Creative Decks

Your Outdoor Living Specialist

"Design Drawings and Construction Plans"

Framingham, MA

508-877-1060

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Why The Best Time to Design Your Dream Deck Is Right Now

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Everyone’s posting about the big life lessons they’ve learned during COVID-19 thus far, and by and large, they boil down to a few basic critical points: we’re all very grateful to spend time with our family and loved ones when we can, and we all need a little more space.

Decks provide the ideal platform for socially distant socializing. Even in quieter neighborhoods, like Dover, we’ve seen people standing on their decks to chat with friendly neighbors who are on their daily walk. Our hunger to be connected to each other is important: this is the bond society is built of.

And of course, society is built on everyone cooperating as best they can to keep everybody safe. That means you’re likely at home more than you used to be, and you’ve got some extra time on your hands. Why not enjoy yourself by designing your dream deck?

How Big is the Average Deck?

If you’re looking at a DIY project, the average deck is between 300-400 square feet. Generally, for larger, more complex decks, most Dover families work with a local deck contractor. That being said, size really does matter, particularly if you’ve got an active family, would like to use your deck to entertain regularly, or have pets.

What Shape Should My Deck Be?

The basic deck is rectangular, generally wider than longer. But you are by no means limited to the basics! One of the advantages of working with a Dover deck designer is you can explore the full range of design options easily. And at this point, when you’re just planning, there’s no downside to exploring every possibility. Would an octagon shaped deck complement the style of your house? How about a deck with multiple levels, with some areas for the kids to play, and other spaces adults only?

Keeping the Kids Entertained At Home is Easier With A Great Deck

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We’re living in unique times right now. Everyone’s concerned about the COVID-19 virus. Events, festivals, concerts and vacation plans are being cancelled all over the place. Many children’s schools are closed for the moment, and it’s not clear what’s going to happen when summer vacation season arrives.

If you’re thinking that you’ll be staying close to home, you’re going to need a strategy to keep the kids entertained. Easier said than done – especially if you don’t want the little ones glued to their phones or tablets all day long. Luckily, having your Franklin deck company hook you up with a family friendly deck will make keeping the kids entertained easier than you ever imagined.

Here are the essential features of a family-friendly deck:

The Screen Room

Screen rooms can be built on your deck, or you can have the area underneath a second story deck converted into a three-season room or screen porch. There are several reasons screen rooms are great for families with kids: they make keeping the kids contained super simple, the screen prevents bites from ticks and mosquitoes, and the screen room can provide much needed shade on a sunny day.

The Kid’s Zone

The advantage of working with a Franklin deck contractor is you can have a fully customized deck. If you’ve got small kids and want to have a covered sand box built into your deck, that can absolutely happen. Need a platform to set up the trampoline or other outdoor toys? Floating decks are a great solution. Want climbing features, built in storage for the kids’ toys, or a slide that takes kids from the deck into the back yard? Everything is possible!

Investing in Your Deck Boosts The Value of Your Home

In addition to making your home more fun for the kids, a great deck boosts your home’s curb appeal. And as we all know, good looking homes command higher market prices. It’s a smart investment!

The No-Maintenance-Required Deck

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“I don’t know about you, but I only get two weeks of vacation,” Dan said. “That’s my time to kick back and relax. I don’t want to spend any of my precious leisure time doing chores around the house.”

If you’re looking for a no-maintenance deck, you’ll want to talk to your Wayland deck builder about your composite decking options.

While decks are traditionally built of wood, wooden decks require lots of maintenance. Every year or two, wooden deck owners need to sand, stain, and seal their decks – a labor-intensive process that can take several days. Additionally, wooden decks are vulnerable to the weather. When the temperatures are too high or too low, decking boards can warp, twist, split and bend. Obviously when this happens, those boards need to be replaced – which is more maintenance work for you.

Composite decking is the alternative. Composite decking is made of a mix of virgin and recycled plastics. It’s similar in many ways to PVC. Composite decking is available in a variety of colors, from the traditional brown wood-look products to eye-popping vivid shades that add definite personality to the home and boost curb appeal.

One advantage of choosing composite decking is that it’s a very stable product. This means composite decking stands up very well to extreme weather conditions. Even if it gets really hot or super cold – as it sometimes does in the Wayland area – you don’t have to worry about your decking boards twisting, bending or splitting. That means less maintenance work for you.

Additionally, composite decking’s color stays vivid and strong for years and years. You never have to strip, stain, or seal it. To keep the deck looking fantastic, give it a quick spray with the pressure washer if it starts looking grimy. That’s it!

As an added bonus, composite decking is resistant to mold, mildew, and rot. This makes it an ideal product to build a deck in a damp environment. Insects aren’t interested in composite decking either, so if you’re worried about carpenter ants or termites, it’s the right choice for you!

