The Business of Building Decks and Fences

Decks with Curved Rails

2012-12-11T11:42:00.001-05:00

Curved Rails in Muskoka!

by Lawrence Winterburn

Lots of deck builders attempt curves--however, few of them achieve something that fits the site, looks good up close and lasts as long as it should. This is a summer residence near Gravenhurst Ontario.

I designed it to work with the flow of the home and to blend with the surroundings. Elevated homes with lake views need to also look good from the water--so I took that into account.

When it comes to the rim joists, they need to be structural, so those are a solid lamination using red cedar lumber and marine grade adhesives. It is much like making one solid piece of lumber from multiple layers. Installing them is exactly the same as a regular joist, using nails. Since it is structural you can simply bolt the posts in place just like any deck.

The top cap is also made from multiple pieces and faired smooth. Fairing is a boatbuilding term, that just means to make a curve smooth and even. Since framing is never absolutely perfect, allowances for irregular placement of the posts must be made, which is why this rail ended up being about 9" wide around the curve. We added a drip edge to keep the inner portion of the rails dry.

The glass is 1/4" tempered and this rail, (a standard GardenStructure.com detail), is engineered to span 6' without too much trouble. The posts around the curve are roughly 4'-6" to work with the top rail size, so that flat panels work. Curved glass panels are possible, but not many clients will like the price.

When you want to show off a view--and your prowess as a carpenter, a grand curved rail like this fits the bill!

*If you want details for this rail and or layouts to do your own, or a rail installed in Ontario get in touch with www.gardenstructure.com and ask for Lawrence, or email plans@gardenstructure.com . We will do our best to help you out! 888 293 8938. Visit the website for many other curved decks and pergolas!

Starting your own website. The top 5 things you will need to makes sales with your web-site

2012-08-06T08:21:00.001-04:00

decks pergolas and fences web-sites

Well, it is good that you have finally done it--however, you are a little late to the game. If this were baseball, your team would have forfeited already, but hey, in the interest of positivity, it is good that you showed up. Creating a web-site for your deck company is a must. Getting something up is the important part. Remember--Ford didn't produce the GT 500 in their first year of business. Your first website is not where you will end up.

1) The hook. Most deck companies won't have great photography of their own. You really need great photographs of decks, fences and pergolas. How do you get to do big beautiful projects without already having built them? Photographs of shining happy people in your intended demographic enjoying their summer on a deck, (Archadeck has been using that type of marketing for a few years now), or the most creative and intriguing photographs of cutting edge projects. You can buy stock photography numerous places... for which you pay a license fee. Much to my chagrin smiling faces still make the phone ring--sometimes human nature infuriates me, but it is true.

Grabbing photographs from other websites is a big no-no. You might get away with it for a few months--but most of the major companies will sue you out of existence for stealing their work.

The other option is to align yourself with a company like GardenStructure.com in order to use their photography to populate your new site. They have been the cutting edge in outdoor woodwork design for decades now, and there is nothing like showing brilliant and well executed designs to sell decks and pergolas.

2) Clear navigation. There is nothing worse than getting to a website and it isn't obvious where to find things. Think through your major headings and keep things easy to navigate.

3) Your address and area of operations. People need to know where you work and live. Everyone wants a local company to do their work-- and they don't want sub contractors coming from god knows where. They know that quality is higher if you are truly local.

4) Testimonials--Let me be candid. 90% of testimonials are bogus, and you will not be publishing actual names and phone numbers on a website these days... so give them what they want. When you are new to the game you need to convince people of your ethical and trustworthy status.

5) A phone number and e-mail link. I can't tell you how many sites don't have a way to contact the company displayed prominently. If you want the business, they have to be able to contact you!

This is just basics... to have a great website and to become a business leader you need advantages. Things that set you apart as a company and make you a known quantity in the business. A great flyer (which is basically what you are creating with your website), is just the beginning. Now you need to get that flyer into the hands of your millions of potential clients.

