when they were installed except for some fading. However, they will not have warped, cracked, or rotted, as wood decks will do.