Need More Living Space? A Great Deck = An Outdoor Room!

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If things are getting crowded in your Hopkinton home and the family needs a little more elbow room, it’s time to consider having a deck built. Today’s trend for outdoor living has Hopkinton deck designers creating one-of-a-kind outdoor rooms your family will love.

Planning a Great Deck: Never Too Soon to Start

If you’re thinking about having a deck built, this is the exact right time to start gathering inspiration and ideas. Many local homeowners turn to social media to spark their creativity. There are lots of great deck ideas on Pinterest and Instagram. Save the looks you like the most – showing these images to your Hopkinton deck contractor will help you get the design process moving faster.

Customized Decks for Your Family’s Lifestyle

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all deck. Great deck design means customizing the deck to meet your family’s needs and preferences. Are you all avid videogamers? Creating an outdoor room with a sheltered space for your tv and console is absolutely possible. More of the curl up in a hammock with a good book type of family? Your Hopkinton deck designer can make that happen too!

Outdoor Kitchens – Super Popular Upgrade!

Everybody loves to eat, and most people love to eat outdoors. That’s part of the reason outdoor kitchens are among the most popular deck upgrades. Outdoor kitchens can be streamlined and simple – think a prestige barbecue grill and all of the necessary accessories – or a full fledged luxurious range, refrigerator and sink with lots of counterspace to please the most demanding gourmet cook.

Choose Composite Decking for Low-Maintenance Happiness

While puttering around the house can be fun, no one wants to spend their vacation time stripping, staining, and sealing the deck. Composite decking is a planet-friendly product which stands up to all four seasons of Hopkinton weather. Best of all, it doesn’t need any special care beyond a quick spray from the hose every now and then.

Staying close to home this summer? You’ll need a great deck.

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While we don’t have a crystal ball, you don’t need to be a fortune teller to know that for most families, summer travel plans are going to be curtailed. There’s just a lot going on right now, from COVID-19, economic events, and other factors that make family travel seem not the best idea ever.

That doesn’t mean you have to forgo the summer fun. If you’re going to be hanging out in the neighborhood, you want to have a fantastic deck to serve as your family’s base of operations. We talked to your Hopkinton deck builders, and here’s what they recommend as must have features:

The Outdoor Kitchen

What’s everyone’s favorite summer time feast? Burgers and dogs on the grill are a top choice. Make barbecues fun and simple with a great outdoor kitchen. Your Hopkinton deck contractor can integrate an outdoor kitchen into your new deck design, or you can have an outdoor kitchen built on a floating deck – this hot new trend allows families to get maximum enjoyment from their yard for minimal expense.

The Screen Room

While everyone’s freaking out about COVID-19, let’s not forget that soon we’ll have mosquitoes and ticks adding their diseased bites to the mix. If you’re worried about Lyme Disease, West Nile Disease or any of the other insect-borne illnesses that are prevalent in the Hopkinton area during the spring and summer, you’ll appreciate the restful retreat a screen room offers. No bites + shade = a winning combination for kids, pets, and many adults!

The Fire Feature

For the ultimate in relaxing summer entertainment, gather with your favorite people around a nice fire. Kids love toasting marshmallows, and after bedtime, it’s nice to watch the flames while enjoying adult beverages. Fire features for the deck can be built in, or free-standing that sit on the surface of the deck. There are advantages to each style: talk to your Hopkinton deck builder for details.

To Create a Great Outdoor Room

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It’s been a long winter full of snowstorms and binge-watching HGTV. If 2020 is the year you’re going to take your yard from good to great, get ready. The absolute must-have outdoor living feature you’ll want to have is a true outdoor living room- a deck that includes all of your favorite creature comforts, including great seating, the tv, and even a fridge full of cold adult beverages.

Beyond the Man Cave: Awesome Deck Ideas

What makes a man cave great? It’s the place you can do all of your favorite things, whether that’s watch the game, throw some darts, or, on very rare occasions, have a beer.

How does this translate to the deck? Well, your Framingham decking company can hook you up with a space that’s designed to include all of your favorite things. Room for the comfiest lounge chair ever? Check. Sheltered space to keep your TV out of the elements? Check. An outdoor kitchen that’s set up with a grill and a mini fridge? Check. What else do you need for a perfect summer evening?

Creative Deck Design Options

You want to spend your summer enjoying your new deck, not worrying about taking care of it. That’s why we recommend having your Framingham decking company use composite materials for your new deck. Made out of planet friendly PVC, composite decking comes in a variety of colors. You can go classic and traditional with dark wood tones, or funky and fun with bold, bright colors kids love.

Best of all composite decking is extremely durable and stable. That means it doesn’t react to weather extremes, including hot summer sun and freezing winter cold. Wooden decking boards are known to split, twist and warp. Composite decking doesn’t do that, which means your deck looks great longer.