If inspection indicates your deck is not safe to enjoy, take immediate action to have it repaired or rebuilt.

(ARA) – Your deck is the perfect place to enjoy the warm weather with friends and loved ones. But an unsafe deck could possibly collapse, causing serious injuries to you and your guests.

The number of deck failures and resulting injuries has been increasing at an alarming rate. Between 2000 and 2008, there were at least 30 deaths reported as a direct result of deck collapses, and more than 75 percent of people on a deck when it collapses are injured or killed. With 40 million decks in the United States that are more than 20 years old, it’s important for homeowners to check their deck.

The North American Deck and Railing Association is dedicated to increasing public awareness of the necessity for regular inspection and maintenance of existing decks and proper installation of new decks.

A key element of enjoying your deck for years to come is making sure it is safe and code compliant. NADRA’s “10-Point Consumer Safety Checklist” is an efficient way to take a good look at the different parts of your deck, with an eye to what might need maintenance, repair or replacement. Safety first, fun second — make sure your deck is safe to enjoy.

A deck like this one from Peachtree Decks & Porches of Georgia is a great spot for summer dining and relaxation.

You might also consider a professional inspection. “A professional inspection will examine every inch of your deck, provide information on your deck’s capacity limits, identify any dangerous problem areas and give you a map of what to keep your eye on in the future. If your deck is older, this might include a regular deck inspection schedule,” says Mike Beaudry, executive vice president for NADRA.

Older decks require closer scrutiny. Many of these decks were built before code requirements were in place to protect consumers. Some of these decks may have deck-to-house attachments using only nails. If your deck is older, it is even more important to have it inspected by either a home inspector (NADRA recommends ASHI-certified home inspectors) or a knowledgeable deck builder (see the listing at nadra.org). NADRA member deck builders are required to adhere to a code of ethics and comply with state licensing and insurance requirements.

If you find your deck is not safe to enjoy, NADRA advises taking immediate action to have it repaired or rebuilt as necessary.

To choose a deck builder, NADRA offers the following tips:

* Ask friends and family members for referrals and contact state and local licensing authorities and trade associations such as NADRA.

* Meet with and carefully evaluate all potential deck builders. Ask to see a portfolio and some samples of the decking and railing materials they prefer to use. Good builders take pride in their work and will be enthusiastic about the possibility of creating a relationship.

* Pay attention to the deck builder’s experience, licensing, insurance coverage and professional references.

When hiring a deck builder, there is more to consider than just price. In addition to the tips above, NADRA recommends homeowners contact their city or county building department to speak with an inspector knowledgeable about deck construction.

For more information visit www.nadra.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Complete with curved benches, planter boxes and a multi-colored compass rose inlay, custom homebuilder Scott Gregory designed his outdoor living area with innovation and functionality in mind.

When custom homebuilder Scott Gregory decided it was time to put a deck on his lake cottage, he did what many builders do when they have the chance to work on their own property: He tried some new things. The result is an amazing outdoor living space with multiple levels, designated purpose areas, built-in seating, curves and innovative use of color.

His goal with his deck? To create a space his family and their guests could enjoy, while also perfecting innovative building techniques that he can incorporate into the outdoor spaces he builds for his clients.

The National Association of Homebuilders says trends in outdoor living continue to grow. It’s a niche that doesn’t look to be going away any time soon, with outdoor living areas remaining a major draw for home buyers and existing home owners.

Gregory’s summer home, located on White Lake in Whitehall, Mich., gets a lot of action during the summer. His family includes young children, and he and his wife often entertain at the cottage. Many of their most frequent visitors just happen to have large families, so having 12 to 15 people around over a weekend is common.

The bar area, made of composite decking, is just one of the unique features on this one-of-a-kind deck.

Because he wanted an expansive space for outdoor living, Gregory took the time to really think about how the space would be used and to plan for enough space for everyone.

