What will a new deck mean for your family? More than just adding equity or improving curb appeal…
How A New Deck Impacts Your Family
A new deck or porch will mean soaking in the warmth of spring afternoons, watching the sunrise on cool summer mornings with a blanket and a cup of coffee, and relaxing in the glow of a cozy campfire in the crisp fall air. It will be a place of peace. A place to unwind. An easy escape and a breath of fresh air.
Your deck will be more than just another space in your home. It’ll be an investment in yourself and your family – the space where memories are made.
Getting Started Adding A New Deck To Your Home
It can seem overwhelming when the process of adding a new deck isn’t something you’re familiar with. One of the easiest ways to get started is to use Trex’s AR Visualizer App or their Deck Designer tool to start planning your space.
This is a great way to begin envisioning how and when you’ll use the space the most. Be sure to plan room for both seating and storage, lighting for evening enjoyment, and safety features like railings and gates for the little people and pets in your life.
Looking For New Deck Building Materials?
If you are looking for building materials for your new deck, contact MRD Lumber. We are located in Bethel, PA, and serve a wide range of locations throughout Pennsylvania with professional decking material that fits your needs.
Things To Consider When Getting A New Deck
There are a lot of factors to consider when getting a new deck. What dimensions do you want? What type of lumber or composite decking material would work best? What is your deck’s budget? Once you know the answer to these questions, you will be on your way to building your new deck.
1. What Materials Would You Like To Build Your New Deck Out Of?
Determining your new deck’s material is one of the most important decisions when starting new deck construction. There are pros and cons to both composite decking as well as regular treated wood. Both types of decking material can be excellent options for different needs. It really comes down to your personal preference for your new deck. Both decking materials are industry standard and have a long history of quality.
Treated Wood Decking Vs. Trex Composite Decking
Just as important as planning for how you’ll enjoy time in your new space is being realistic about how you don’t want to spend your time on the new deck. It’s important to look at the cost of your deck over time for both money and time spend on maintenance when you’re deciding on treated lumber vs. composite deck boards.
Building A New Deck With Wood
When building a new deck with treated wood, it has an original appearance and classic look. There is time and maintenance that comes with that. Treated decking requires yearly sanding and staining, but is not as costly up front. There is the added risk of splinters, the likelihood of carpenter bees and carpenter ants damaging the new decking as well.
Building A New Deck With Trex Decking Material
When building a new deck with composite decking, there is less maintenance and obvious benefits. Composite Trex decking does not require yearly maintenance and comes with a 25 year limited warranty. One complaint some types of composite decking occasionally receive is that it is hot on bare feet when exposed to direct sunlight. There are composite decking options specifically built to be cooler to the touch.
2. What Are The Dimensions Of Your New Deck?
Time to get out the measuring tape. Determining the dimensions of your deck can be easy for some and difficult for more advanced decks. Ones with multiple levels and dimensions may need a professional contractor to bring your vision to life. Once you know how large your new deck will be, you can find out how much the materials will cost. Trex’s visualizer app allows you to “see” your new deck in your space and is a great way to determine the perfect size for your deck.
3. Creating Access Points To My New Deck
When planning out your design, make sure not to overlook how you will be getting around your new deck. Consider where you may want to put steps down into the yard, or perhaps a ramp for your older family members. Additionally, if your deck is lower to the ground, ensure you plan for access to get underneath it for making repairs or removing pests, such as bee nests.
4. What Is Your Budget For A New Deck?
How about your budget? It can be intimidating to start the process not knowing if what you’re expecting to spend will get you the deck space you’re envisioning.
With the wild swings in the lumber and building materials market over the last five years, it’s no longer as simple as asking a friend or neighbor what their project cost to get an idea of what you’ll be spending to achieve the same result.
So, how can you get an idea if your vision is within reach? Besides allowing you to map out your ideas quickly and easily, Trex’s Deck Designer program also provides an approximate cost for materials. This estimate includes decking boards, substructure (like support posts and beams), stairs, and railings.
It’s important to know that the cost of labor for installation is separate and varies by location. If you’re looking for a general idea to start planning, installation of a 12×12 deck on even ground with one set of stairs starts at around $4,500 in our area. We’d be happy to connect you with an experienced, reputable contractor who will be able to give you a more precise estimate for your specific needs and situation.
5. When do you want to start your new deck construction?
Many people believe that spring is the best time to get started on the tall task of building their new deck, but experts actually tend to recommend getting started in the late summer and fall. With Pennsylvania’s unpredictable weather in April and May, your construction work could easily get halted for many days of rain in a row, or an unexpected heat wave. Building later in the year, around September and October, allows you to work in the perfect temperature, and have a lower chance of a passing thunderstorm delaying construction.
Additionally, the later in the year you build your deck, the more availability that contractors and permit offices have to get working on your project. Prices of materials generally also start to drop once summer ends. Lastly, be sure to consider how long your home will be under construction and when the most convenient time for that would be. This allows your new deck to be built with minimal disruption to everyday life and lets you make the most of your project.
6. The Best Location For Your New Deck
While you might not always have much of a choice on where to locate your new deck because of the layout of your home, it is important to consider the location and dimensions of a new deck. Consider where your deck faces; that is what you will be looking at when you enjoy your deck. How the sun comes across your property, and what time your deck will be in the sun or in the shade, will have a major impact on how and when you enjoy your deck.
If you are really looking forward to watching sunsets from your rocking chair, make sure that your new deck faces west. Also, think about how much shade your new deck will have, and where that will be. While this seems obvious, the position and view from your deck is sometimes overlooked during the design process, and isn’t considered until too late.
7. How Long Should A New Deck Last?
A new desk will last longer if you maintain it, but there are a variety of factors that impact the longevity of a new deck. Factors that impact your new deck’s longevity are things like weather, deck material quality, and the quality of your contractor. Even the longevity of treated lumber varies depending on the type of treatment used on the wood. Consider utilizing higher grade lumber and Trex decking for its 25-year limited warranty to help your deck last longer.
Need Financing Options For Your Deck?
Want to start making memories now but a little short on the cash needed to get building? We also offer low-interest financing to cover both the materials for your project and the labor for installation.
Consider A DIY Deck Installation?
Maybe you’re looking to DIY the installation, but not sure you’d like to rely completely on YouTube videos to get it done? Our experienced team members are happy to provide scale drawings, permit application information, a complete list of materials and tools needed, a glossary of decking terms, a connector system diagram, and more.
New Deck Project Timeline
Organizing a project timeline to minimize delays during construction and cost engineering your material selection to give you the most quality for your money are things we pride ourselves on helping you with.
We sit down with you and map out the material selection process, how long the permit approvals could take, plan the start of construction, and approximate how long it will be until your project is fully ready to enjoy.
Start Building Your New Deck
Thinking you’ll be ready to start your new deck in a few months? Then you need to take action TODAY!
With reputable contractors booking jobs months in advance, “starting today” means planning your space, securing financing if necessary, ordering materials, and getting your contractor scheduled to complete the work if you want to start enjoying your new space as soon as possible.
Whether you’re just beginning to develop a plan or already have your vision mapped out, our team is here to help turn your decking project dream into an investment that you’ll be happy you made for years to come. We have decking and railing materials that will make your deck stand out and last for a long time. We can also custom-mill your decking materials or create elements that match your home’s historic styling. For quality materials and expert design planning, Contact MRD Lumber to get started today!