Creative Decks

Your Outdoor Living Specialist

"Design Drawings and Construction Plans"

Framingham, MA

508-877-1060

NEWSROOM

Is Your Deck The Scariest Thing About Your Halloween Decor?

By on

Tis the season for ghosts and goblins, but if your deck has sagging stairs, broken railings, or split, twisted or damaged decking, it might make your place the scariest house on the block.

A happy, busy family can be really rough on a deck. When you’ve had lots of fun on a deck, with lots of foot traffic, kids playing, and the occasional spilled beverage, wear patterns develop and sometimes things get damaged. Pets – especially dogs that love to chew, scratch and dig – can also take their toll on the deck.

As decking contractors, we’re often asked how long a deck should last before it’s time to replace it. While we’d love to have a one size fits all answer, the truth is that there are a lot of factors that determine how long your deck is going to last and whether it should be repaired or rebuilt. These factors include how well the deck was built in the first place, what type of wood or other decking materials were used to build it, how well the deck’s been maintained and how much the deck’s been used.

You want your deck to be safe and attractive. If you’re not sure if your deck is safe, take a moment to consider what it would be like to use your deck if you were a small child – a toddler, perhaps, who would trip over some twisted decking – or as an older person who might have real difficulty climbing up sagging stairs. If everyone in your family and circle of friends can’t use your deck safely, changes need to be made.

Need to upgrade your deck’s safety now? Click here for deck contractor near me.

Your deck’s appearance is important as well. If you’re not pleased with your deck’s current appearance, your local deck designer can help you upgrade and improve your home’s look.

Recovering from the DIY Deck

By on

“Blame it on Bob Vila,” Stanley laughed. “I grew up watching This Old House with my Dad, and that led me to believe I had the handyman skills to put a back deck on the house by myself.”

Many people attempt to build a deck as a DIY project, even if they’ve never done any kind of construction work before. Sometimes this goes well, but in Stanley’s case, not so much. “A deck needs to be level. Flat. This is pretty basic stuff, right? But the deck I built had a definite slope to it. The kids couldn’t leave a ball on it – it would roll right off.”

The other issue with Stanley’s deck was that it wasn’t built on the most secure foundation. “I didn’t really line everything up properly, and then we had some bad weather that brought down some heavy tree limbs on it. When everything was all said and done, the deck just wasn’t safe anymore, and I knew I didn’t have the skills to repair it.”

A search for “Deck Contractor Near Me” led Stanley to hiring a professional who knew what needed to be done to fix the damaged DIY deck. “They really surprised me by asking about our family and how we enjoyed using the deck. When they found out it was primarily the place for my wife and I to unwind after a long day, they had all kinds of great suggestions, including a fire pit and built-in seating. Now we go out there, enjoy a glass of wine, watch the fire – it’s the best part of the day.”

“The quality of construction really makes a difference in how much you’ll use and enjoy your deck,” Stanley said. “The deck I built we hardly ever used. Now that we’ve got a great deck, we’re out there all of the time. Don’t fall into the same trap that got me. Bob Vila makes construction look easy – but it’s not. Sometimes you’re better off letting the pros do it for you!”

Deck Railings: Details Make the Difference

By on

The point of choosing a custom built deck is to have a deck that doesn’t look like everyone else’s. If your deck looks like a couple of your buddies got together one weekend and did the best they could, it certainly wouldn’t be unusual – but it’s also not the aesthetic enhancement of your home creative deck design can be.

For example, consider deck railings. You’ve got to have deck railings in place for a number of reasons – they visually define the edge of your deck, creating a more finished look to your outdoor living area; they’re also a safety element that can help keep children and pets out of harm’s way.

Every locality in the Metrowest area has its own set of building codes pertaining to decks, including railing design specifications. These codes allow for a great deal of creative design while still meeting safety standards. The Natick deck contractor you’ve brought in for renovations or to build a new deck will know these codes, and will help you make design choices that are in compliance.

Natick Deck Renovations & Upgrades

Creative deck design railing options include spindle style balusters – think wooden uprights – as well as glass panels, which work very well on contemporary, modern, and select classic homes, and horizontal stainless steel cables, which integrate nicely into several local popular aesthetics.

Be aware that if your deck is generally solid and just needs to have its appearance freshened up, your local deck designer can work with you. Deck renovations often include replacing the railing system with something more durable, unique, and custom. Great deck railings accent and enhance the appearance of your deck, which in turn upgrades your home’s curb appeal.

To find out more about your deck railing options, a quick search for deck contractor near me will lead you to the Needham area’s top choice for creative deck design!

