Questions to ask a deck contractor

1. What type of lumber will you use?
2. What type of fastners will you use?
3. How will you finish the deck?
4. What type of maintenance will I need to do on the deck?
5. What permits do I need?

I live in Central Texas, where decks are built without regard to a frost line or heavy loads from snow or wind.

There are two primary woods used in deck projects. The first is the supporting architecture while the second is the decorative decking surface (that you will walk on). The supporting wood is not visible and the primary concern is for rot or lack thereof. The best wood for this is pressure treated lumber - available at any home improvement store.

Pressure treated wood is cheap, easy to work with, and is full of arsonic. So don't leave a lot of sawdust in your grass or you may qualify to be a toxic waste site. Pressure treated wood is also usually wet, so dulls blades quickly. Don't spend a lot of time touching the stuff either as the chemicals will absorb through your skin (and then you will never rot either).

The second issue is the decking surface. Wood choices include pressure treated wood (so you can absorb arsonic through your feet), cedar, redwood, and composite materials (manmade stuff that will never wear out). This is really a preference issue. I like cedar (and the knots). Redwood looks similar to cedar but is a bit more soft and costs more. I chose to use cedar five-quarter wood. This type of wood tends to go on sale at the end of the deck season at my local lumber store, so this was an ideal choice for me. The boards are actually one inch think and about 5.75 inches wide. I bought long strips (14-18 feet) so that I could get a nice surface without too many seams.

top

The only correct answer to this question if you are using cedar or redwood is stainless steel. Your local hardware store (aka Home Depot or Lowes) will try to tell you that teflon coated deck screws are sufficient. They are wrong. The reason teflon coated screws won't be as good is that beneath the teflon coating is a standard steel screw. If you scratch or mar the teflon coating, the metal of the screw is exponsed, and guess what... you'll get oxidation. And oxidation on cedar or redwood will cause weaping (black streaks).

As a note added after applying all 650 screws: I frequently stripped or scratched the tops of the screws as I was not gentle putting them in. I did use teflon screws on the underside support structure (wood was pressure treated). Teflon screws are much easier to put in than standard screws or stainless. But I was still sloppy and messed up the heads of a few. If I had used the teflon screws, they would have been exposed for sure. Glad I paid the extra money for the stainless ones.

The absolute worst thing a contractor can tell you is that the decking will be attached with nails. Run like crazy if they try to convince you of this. Nails will pop out in the hot/cold Texas seasons.

top

There are many ways to finish a deck and one way is to not put a finish on it. I didn't want the wood to silver with time, so I needed to put a sealer with UV protection. But since I decided to apply a finish, this means that I'll need to do touch-ups or a new coat each season.

There are many products out there and I am no expert in the difference. Like paint, some products are water based and some are oil based. In general, the recommendations I got were for oil based. I ended up using Superdeck's Duckback 1910. It was easy to apply and gave a beautiful finish. The rough cedar did soak up a lot, but this means that it is very waterproof. Like paint, I'm sure you get what you pay for.

I assume a contractor will not stear you wrong with the sealer. But do make sure you understand what you are getting into with regards to maintenance.

Follow up Note: After 3 months, the deck is now a bit lighter (but not silvered) and it has rained many times. The deck is very waterproof.

top

A well built deck should last you a long time with little structural maintenance. If you have sealed the deck you may need to touch it up or re-apply a coat each year.

Issues to ask about:

• if a board becomes split, how should I get it replaced?
• How should I handle any screws that pop out?
• If boards start to squeek in the future, what should I do?
• If you're supposed to use stainless steel (if you take my previous advice), what should I do if I get weaping?
• If you install an overhead sprinkler system, who do I call if there are problems?
• How do I remove dead rodents from underneath the structure? (Hope you don't have to face this like I did)

Note that major structures attached to your house are usually covered under your homeowners insurance.

top

You need to contact 3 offices before you start to build:

1. Your Home Owners Association (they may want to see your plans)
2. The local City Hall to get a builders permit (if required in your area). Also be sure to check out the rules about your property lines and where you can build structures.
3. The utility company to come mark your in-ground lines (if they are near the project)

Do not assume a contractor understands the local laws. Ultimately the homeowner is responsible.

top