Useful Deck Information

Professional deck builders see a wide variety of potential customers.  Some desire an intricate design combined with ornate accessories and features which coincide with the architecture of their home.  Yet others just need a basic layout constructed with simple, durable and low maintenance materials.  And there is an infinite range of desires within this spectrum.  No matter what the deck purchaser requests, there’s always a common thread.  Everyone wishes to achieve functionality while obtaining the most deck for their money.  Therefore, here are a few tips to utilize that valued deck space to its fullest.

Know your numbers.  Lumber, composite, PVC, and just about all building materials are sold in even increments.  A deck builder can usually obtain even numbered dimensional lumber from eight to twenty foot lengths without special ordering.  Composite and PVC deck products are more explicitly produced.  Synthetic decking is usually manufactured in twelve, sixteen, and twenty foot sections while railing components are generally offered in twelve and sixteen foot increments.  What this means for the deck builder and buyer alike is paying for the shortest possible lengths to fit their deck dimensions.  Planning your deck design around the material availability can save both deck builders and homeowners a substantial amount of money.  It can also help create a more practical deck space.

Visualize the deck’s footprint and how it will be utilized.  Decide where to place tables, chairs, a BBQ grill, planters, etc.  This helps ensure you don’t have any major regrets about the deck’s size or configuration. 

Keep stairs towards the corners of the deck.  Stairs in the middle of a side withhold usable room in order to preserve trouble-free entries and exits.  They also break up guard rails and add extra railing posts.  Don’t just consider the cost of materials.  Experienced deck builders are sensible enough to figure in their labor for such additional work.  Also, keep staircases close and adjacent to the deck frame.  Longer staircases may require descents to turn a corner or switch back with a split level landing.  This concept not only saves valuable yard realty, it’s much safer in case of an inescapable fall.

These are just a handful of suggestions to assist deck builders and homeowners with deck conception.  No matter what the objective for a deck, screened porch, pergola or other construction project, thorough planning is sure to enhance the outcome and the tweak the aim.  Similar to much of life, diligent preparation is the key to success in quality deck building.

Hope this helps,

Dan Milford (DW Elite Decks – Kansas City deck builder)

Well, the local Azek rep stopped by our Southern Johnson County, Kansas deck showroom the other day.  He didn’t come empty handed either.  He brought with him a crucial piece Azek needed to make their product even more marketable for us Kansas City deck builders.  A much anticipated color line which includes a wider variety of colors and darker color selections.

I’ve posted about the new Azek colors expected to hit the deck market a couple times over the last year.  Azek has delivered it right on schedule and fulfilled exactly what today’s deck consumer craves, a darker and richer color selection.  There’s no doubt that Azek’s cellular PVC technology has always been a high quality decking product.  It’s proven to be very durable, extremely stain resistant and guaranteed not to rot.  However, one of the decking line’s major weaknesses has been its color selection. 

Before last year, there were only four Azek colors for us deck builders to sell.  The colors were okay, but they were all fairly timid in tone.  None met the high demand for a deep, dark, rich pigmentation most deck Kansas City deck customers demand.  Sometime last early October, the Kansas City deck builders and contractors were presented with the Kona and Fawn colors.  I reported my thoughts about those colors previously. 

See: Azek introduces new colors to Kansas City deck builders.

Now Azek gives us Sedona, Redland Rose, Morado, Acacia, and Tahoe.  My opinion on these five new colors is very strong.  I’m not going to gab on and on in detail about each color and what each one means to me.  Instead, I’m going to give Azek the strongest compliment a deck builder can give a decking manufacturer.  “Thank You!”

Here they are for all you deck builders, contractors and potential deck customers to see.

 Click  here for the Complete Azek Decking Color Line.

Hope this helps,

Dan Milford (DW Elite decks – Kansas City deck builder)

On Tuesday, October 20th, Principia Partners publishing department released their predictions for the deck industry in 2010. Principia Partners is a strategy consulting firm for companies in material related industries.  They estimate that decking and deck related sales will rise from $2.8 billion in 2009 to $3.1 billion in 2010.  This is obviously great news for us Kansas City deck builders and deck related companies throughout the country.

PVC and composite decks have steadily risen in demand since their inception.  However, wood decks gained back substantial ground in 2009.  This was due mainly to the combination of falling wood prices along with the increase in cost of petroleum based products.  The impact of our deep recession has also forced customers to choose deck products which are easier on the pocketbook.  Principia is predicting the trend to shift back in favor of PVC and composite decking as wood prices begin to recover.