He wanted separate areas for cooking, eating, sunning and partying. He also wanted to make sure the materials he used would be low maintenance, slip resistant and splinter free, since tiny feet often ran across the deck on their way in and out of the water.

In addition, harsh winters in Michigan can wreak havoc on anything outdoors. Through the years, Gregory learned that cedar and treated lumber often require yearly maintenance after being exposed to severe cold and moisture. Although he has built many cedar decks, he recently switched allegiances to man-made materials that offer lower maintenance and more variety in appearance.

For his own deck, Gregory wanted to visually separate the spaces. And with over 1,600 square feet of decking spread out over five different levels, composite materials allowed him the variety to do that. Gregory chose to use Latitudes Composite Decking from Universal Forest Products, a composite decking product made from a combination of recycled plastics and wood.

What Latitudes allowed him to do was to mix and match different colors, hide the fasteners on the underside of the deck and create interesting curves for seating, built-in planter boxes and other custom details.

“I’ve always wanted to experiment with curves on a deck, but oftentimes the homes I build for my clients have to conform to neighborhood conventions or a homeowner’s relatively conservative vision,” says Gregory. “With my own deck I had the opportunity to test the materials and see just how versatile they could be.”

Not only was Gregory able to incorporate twists and curves, but he also infused his deck with a nautical star inlay — a compass rose that accents the main deck area and creates a focal point attracting his guests’ attention.

“We’ve created a deck that accommodates a lot of people and several different purposes. We have a hot tub and sunning area, a grilling area that is near the kitchen, a bar area perched high up so that adults can keep an eye on kids and water activities, an eating area and a cozy fire pit for enjoying the chill of a Michigan evening,” he says.

Through his business, Scott Gregory Custom Homes, Gregory finds his outdoor living projects to be among the most enjoyable. It’s a growing part of his business, particularly as homeowners take advantage of low interest rates and a huge variety of innovative products for use in creating comfortable outdoor living areas.

“Outdoor stuff is fun to build. Not only does it offer an opportunity for creativity, but it adds true value to an existing home and my clients just love it,” he says. “More and more of the custom homes I build take into account large outdoor living areas. When we first started 20 years ago, we would build relatively small decks on the back side of homes. Today we are adding expansive decks and patio spaces that literally wrap a home with added living space. New building materials make it possible to be creative, and products like Latitudes are incredibly versatile for work of this type.”

For more information on Latitudes Decking and Railing and a wide variety of other products designed for outdoor living, visit www.latitudesdeck.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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The first thing to think about is the purpose of your deck. Will it be used for entertaining guests on a regular basis? If so, have you considered how many guests you want the deck to hold? That should be one of your primary considerations. More guests will equal more weight. It will also mean you might need extra space for lawn furniture, grills, and people. You also might want the deck to be a play area for you small children. If so, that means a whole host of other issues throughout the planning process. Whatever your deck’s intended purpose, it is best to think it all the way through before starting on the process.

The next thing you should consider is your deck’s location. If you have landscaping issues where you think you will be placing your deck, which is one more thing you are going to have to deal with in the building process. You may also need to consider tree removal, as well as entrances and exits to your home. Remember, you have to have a way to actually access your deck, and if you want it in a place where you do not have an exit, you may need to add one to get the deck in your desired location.

The third thing you need to consider is your deck plan. This will serve as a guide to the entire project. It does not require a professional hand; it just requires someone who can be thorough enough to cover all of the aspects involved.

Another thing you must consider is how your deck will attach to your home. There are many different ways this can be done. It can be freestanding, but that is not always practical or safe. If it is to attach to the house, you have to decide how you will cut away the siding at the joining point. You must also check on the framing of your home where you wish your deck to stand. Is it strong enough?

The fifth thing you must consider are the deck supports as a whole. You need to decide exactly how many footings and posts you will need, and where you intend to place them. If you plan a very large deck, you should plan for a large number of footings and posts. With a smaller deck, you might not need quite as many.

