The Many Benefits of Building a New Deck
Few additions to your home offer as many benefits as building a new deck. Along with more square footage, a new deck provides lots of exciting new ways to enjoy your living space. Plus, experts agree that adding outdoor space of any type delivers a total return on investment and makes selling considerably easier when the time comes. But, even if you never put your home on the market, a new deck will pay for itself in enjoyment, many times over. With social distancing becoming the norm these days, and the outdoors lifestyle of Birmingham residents, a deck can allow family and friends to be together and stay a safe distance apart as well.
Deck Design
Like any home improvement, a new deck requires design, function, and budget considerations. Here are a few tips:
Aesthetics – Use colors and materials consistent with the style of your home. A Birmingham bungalow could warrant gray driftwood planks and a simple white fence. Natural colors and cable railings might be better suited to a contemporary style home in the Hoover area, or a traditional design in the ranch ramblers in Vestavia Hills. When it comes to pattern, your new deck will function the same whether the boards are laid straight, or in an intricate design. Because more detail typically costs more money, most homeowners try to balance between budget and beauty. At the minimum, a border around the deck provides a finished look with little extra expense.
Placement and Size – Can a deck really be too big? Let how and how often you will use your beautiful new deck to determine its size. A large deck wouldn’t make sense if you are only going to sit outside for morning coffee or grill a steak occasionally. However, if you frequently entertain, the bigger, the better – especially nowadays, with social distancing on everyone’s mind. Placement seems intuitive enough, (usually adjacent to a back or side door). But, also give some thought to how much sun or shade your deck will get at different times of the year, privacy from the neighbors, and access to the rest of your property.
Style – Will, your new deck, be covered, uncovered, or semi-covered? For year-round outdoor living spaces, a mix of cover and open-air works best. Full protection means that the party goes on no matter what the weather is in rainy climates. For a pool deck, you will want as much sun as possible.
Decking Materials
Once you’ve nailed down the project’s design, you need to decide on the materials. Popular choices include pressure-treated wood, composite, PVC, cedar, redwood, exotic hardwoods, and even aluminum.
Pressure Treated Wood
Modern wood decking can last for decades thanks to insecticides and anti-rot chemicals injected into the lumber at high pressure. The natural wood look of pressure-treated decking can be enhanced with stain or paint, as well. A pressure-treated wood deck will require power washing at least once a year, and semi-annual refinishing with a wood sealer.
Composite
Low maintenance, a wide range of color choices, and reasonable price make composite decking a popular choice. Built-in hidden fastener systems and fade-resistant properties add beauty and longevity to today’s composite decks. Composite decking won’t warp, rot, or crack. It also requires almost no maintenance other than occasional cleaning every few years.
Cedar, Redwood, and Tropical Hardwoods
Cedar offers the natural beauty of real wood at a price that typically falls between treated lumber and composite. Ceder’s dimensional stability (it lays flat and stays straight) makes it a favorite with do-it-yourselfers. Cedar decks have a life-span of almost twenty years, but cedar does require annual refinishing. Redwood has many characteristics in common with cedar. Before the advent of treated lumber, Redwood dominated the deck building industry. Like cedar, Redwood resists rot, looks beautiful, and requires annual maintenance. Ipe and other tropical hardwoods offer exceptional beauty, but they also come with the largest price tag. Tropical hardwood decks, however, can last up to fifty years and beyond.
Vinyl Decking
Decking’s newcomer – PVC – may be as close to maintenance-free as it gets. Solid core vinyl planks are lightweight, cut like wood, and come in a wide variety of patterns and colors. Thanks to material and color consistency throughout, vinyl decking hides scratches better than all other materials. Certain colors can get very hot though, which as we all know is a concern in the Alabama summer.
Aluminum Decking
Durable, rot-resistant, and lightweight, aluminum has recently made its way to the deck building scene. Aluminum decking won’t chip, warp, rust, or mildew. Its non-skid surface stays cooler compared to almost every other choice.
Should I Do It Myself or Hire a Deck Builder Near Me
Hiring a local deck company for your project has many obvious benefits. Besides freeing up weekends, your new addition will be ready for use sooner and get completed in a shorter time frame than if you do it yourself. Surprisingly, using professionals for the project often costs only a little more than building it yourself. Local deck builders get discounts on materials and have the tools and experience to construct your new deck efficiently, as well as economically. Your contractor will also be familiar with local building codes that cover the project’s design, structural requirements, and size limits, and they will know and advise you accordingly.
Along with added value and more square footage, a new deck brings out your home’s full potential for fun and function. It adds immense value, and in these times of social distancing, can be the difference between getting together or staying apart. Call us at Better Built Craftsman to get your estimate today.
A Guide to Planning and Building Your New Deck