When pressure treated lumber is cut, it leaves exposed regions of the board that are not protected against the elements. The crew at In-Dex Construction keep a bottle of wood preservative handy so that all cuts are sprayed and treated properly throughout the deck building process.
When deciding to build a new deck or replace an existing deck it is important to take into consideration what the deck will be used for along with the shape and size of your yard. A deck can add more living space and value to your home if designed properly. A deck too large may render what’s left of the yard useless. Will you be entertaining larger numbers on the deck? Is it just for a couple people or your entire family? With larger decks multiple levels may come into play, which can give a nice look and break line in spaces but should be thought with caution as a change in level can also break up one nice area into two or more unusable spaces. Budget always plays a huge part in the design of the deck as there are endless options for railing, decking, framing, foundation, lighting, etc. I like to try to get an idea of what the customer needs for space and then try to pick materials that fit into the budget before reducing the size and shape of the deck. A small deck with glass railings and composite decking can cost as much as a much larger deck made with pressure treated lumber with a code minimum railing yet the pros and cons the customer are considering play a huge part in the decisions as well. Maintenance free and longevity vs size may be desired. Always give thought to your foundation as well. Poured footing are always a more solid way to support your deck and with concrete poured footings you can attach to your house but if you choose to use floating deck blocks you should not attach to the house which means building another beam in place of attaching to the home. If a floating deck is attached to a house it can eventually damage the house as the deck moves up and down with frost heaving while the house remains still. Also, if you have floating footings be sure there is no water draining under the footing from your eaves trough or otherwise. The water will freeze and heave.