Cautiously optimistic, Principia hopes that a greater ability to tap into home equity to finance home improvement projects along with more confidence in consumer spending will result in substantially more deck sales.  “The increase in housing starts and modest growth in repair and remodel activity will increase the demand for decking and railing,”   Principia said.

There will be about 2.5 million decks built on residential homes this year.  Principia says we should expect about a 6% increase in deck sales.  That’s about 150,000 more decks next year.  As a Kansas City deck builder, I sure hope they’re right on target with this forecast.  And I’m sure my fellow deck builders, retailers, and wholesalers are crossing their fingers that these numbers come to fruition.  Because like many industries throughout the United States, the American deck industry could sure use a banner year in 2010!

For more info on this report, here’s a link to Principia Partners.

Hope this helps,

Dan Milford (DW Elite Decks – Kansas City deck builder)

About a month ago, I posted how Azek was ready to show off their new darker decking colors to the deck builders in Kansas City.  Well, I missed the introduction due to family obligations.  However, my partner was able to attend and grabbed a couple of samples so I could relay my opinions on this blog.

One of the new colors is called Fawn.  Fawn is a deep dark tan or milky brown.  Actually, the name is very fitting because it’s exactly what color you’d think a young deer to be.  I’m not a huge fan of any light brown and cedar color decking.  No matter what brand it is.  That’s not so much a knock on the colors the manufacturers created as it is my personal taste.  I wouldn’t put the Fawn Azek on my deck either.  However, I think it’s a more attractive tint than most of the other decking colors close to the same shade.  I also think it will definitely have a stable spot amongst deck consumers since it’ bold enough to be different while still remaining fairly natural and neutral.  Not bad.

The other color has been named Kona.  I’d say it could best be described as cocoa or dark chocolate.  It is right in line with what I thought Azek was going to have to put out in order to compete.  Timbertech and Gossen have developed some creative and sharp decking colors.  Darker colors are definitely the trendy choice with many deck consumers in Kansas City and around the country.  Fawn is sure to gobble up its fair share of those purchases.  It probably already is. 

When it comes to the darker deck colors, deck builders should inform their customers about hot temperature surface.  Some of the dark composite decks can actually feel unbearable when exposed to bare feet.  I guess that depends on how tough you and your feet are. 

Personally, mine aren’t nearly as callused and leathery as when I was a kid.  I use to spend all day playing outside with my dogs unprotected.  Not so much today. 

Cellular PVC, like Azek and Gossen, have an advantage.  The technology of PVC restricts much less temperature change than composites.  That can make a big difference with small children.  Especially in direct sunlight and in the middle of summer.

Helpful links:

Azek decking

Gossen decking

Timbertech decking

Evergrain decking

Hope this helps,

Dan Milford (DW Elite Decks – Kansas City deck builder)

Sources tell me that Azek will have three to four new darker decking colors coming later in 2009.  This is great news for those deck builders selling the PVC deck boards.

I’m pretty sure that most of the United States, like the Kansas City deck market, is moving more and more towards darker decking colors.  Timbertech came out with their Earthwood composite decking line a few years ago, and we’ve built many decks in the Kansas City metro with the rich colors like Tropical Walnut and Tropical Teak.  Elk has had their own stamp on the deep dark brown and reds for a couple of years now.  And Gossen, another cellular PVC manufacturer, just released its own version of a similar tone.

Azek is the leader in cellular PVC marketing.  It has many benefits over composite decking.  Azek has far superior stain and fade prevention due to the chemical makeup of PVC.  Durability is also one of the product’s strengths.

Azek is very resistant to scratching and denting.  The other beautiful trait of cellular PVC is that if you do somehow mange to dent or scratch the surface, you can simply apply light heat (with a heat gun – not a torch or lighter!), and surface will almost always form back to its original state.    

 All the deck builders and contractors I’ve talked to love working with Azek because of its weight, or lack thereof.  Deck contractors are also very fond of the product’s ease of installation.  You can literally put a screw within one eighth of an inch of a board’s edge without it splitting.  This means there’s absolutely no piloting necessary which saves both the deck builder and consumer a ton on labor.

With all of these great things to say about Azek, one of its few weaknesses has always been the color selection.  I’m told that the technology of cellular PVC has always limited the pigmentation of which it can be manufactured.  Well, it looks like those barriers are being broken and cellular PVC decking is taking a giant step forward towards dominating the decking market. 

Now, if they can just find a way to make a structural PVC two by four and two by six boards that will pass IRC guardrail code requirements.  Then I think we’d see the next great revolution in the deck industry.

Hope this helps,

Dan Milford (DW Elite Decks - Kansas City deck builder)

Azek "Clay" decking