For a dose of reality--there are only 104 million other deck builders trying to do the same thing.GardenStructure.com created our first website in 1997, and we get about 1 million unique visits every year. Very few other companies in this business get near that number of visitors.

Building a website takes time. In order to get traffic, you need links from other authority sites and compelling content that draws those links.

Build a great website--and with some luck they will come!

L

Selling Decks - Where are all the Big Decks?

2012-04-24T09:18:00.000-04:00

Larry was 18 years old and building decks in Burlington Ontario. He went out and worked for the best deck companies in Ontario the year previously, about 5 of them. He learned all their tricks, how to price and how to do some basic marketing and decided that he could do it better. Marketing that worked? Flyers, a small ad in the phone book, and signs on the lawn and truck while you work seem to do the trick.

Larry worked on 1 street for 2 months, some 12 jobs in total. He was working under a name cooked up by his father. "Fair Deal Carpentry", and it sounded right since that's really what everybody wants right?

Larry was 18, but unfortunately he looked 14. It is a difficult task to convince anyone that he is an expert in the field of decks and fences when you look so child like.

What's in a name anyways? Your work speaks for itself right? All that matters is that you get your foot in the door and get the opportunity to sell right? All leads are good leads... aren't they?

Larry was doing a job in Hamilton for a referred renovation through a friend and if you have ever been in Hamilton you will know that it is all 1 way streets. A drunk in a van loaded with roofing materials ran a red light and Larry's truck t-boned the van. His left arm went through the drivers side window and his right hand pushed the steering wheel of the F150 about 6" out of round. The truck was about 3' shorter than it started out.

After 6 months of rehab and laser treatments he could finally turn his ignition key in his truck. Insurance replaced the truck, but he lost about 4 months of work at this critical time in his business start up. He burned up all his cash and was basically starting again.

This was 1991 and Larry is/was Lawrence Winterburn, founder of GardenStructure.com and things have changed a little in the past 20 years.

All the things that worked for me in the first year or two are now ancient history. Flyers, Yellow pages no longer work. Lawn and Truck Signs might, but that original name...my God, what a mistake that was!

I milked some opportunities, what turned out to be important ones from the bargain seeking clients I ended up meeting up with, but that Fair Deal name lead to lost opportunities, jobs with no profit and cheapskate clients that would negotiate all the way through the job. Things didn't start to get better until I changed that name.

It was just one of the reasons I didn't get the big profitable jobs back then.

I was doing all kinds of things wrong, and lucky for me, I learned from the experience.

If you want to learn how to get the big leads, and opportunity to do more profitable large projects, click this link. Starting a Deck Company

I want to help you become a success... Preferably Sooner -- Rather than later!

L

Spring 2012

2012-04-08T09:54:00.000-04:00

It is shaping up to be a great year! All the crews are busy and they got a good early start.

We have openings for exclusive builder, coming up next month in Oakville. Dan took a cushy corporate job in Calgary with Stanley Tools. To be young and impetuous....Yes, I am envious. Dan did great work with us. Did a beautiful portico in Oakville and another curved deck we haven't taken photos of yet.

North York is also coming available later this spring. Brian doesn't have time for decks and fences since he is making investments in a development in India...and will be developing a subdivision there. Brian also did beautiful work with us.

We have new builders this year in Windsor, Barrie and Caledon... all brilliant craftsmen.

If you are interested in becoming an exclusive builder with GardenStructure.com call Lawrence at 888 293 8938

GardenStructure.com at the Windsor Home Show

2012-03-30T08:55:00.000-04:00

Sal Constante is at the Windsor Home Show this weekend-- at the GM plant. Booths number 400.

Sal is one of our most talented builders and this is a chance to see some of his work up close. Bring a sketch, photos and he might have time to sketch some ideas for you while he is there!

He builds decks, fences, pergolas and decorative woodwork for the garden of all kinds!

Lots of noise about Composite Decks

2012-03-15T12:03:00.000-04:00

Linkedin is abuzz over composites. New products all jostling for position in the business. There's a great article about the current state of composites in North America here..

