Mastering Deck Craftsmanship: San Francisco Bay Area's Ultimate Guide
Understanding Quality Deck Craftsmanship
When we think about a house, how often do we turn our attention to the deck? Whether it’s your childhood house, a house you’re renting, a house you’re buying, a house you’ve owned for years, or a house you wish to sell, how much of a focal point is the deck? Is it simply a forgotten extension of the house that holds a few rusted, barely used chairs and a grill that’s fired up twice a year? Or is it an extension of your home; a place to gather, to laugh, to love? For many people, the deck is merely an afterthought, a nuisance, a money pit that requires constant maintenance. Yet for some, a deck is as important to them as their kitchen, their living room, their garage, or any other part of their home that creates lasting memories. If you are one of those people then it would make sense for your deck to last as long as the memories it helps create.
Rebuilding a deck is an investment that, like any other part of home renovation, should be well thought out and properly executed. It isn’t difficult for a paid professional to build a deck structure from the ground up but that in no way means it was built correctly. Real challenges exist for a project like this, challenges that most homeowners are unaware of until they are caught in the middle or worse, caught off guard later. And although it may not seem as daunting as a kitchen remodel or a second story addition, a deck rebuild project can get out of hand quickly.
This blog is designed to give homeowners the tools and knowledge to know exactly what they should be asking of their contractor and what they should expect as a finished result. It’s important to note that the parameters of what is needed can change depending on realistic challenges like budget or property and code restrictions, but for the most part the same fundamental rules apply. This blog will detail the “Non-Negotiables”, the rules that are strongly suggested to follow in order to ensure that you are happy with your investment.
Planning Your Deck
First and foremost, any full deck rebuild over 30" tall in the state of California requires a set of plans that need to be approved by either the county or the city, depending on jurisdiction. Even if a contractor plans to rebuild your deck to the exact same footprint as it was beforehand doesn’t mean that those engineering specs have passed the test of time. Building codes have changed dramatically since most of California’s existing decks were first built and they will continue to change. Do not allow a contractor to talk you into building a deck without an approved set of plans and the proper permits. This will unfortunately extend the project time as these plans can take weeks, sometimes even months to approve, but it protects you from owning the liability of rebuilding a deck that isn’t to code, especially if there is any desire to sell the home at a later date.
Once the plans are approved, the materials that you choose can make the difference between a deck that lasts thirty or more years and a deck that lasts significantly less. A watershed deck structure, meaning a deck that is not waterproof, is usually going to be one of two designs: a Post & Beam system or a Cantilevered system.
A Post & Beam system is framed outside of the house, usually consisting of at least two large posts towards the end of the structure that support a horizontal beam which then supports the decking and railing system above it. This structure is made independent of the house although it does connect to one of the exterior walls.
A Cantilevered system appears to “float” off of the house as the structure is supported by an extension of the house’s floor boards which act as the framing joists. While rebuilding either structure, it is best practice to use pressure treated lumber for the framing system.
Pressure treated lumber, commonly referred to as PT, is exterior-grade wood designed to hold up to the elements significantly longer than other softwoods like Douglas Fir, Pine, or the ever-popular choice of Redwood. For reference, PT is used for most piers built in coastal towns and cities due to its resilience to moisture. It is without a doubt the best material to use for your deck’s framing system. There is an aesthetic tradeoff with using this type of lumber, however. PT is not the most beautiful to look at and although you can technically paint it, it’s not recommended to do so. If you can get past the look of Pressure Treated lumber, it is far and away the best choice to use due to its resistance to the elements.
Deck Materials: How to get the most out of your deck
Beyond the deck framing, choosing the right material for the decking and the railing can make a difference in longevity as well. For the longest time, Redwood decks were the standard choice, especially in California. But times have changed in more ways than one.
First, the wood itself has changed and not for the better. Redwood is more expensive than it’s ever been and the quality is the worst that it’s ever been. When you add the Volatile Organic Compound laws that get stricter with each passing year, stains do less and less to protect your deck and recurring maintenance is becoming more time consuming and even more expensive. Despite the fact that a brand new, freshly stained Redwood deck can add an element to any home, it’s not the most practical strategy anymore. There are more ways than one to achieve an aesthetic that adds both emotional and monetary value to your home. This is where composite decking and railing systems are a viable alternative.
