06/12/2022
The last couple of weeks have been pretty busy around here. First, we had to get three decks completely demo’d so our framer could get in and frame out the new decks. Our house had three decks previously, but the years were taking a toll on them. When we moved in, we resurfaced our large deck with treated lumber. We probably should’ve replaced the framing then, but at the time the joists were only starting to show deterioration. Here’s a tip. If you’re thinking about resurfacing, take a good look at your joists. If they show any signs of rot then they need to be replaced. In 2016 our didn’t look bad, but when we demo’d it was amazing how quickly the joists went in just a few years. Our main deck sat on two steel beams held up with steel poles. As you’d expect, they’re holding up very well. We opted to keep the steel structure, and then extended the additional footage by framing off of 6”x6” posts.
On the deck itself we’re working with Trex Company through Lezzer Lumber. We opted to go with the Enhance Naturals collection in . It matches incredibly well with our hardwood floors inside. Later this summer when the new window units are in, the transition from indoor to outdoors will have cohesion. That’s important when you’re building modern. As much as your mind sees different styles you like, seamless design throughout the home is critical. Our deck railing for example will be black just like our new indoor staircase coming in the next few weeks.
Our decks are going to be 48’x12’ off the main living room and kitchen, while a 14’x12’ will extended from our master bedroom.
I spent all day Saturday and Sunday laying boards. We are picture framing the perimeter, so it was critical to get the perimeter boards in exactly the right position. By doing so, I could run exactly 16’ boards through the section. This deck will have 3 sections with divider boards placed in between. Our Trex rep recommended to not run a staggered layout because expansion and contraction could possibly cause issues down the road if we did.
If you’re thinking about laying composite, don’t think the boards will come perfectly straight; they won’t. They’ll have some slight bows that you’ll have to work out. I used the hidden fastener clips made by Trex, but I was struggling to figure out how to cinch the boards tight to maintain the perfect spacing. Especially since I was working alone. I couldn’t rely on a helper holding the boards in place, so I came up with a simple hack that I’m convinced did a nicer job anyway… and seriously saved hours of work. I bought a 36” reversible clamp from Kephart's Ace Hardware, and then I took a board and just tacked it down with a couple fasteners. What that did was allowed for something to push the clamp off of which generated the force to tighten the boards perfectly to the fasteners. Since the fasteners come with a spacer, the deck is perfectly uniform throughout (Not bad for a marketing guy!).
I’ll continue to have my hands full for the next few weeks. We need to lay the rest of the main deck so Trex can come do an install demonstration for Lezzer Lumber featuring their new railing panel system. Meanwhile, our stair guys Brian Michael and his crew are making great progress on the interior stairs. I’ll be posting more throughout the week as I make progress. Let us know what you think, or if you have any questions. I’d be happy to answer them.