They talk about the expected new generations of products due out this fall, and touch on capped materials swelling at the ends and causing the vinyl cap to tear.

Michael Dotson spent $15,000 on Geodeck materials and sent in a pile of photos of that failure--he told me that

"I filed a claim... and had a claim number....and eventually was told we have no $$$ to pay your claim"

We are going to use all of them for a gallery of photos for the "Composite Decking Article" shortly, but here are a couple of samples.

Now, I know that the Geodeck name has been sold twice since the originators of this product had control...but this legacy will continue due to the mistreatment of their customers. When you buy composite decking you need to know that many companies have left customers with decks that look like this--and when they get sold, change their names or go out of business, you have NO Warranty!

If you have photos of a deteriorating composite deck... send them along. It may cause pressure on the company to service your warranty claim.

For GardenStructure.com's article on " Composite Decking " click here.

If you are building a deck and considering composite decking... Do your Research!

L

New Articles; Composite Decking and Starting a Deck Company

2012-02-28T16:15:00.000-05:00

"Composite Decking Vs Wood Decks" update.

This article has been updated for 2012. We don't typically use composite lumber in our projects, simply because their warranties don't cover labor should they make a bad batch. It just isn't something that we have faith in as a product. The major development is that a composite decking company has blinked and is now offering a warranty that covers replacement of the decking by a qualified builder for a period of 5 years.

There are a few new composite decking horror show photos sent in by clients and much of the information inthe article has been updated for 2012 with composite industry changes.

There is also a new article about "Starting a Deck Company in 2012".

The information in the article will give the new deck builder insights into creating a winning business plan for your new deck company. It also outlines many of the advantages our "Exclusive Builders" have over the competition. Designs, Details, Tablet Portfolio and use of our photography for marketing purposes.

There is also plenty of information for the existing deck builder for improving their deck company in 2012, and insights into the economy and how it relates to trends in the deck business.

If you like what you see on this blog or on www.gardenstructure.com be sure to visit our +1 Page. We've loaded it with plenty of photos and information! Add us to your circles-- We love to connect with other Deck Builders!

Wood Fencing - Common Mistakes

2012-02-24T11:56:00.000-05:00

Wood Fencing is a subject lacking any professional grade information in books on how to build for durability. On top of that, nearly everyone oversimplifies why fences stand up they way they should. There are many thousands of books and most of the information is recycled from information put out by lumber yards over the past hundred years.

The "Art" of building fences is indeed becoming lost in a sea of mis-information. We are sharing the basics in a work in progress, "Fence School". We'll be filling in content over the next year to teach good basic fundamentals to builders as well as home owners that want to "Do It Yourself".

This wood fence is located on a commercial property in Barrie Ontario and is one of the best example of a wood fence failure. The fence was built lacking vertical support, and someone added vertically oriented 2x4's after the fact.

Since there was not enough support, and just 2x2's nailed to 2x4's oriented on the flat, the fence sagged causing the boards to come loose. When it comes to commercial wood fences you need to build much stronger to resist snow being plowed and wind that whips across open parking lots.

These guys didn't consider that trees grow, and this seemingly harmless small tree pushed a rail and the lattice out over the next few years.

When they added the extra rails, they didn't bother to connect them to the posts, thus, adding weight to an already failing fence, rather than adding vertical strength.

They also didn't consider that in this frost prone area, concrete curbs will lift a couple of inches each season. This aggravated the issue. Mounting rails too close to the ground is a common flaw. Ground swells as moisture within it freezes putting stress on wood fences.

You can read more about fences in this blog by clicking here. Wood Fence Articles

See our DIY Plans and Fence Instructions at GardenStructure.com

We design many very unique wood fences - See our Gallery of Fence Designs

Do you check on your decks and fences after you build?

2012-02-09T14:47:00.000-05:00

I drove past this Wood Trellis Fence that I built in about 1995 just last fall and was shocked at how good it looked. Yes, this client took good care of what I built, and says that people still stop to photograph it 17 years after it was built. Still standing strong, and looking much like when I built it.