Composite decks are not new, companies like Trex have been around since the late nineties but the technology is considerably better almost thirty years later. Not only does the material itself last longer than it ever has but the color options and warranties that come with the material is enticing. There is no shortage of artistic choices when it comes to companies like Trex or Timbertech. Not only do they have a wide range of options for decking colors but the railing systems themselves allow for designs beyond the typical picket system we are used to seeing on classic Redwood decks. It used to be that choosing to go composite was the far more expensive route but with rising prices of lumber since the Covid-19 pandemic, price points are now comparable. The absolute best material choice when rebuilding a deck is composite because there is nothing to maintain compared to what has become a near yearly duty of cleaning and restaining wooden decks due to those changing VOC laws. Even more importantly is the fact that composite material does not rot and is not susceptible to termite damage like wood. A deck should be a place for rest and relaxation and simply choosing the right kind of material can make the difference between happiness and a headache.
Deck Design and Execution
Along with making sure that the new deck structure comes with approved plans and the proper materials, it’s key to understand the nuanced design of the deck and whether or not it allows for watershed. If a deck system is not waterproof then it must be designed to allow water to shed away from the material and most importantly, away from the wood. Pressure Treated lumber helps but it’s still wood and wood rots. Wood is most susceptible to water two different ways: horizontal surfaces where water can sit and at the ends where cuts have been made and the end-grain is now exposed.
Trees have capillary systems, similar to human beings, and “veins” allow groundwater to travel into the roots, through the trunk, and into the branches and leaves. In order to produce long pieces of lumber to build with, trees are farmed and cut against the grain, meaning they cut through these veins. Even after that tree has long been cut down, dried out, and shipped to a job site, those veins still welcome any moisture that wishes to enter that capillary system. This is what activates the dry rot fungus and it will venture out in search of more water, rotting the wood as it goes. For a deck’s framing structure, the end cuts of lumber need to be treated and protected with chemical wood preservatives.
Horizontal surfaces create a different challenge with similar results. Water can sit on horizontal surfaces for long periods of time due to the fact that the water has nowhere to go until it evaporates. Wood expands and contracts and eventually cracks, and once that happens, water can get into the wood through that horizontal surface and lead to dry rot. This risk can be mitigated with joist tape, a rubberized membrane that adheres to the top of joists, beams, and posts, and keeps water away from the wood. Water will always follow the path of least resistance so protecting those horizontal surfaces is a crucial detail of deck building.
As important as it is to flash the top of the wooden framing with joist tape, it’s equally as important to properly flash the area of the deck that connects to the home with metal flashing. Whether this is the ledger that attaches directly to the house or the continuation of the floor joists for a cantilever deck, there is always going to be an entry point for moisture to get through the walls, behind the siding, behind the protective home wrap, and into the framing of the house. If a brand new deck is properly built and then maintained, it’s relatively easy to identify problems that present over time as the material is externally exposed but if the connection to the house is improperly flashed, there is no way to know that internal framing damage is occurring. By the time you find out, it’s already too late and an expensive repair is inevitable. The installation process of metal flashing is dependent on the design of the deck and the tie-in to the house but it’s recommended to stay away from galvanized steel if your budget allows for it, especially if the home is on the coast. If not, at the very least make sure that the flashing has been protected with the proper rust primers and then painted. This is an important conversation to have with your contractor and they should be able to educate you on exactly what strategy was used and why.
Conclusion
At the end of the day there is simply no way to completely avoid exposure to the elements. Homeowners are in a constant battle with the corrosive nature of water, insects, and the UV rays of our sun. A person can never fully mitigate the risks that come with rebuilding a deck but you can drastically decrease the chances of future damage by following these rules, these “Non-Negotiables”. By using the right lumber, the right decking and railing material, the right flashing techniques, and the right building practices, you can be confident in your investment. Don’t let the intimidating nature of a big project get in the way of allowing you to make decisions that will give you peace of mind. Home improvements are meant to add value to your life in far more ways than one so take control of building these memories by building your deck the right way.