An additional thing to note is the decking material you plan to use. Do you want a wood deck or one made of composite materials? If wood, you should choose your variety. Redwood, cedar, and pressure treated pine are all popular because they resist rot and decay. If you choose another wood decking material, you will, on a constant basis, need to provide protectant and sealant material. Composite decking materials are a good choice because they have been chemically engineered to avoid all of the problems of traditional wood.

The seventh thing to think about is the permits that will be required to build your deck in your area. Different areas have different zoning laws and requirements. Where some areas will require a building permit, others will require only a periodic site inspection. Some require both. It is best to check with your city government to decide what action you need to take to file for a permit.

The eighth thing to consider is the tools required for the project. Do you have everything you need on hand? How much additional expense will this add to the project? At the very least, you will need three different saws. If you do not have this kind of experience, you should consider the next point very carefully.

The ninth thing to think about is whether or not you will need professional help with this project. Decking is a big project to undertake if you are a weekend handyman. Moreover, if you have very little construction experience, decking is not a good first learning project. Poorly built decks are very dangerous, and if you cannot handle the project, leave it to a professional.

The final thing to consider is the extras you might want to build into your deck. You could add flower boxes on each corner. You might want a decorative hand rail. You might even want built in seating for your guests. Whatever extras you add, they will personalize your deck.

A deck can be a great place for a number of activities, but it is a huge undertaking. 

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The advantages of pavers are numerous. Read on from the list below to find out why you might want to use pavers.

Deck Building. Building a deck is tedious. Even with the simplest designs you should be prepared to spend more money for wrong cuts and other mishaps. Pavers are simpler to use, and less expensive than wood.

Building Permits. If you live out in the country with neighbors far away you’ll usually have no problems with building the deck of your dreams. The problem comes in when you live in a residential area with tight building codes you’ll have to adhere too. Don’t take the chance and spend your hard earned money without looking into the codes for your area. Neighbors can report you and then you’ll be fined, and you’ll have to remove your deck. In some areas the requirements on deck building include the size, type of wood to use and even color. Usually you’ll have no choice if you want a free standing deck as opposed to one that attaches directly to your house. Because of limited space think about easement issues too because the cities building codes won’t allow you to encroach on another’s property, or stop access to necessary utility lines either.  Also look at issues of rot in cases of standing water, and water infiltration from high velocity of water runoff.  If your deck is built off of the second floor, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Pavers can easily fit to building codes.

Landscaping. Look at how your ground landscaping design fits in with a deck. Are bushes and flowers shown to their best advantage?  Building a deck could cost more that the deck itself for your landscaping needs. Pavers can be sheared to fit you yard.

Space. Decks are meant to give a sense of escape. If you feel cramped in, your deck won’t be used to much. Other decorative items such as flower pots are likely to be kicked off and trampled on. Look at the fact that most people love cooking out on their deck, and a grill just might not fit, or be very useful around the railing of the deck. If the deck itself on the second floor, ashes end up on kitchen or bedroom windows below, and you’ll have an ashy mess to continually clean up during the summer. Pavers give a sense of more space, so more room to move in.

Portability. Decks are stationary once you build them. With pavers you can place them so that if you need to move them, you can. Reasons you might want to move them are to add a new landscape design to your yard, or if you just need a change of scenery.  Also consider the fact that if you know you’ll be moving soon, pavers will add some value to your home and at the same time can be enjoyed by you, and easily removed by the new occupants.

Renting. Most landlords won’t approve of any new structure being added to their house. There are varied reasons why such as the design, faulty construction, building permits issue, and liability for insurance in case you or a new renter get hurt. Even if the landlord’s liability insurance does cover it, most don’t want to have any wood or siding removal done on their rental property. This is really true if you live in a historically designated district where the city directs what can be done to a home. Pavers might be allowed if they can be moved by the landlord. When renting always check with them because if you don’t and something happens you could be held liable.

Pavers are a good idea, and really have a lot of advantages over your typical wood deck.

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