Gorilla Decks
Many Vancouver, Wash., residents are trading in their old wood decks for PVC decking. But rather than ripping out the old cedar deck and replacing it entirely, many Pacific Northwest homeowners are saving money by keeping the underlying wood structure and resurfacing the top with PVC.
Without much maintenance, a cedar deck will last for 20 to 30 years. However, if you don’t regularly stain your cedar deck’s surface, it will quickly become ridden with warps and splinters. We recommend yearly staining, which extends the life of cedar decking while also preventing pest infestations. Moreover, an annually stained deck will be less slippery. And for the homeowner focused on maximizing resale price, a regularly maintained cedar deck will bring a higher asking price, as it will look newer than a neglected deck.
If you’re planning to take advantage of our glorious streak of good weather to stain your deck, here are the steps you’ll need to take to prepare. Read the rest of this entry »
Is your outdoor living space ready for spring? Here in the Pacific Northwest, spring and summer seem to fly by, and before you know it, winter rolls back around. Make the most of the sunny weather by whipping your cedar deck, fence and landscape into shape now. We’ve compiled this infographic to help you prepare your spring DIY list for making fence repairs, cleaning and improving your deck, and sprucing up your garden.
You spring clean every nook and cranny in your home, but what about your outdoor living area? If your cedar decking and fencing is looking dingy, cleaning is the best way to recover its original brightness. One day of solid cleaning can augment year-round enjoyment of your cedar deck or cedar fence. Beaverton and Portland deck owners who would prefer to skip this day of maintenance can call on us for our deck resurfacing service.
Why is spring the perfect time to wash cedar decking and fencing? Because the temperatures are less extreme at this time of year. In the dog days of summer, cleaning puts more stress on the wood of your fence or deck. When heat bears down on wet wood, more damage is caused. In contrast, the cool days of spring are perfect for deck cleaning, since the lower temperatures will cause less extreme expansion in the wood of your cedar fence. Beaverton and Tigard homeowners can think of deck and fence cleaning as one more home maintenance task that should be included in their annual spring cleaning. Read the rest of this entry »
The recession has led many homeowners to take “staycations” – cost-preserving vacation getaways right in their own beautiful backyards. There’s no reason why the same prudent enthusiasm for outdoor living can’t also be applied to individual holidays. Why spend stacks of money this Valentine’s Day when you could enjoy a private, convenient, romantic date right at home on your cedar decking – for far less? Even a drizzly Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors, for those who have patio covers.
Salem and Portland homeowners who want to deftly woo their darlings this Valentine’s Day can follow the tips we’ve gathered below for creating a romantic ambiance under their patio covers. Read the rest of this entry »
A properly built, properly maintained deck should be strong enough to hold quite a snowfall. Building codes require residential cedar decking to hold plenty of weight. Not until the white stuff is piled higher than the 3-foot railings do you need to be concerned about the possibility of collapse.
Likewise, rot is highly unlikely. Here in the Pacific Northwest, most homeowners opt for cedar decking, since cedar trees are naturally rot resistant. These giant conifers evolved to thrive in our region’s sopping wet winters. Assuming you consistently resurface and reseal your deck, it will survive snow without rotting.
More and more families are sharing their homes across generations. Census data reveals a 10 percent increase in the number of multigenerational households since 2007. The tough economy has played a large role in the multigenerational trend; young people are less equipped to buy their own homes after a five-year recession, so many are moving back in with Mom and Dad. Moreover, the “middle generation” of 40- and 50-year-olds has fewer financial resources for putting elderly family members in retirement communities. In this way, the challenging economic climate has sent housing trends back 60 years, when several generations commonly lived under the same roof.
However, there are also non-economic reasons to live in multigenerational homes. Those who share their space with Mom, Dad or Junior report a better sense of community, for one thing. With so many family members nearby, there is more support and love for everyone in the home. Still, good designers can make multigenerational living more comfortable and convenient by removing the less appealing aspects, such as lack of privacy. Below, you’ll find tips on how to make your home’s fencing and decking more comfortable for multigenerational use. If you’ll soon be living with multiple generations in your home, apply these tips to your deck or fence installation, Washington and Oregon residents. Read the rest of this entry »
A fresh year and a fresh new you! That’s what the whole world seems to scream in January, when the year is still a mere babe and everyone you know is setting resolutions. Now, we’re not here to discourage anyone from setting lofty goals for the year. However, after years of providing fence installation – Beaverton, Portland and Hillsboro are just a few of our service areas – we can vouch for the fact that few homeowners have time to follow through on all of their new year vows, especially where home maintenance is concerned.
While you may swear you’ll refinish the whole fence and deck this summer, you may not be as motivated once warmer weather actually rolls around. So we encourage you to set yourself some reasonable goals for fence and deck care, which you can pursue throughout 2013 without excess effort. Leave the bigger fence and deck maintenance tasks up to us, and focus instead on preventing procrastination from harming your deck or cedar fence.
Winter in the Pacific Northwest can wreak havoc on home materials. Months of wet, cold weather tear away at paint, damage wood trim and set moss growing everywhere. Homeowners who hope for a tidy, clean appearance and a well-maintained home must be vigilant about tackling maintenance tasks once dry weather rolls around. Wise homeowners soon learn the value of materials that can naturally stand up to drizzly, cold conditions – PVC decking is one of those super-materials. PVC is ideal for wintery weather since it’s not organic and won’t break down under moist conditions. This waterproof decking material is perfect for withstanding winter weather for the following reasons:
1. Won’t get waterlogged and weakened, like wood decking. PVC decking stays strong and smooth regardless of whether it’s raining cats and dogs outside. Bonus: PVC can’t sustain internal mold or mildew growth, which can weaken a wood deck.
Kids love outdoor living areas. On decks and balconies, they can explore the great outdoors while staying within the protective observation of their parents. However, decking can pose its own safety risks for kids. To keep your kids safe, include the following features in your new deck design, or add them to an existing deck.
Check gap sizes. Gaps on handrails should be 3.5 inches or narrower; anything wider is liable to offer an enticing place for tiny heads, hands and legs to get stuck. Check the gaps between vertical slats on wood handrails as well as the gap between your deck surface and the bottom section of each handrail.
Port Orford Cedar
PVC Decking
TigerWood
Handrails
Underdeck
Benches
Cedar
Vinyl
Aluminum
Chain Link
Pasture
Aluminum Framed
Wood Framed
Vinyl Pergolas
Cedar Pergolas
Cedar Gates
Vinyl Gates
Ornamental Gates
Chain Link Gates
Arbors
Retaining Walls