To Make a Better First Impression, Get a Better Deck

By on

“We’re new to the Needham area, and I’m very excited to get to know our neighbors,” Tanya said. “But we bought a place that’s a little bit of a fixer upper. The front entrance in particular is pretty rough – there’s a little deck that’s too small for the house, and it’s in terrible condition from the previous owner’s dogs. I’m embarrassed to have anyone come over until we get it fixed.”

Creative Deck Design – Boost Curb Appeal

A front deck provides visitors with the very first clues about the people who live in the home. Is it well-designed and tidy, or has it seen better days? It’s very frustrating for homeowners who take pride in their homes and put significant time and effort into the interior to have to endure a deck that’s just not up to their standards.

Luckily, creative deck design is available in Needham. One of the first things your deck designer will do with you is determine the right size for your deck.

A deck that’s too small can seem like an afterthought to the home, and doesn’t really provide enough space for enjoying outdoor living with family and friends. Conversely, a deck that’s too large can overwhelm the appearance of the home and require a lot of maintenance. The ideal sized deck is large enough for fun without being too much work.

Keeping maintenance to a minimum while delivering powerful lasting color and superior curb appeal is the job of composite decking materials. Your Needham creative deck designer will share all of the benefits of composite decking with you, but we’ll share some of the highlights here. Composite decking doesn’t warp, twist, or split – no matter what the weather is like. It resists animal damage, both from dogs and from small wood-loving insects like termites and carpenter ants.

Don’t Say Goodbye to Summer Fun Just Yet: Why You’ll Love the 3 Season Deck

By on

Where did summer go? It feels like we were just dragging out the pool toys and sunscreen yesterday – but the kids are already back to school and the leaves are starting to change color.

You don’t have to say goodbye to the summer fun just yet. The barbecue still works – and if you’ve got space on your deck to entertain a few favorite friends, why not?

Fall is the perfect time to enjoy any fire features you have on your deck, whether that’s a fire pit on the deck, gas fireplace, or a sunken fire pit with built in seating around it.

3 Season Decks: What Makes Them Great?

Fall is beautiful, but it gets cold fast. And even if you don’t mind a chilly breeze, it can be hard to have fun outdoors when it starts getting dark at 5 o’clock! The 3 Season Deck extends the outdoor living season, because it gives you fun extra living space while protecting you from the elements.

The 3 Season deck is the ideal location for hanging out, watching the game on TV, and reveling in having a comfortable retreat space attached to your house. After a long day in the office and all the fun involved in getting dinner on the table and homework done, it’s great to have a place to enjoy yourself.

3 Season Decks use windows to keep bad weather out while letting you enjoy lots of natural sunlight and your view. If you’re an artist or nature lover, you’ll enjoy being able to observe the great outdoors without having to actually go out in it – great for seniors or anyone with mobility challenges, as well as pets and children.

There’s still plenty of time to have a 3 season deck added to your home. 3 season decks can be built on an existing deck or designed and built from scratch. The best deck contractors in Metrowest MA are here to help!

Don’t Replace When You Can Remodel: The Money-Saving Way to Improve Your Deck

By on

Decks wear out over the course of time, but not every aspect of every deck wears out at the same rate. This means certain elements of your deck – most commonly the decking, railing, and stairs – may be in dire need of replacement while other portions – most notably the frame, the structural element that supports the deck – are fine.

When this happens, homeowners often ask if they have to replace the whole deck or if it’s possible to just repair the problems. As Wayland deck contractors, we can tell you the answer to that question is: it depends. There are a number of factors to consider when determining whether a deck can be remodeled or if it needs to be replaced.

The top criteria is the condition and durability of the frame. This aspect of your deck matters more than anything else – even the age of your deck. If you have a deck that’s less than five years old and the frame is rotten, damaged, or otherwise compromised, it’s going to need to be replaced, whereas a fifty-year old deck with a frame that’s in good condition can be a candidate for a deck remodel.

Another criteria to consider is how much you’d like to change your existing deck’s layout and structure. If you’re looking at restoring your current deck as is, that’s certainly an option – but don’t overlook the opportunities that exist to enhance your home’s curb appeal and value that a full deck remodel can offer.

What’s the Expected Useful Life of a Deck?

The expected useful life of a deck varies based on what materials the deck is built out of, as well as the usage conditions and how well the deck has been maintained. This means a deck built out of softwood, like white pine, that has been used heavily and minimally maintained, might wear out in as little as 5-10 years, where a well-cared for composite deck can easily last 30+ years.