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June 21, 2024

What to Consider when Starting your DIY Deck Project


What to Consider when Starting your DIY Deck Project

With summer just around the corner, are you looking at your old deck thinking I could replace this myself ? Better yet, do you have a clean slate you’re just itching to DIY into the deck of your dreams?

During the summer and fall months, there’s no better place to chat with friends, eat dinners with the family, or just relax with a beverage after a long day of work. But before you start hammering this project together, there are some important considerations to keep in mind.

Paperwork

Before you start construction, you’ll need to talk with your municipality to obtain a building permit. You’ll likely have to submit designs that meet size and height specifications. Once you have your permit in hand, call your utility providers. They’ll check that there aren’t any pipes or lines that could cause your problems or fines in the future. You can submit a locate request by clicking here

Purpose

While you’re putting together your design for the city, think about what functionality you want your deck to serve. A lot of Alberta families use their deck as a summer dining room. It functions as an outdoor living space to eat, drink, and entertain. How far will your deck be from your kitchen? Generally speaking, the closer the better. Will there be room to barbecue on the deck? Do you need to make your design child-safe? Finally, keep in mind how many people you typically have over — will you need seating for five or twenty?

If you know the measurements of the space you have to work with, you can pop them into our free Deck Designer software This tool will allow you to adjust layouts, colours, and materials, and also show you what your deck will look like with different lighting and railing options.

Materials

If you take a look around, many of the older decks are made of some type of lumber. Cedar and MicroPro® Sienna treated can be found at TimberTown. But if you’re thinking about investing in a deck that requires no maintenance, we suggest considering either PVC decking or capped composite decking. Simply put, the Alberta climate is very hard on wood. Both PVC and composite decking create beautiful, wood-like decks, but there are no splintered boards, rotten lumber, or peeling paint to deal with! We’ve found that the difference in price is more than made up by the time saved and the overall lifetime of the deck itself.

Check out some of our composite decking from top brands like TimberTech®, Trex®, and Eva-Last

Are you ready to begin your summer project? This is a great time to begin the planning, design, and paperwork stage. By getting all of the red tape out of the way now, you’ll be ready to begin as soon as the ground thaws and the flowers sprout. 

In the meantime, if you have any questions about your project, come into any TimberTown location and our seasoned Pro’s will help guide you through your new deck plans from beginning to end. 

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