When we first spoke with these Warner Robins GA homeowners, they knew they wanted a great new outdoor space but had a couple key questions in mind. First, they weren’t sure whether they wanted a deck or a patio. They also wanted to know if we could create a design that would incorporate a future hot tub addition to their outdoor living space. As you can see in the picture, their yard gently slopes down. In order to add a patio, quite a bit of excavating would need to be done. With a deck, we could build the space to work with the grade of their yard without having to excavate.

The next question they had was whether their design could incorporate the addition of a future hot tub. They suspected the hot tub addition might be 2 years into the future so the deck had to work great on its own and not look like anything was missing. That was no problem. As you’ll see in the design drawing, the multi-level deck works great as a stand-alone space and will also accommodate the hot tub addition they will make in the future. At Archadeck of Central GA, accommodating future growth is important. We realize that for a number or reasons, your new project isn’t ready to happen all at once. There are often important design considerations we can make to accommodate your future growth. Sometimes there are even logistical efforts that can be made during the initial project such as running a gas line or water line at the time we are running these on the original project.

Another thing the family was looking for was a low-maintenance space. With this deck we used Fiberon composite wood for the decking and pressure-treated wood for the framing. On the vertical surfaces such as on the flower boxes and built-in bench, we used pressure-treated pine capping the elements with the same Fiberon composite decking to pull those elements in with the decking. This is a great technique which provides the cost effectiveness of building with pressure-treated wood but the design appeal created when capping the wood with the composite decking.

The decking they selected is Fiberon Pro-Tect in Gray Birch. These synthetic boards are called cap stock. The boards are composite at the core and utilize a strong capped “wrap” on 3 sides for the ultimate low maintenance performance.  The Gray Birch cover is a lovely hue that will work beautifully with the color of the pressure-treated wood as it grays out.

As we noted above, our deck design works with the grade of the land using the slope to make an attractive space with a tremendous amount of visual interest. The deck is low-to-grade which meant we we were not required to add a railing. Not only can family members and guests move easily to the various deck levels but they can also spill over into the yard when they have larger gatherings.

We want to point out an additional design detail that you may not have noticed. The deck design incorporates 3 levels as you see above. Note that in each of the decking levels, the Fiberon synthetic decking is installed in a different direction. This attention to detail and these standards are unexpected features you get when working with an established company. While also providing a great look, running the decking in different directions on each level acts as a visual queue that there is a step.

If you are considering creating a great new outdoor living space for your Macon/Warner Robins area back yard, or if you want to give a fresh new look to your existing area, give us a call for a free consultation. We strive to create the perfect outdoor living space just for you. Call: (478) 745 – 2000. Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net.

Everyone knows that to keep your teeth looking good that you need to floss regularly. Maintenance of a pressure treated pine deck is a similar proposition. You know you should be doing it, you have a pretty good idea about how it should be done even though you may be a little vague on some of the details, and you may occasionally fall a little short and need to do a little extra work to get back on track. The good news? It’s never too late to start. Here are some deck maintenance tips for all stages of a Macon deck lifespan.

More than half the decks in this area have flooring made of pressure treated pine lumber. Almost all of them have their framing done with those boards as well. Pine is an economical and renewable resource. When it gets wet, it swells and when it dries or sits in the sun, it shrinks. This movement, swelling and shrinking, causes the wood fibers to tear themselves apart causing splintering, splitting, warping and cupping. It’s that natural cycle you are trying to interrupt.

The first step is to pressure wash the deck, giving the most attention to the horizontal surfaces. First, they are the most visible. Second, those are the areas where water and dirt are most likely to sit and soak in, so they need the most attention. After the deck dries from its cleaning, wait until early evening and then apply a high quality sealant like Cabot. Do not apply under the summer sun. The sealants will evaporate right off during the heat of the day. Wax-injected lumber may buy you 12-months or so before needing its first treatment

Ideally, pressure treated pine decks will be cleansed and sealed at least once a year and splinters won’t be an issue for a decade or more. If you are seeing the signs of neglect in your deck, it may not be too late. Olympic makes a product called Rescue It!™ that fills gaps and seals at the same time. It requires some extra site preparation, but can help bring a long-neglected deck back into use quickly. It’s thick and looks a little like a truck bed liner when it dries.

In many cases, the deck surface may need to be pulled up and replaced. Replacing deck boards can be costly but not as expensive as building a new deck. Don’t panic if you think your deck needs this level of attention. It may even be a good thing. Macon redecking projects are a great opportunity to replace pressure treated pine with synthetic decking and you can effectively eliminate 95% of upkeep chores if you go that route. You can even pick a new color scheme if you replace your boards with synthetic boards.

If you are considering creating a great new outdoor living space for your Macon/Warner Robins area back yard, or if you want to give a fresh new look to your existing area, give us a call for a free consultation. We strive to create the perfect outdoor living space just for you. Call: (478) 745 – 2000. Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net.