More importantly, he still loves the look of it, and relishes the thought that it was designed just for him and his wife. The process worked the same back then as it does now. Customer gives us a wish list and a design retainer, and we come back with options, elevations and layouts.

Without examining the decks and fences you built in the early days you cannot be sure that your methods were sound. This is an extreme being 17 years, however, every good deck and fence builder needs to drop in and see their work a few years after construction. Only by seeing the flaws can we correct our designs and methods. Putting your head in the sand means you just don't care about your product.

This was one of our first attempts at changing suburbia, and I wouldn't likely design something that looks like this today--however, houses don't look the same as they did then either. What matters is that the customer is as happy today as they were when it was built.

Many builders just cut out pictures and designs from magazines--Short cuts don't make your company stand out. You may not be as prolific as www.gardenstructure.com , however the sense of accomplishment from coming up with your own designs is gratifying.

Don't be afraid to try something different when it comes to decks and fences--you might come up with something that will make you famous!

That said, we excel at unique designs and details, and we do share it with select builders. If you think you have what it takes to work with us, click "Exclusive Deck and Fence Builders" for more details.

Hot Spots 2012- Building Decks and Pergolas in Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Boston Mass

2012-01-31T10:13:00.000-05:00

We have top ranking local web pages that you can use if you are a builder of decks, fences and pergolas. No waiting... we can edit them for your company in a week or two and your phone will start ringing instantly. The photos you see are actual screen shots of Google results. You need to know a couple of things about how google works before you can get the same results.

Google now adjusts your results based on your profile--so if you have a deck company, and you registered that on google places, or you have a google account then they know who you are. With a static IP they will give you results that make you think you have the top rank. When someone searches for decks, fences or pergolas and where you live, they will see the "Virgin" results, not the skewed results you see at home, and you may only be on page 5. So, to see the actual results, you may have to go to an internet cafe--or a friend's house. Clear the browser cache, make sure you are not signed in to Google... and do the searches.

We have 3 locations with top ranks in Google already, where someone else paid us to create the web presence, and for some reason they are no longer there... These 3 spots are busy areas and any deck builder that wants to grow their business or cut their marketing costs will be well served.

Boston's economy is on the mend--and plenty of people call asking if we have a builder yet. Our designs fit well with the East Coast Architecture... You will be popular!

Not very often you can jump into an exclusive deal and we already have #1 spots in Google. This isn't just recent... we've held top ranks there for years.

Vancouver had a couple of slow years after the Olympic Games and when they brought in a new oppressive tax. That means pent up demand for decks and pergolas-- It is a great time to be building in Vancouver and our Canopy System should be a big hit there since it rains fairly often there!

Vancouver Island is right next store, and Art is a big part of the culture there-- We get nearly as many calls from the Island as the main land, so that should be a very busy area as well.

Vancouver Island loves their pergolas-- you should be the one to supply them!

We can pretty much make you rank highly in Google anywhere in North America. That's only part of what we do. Our exclusive builders get to use our portfolio for tablets, design resources and support from head office.

You can learn more about becoming an "Exclusive Decks and Pergolas Builder" for GardenStructure.com here.

You can also call 888 293 8938 and ask for Lawrence for more information.

What is a privacy screen? What are the rules for building privacy screens?

2012-01-26T11:17:00.002-05:00

Privacy Screens

What exactly is a privacy screen. What is the difference between a trellis-work and a decorative screen and a privacy screen?

In the eyes of a local building department--nothing. In the eyes of a committee of adjustment or a tribunal... there is a world of difference.

When what you build ends up being an eyesore, you will always lose your case. When a well built and obviously architecturally inspired privacy screen is in place, they nearly always side with you.

A privacy screen is typically "A visual barrier to provide privacy". It can be an 8' solid fence, an intricate trelliage, a semi private fence or even fishing line that trains vines skyward. If you call it a privacy screen--generally a building department or bylaw enforcement agency will see it as such.

Rules for building privacy screens vary from town to town, borough to borough. Your first step should be Google and second should be visiting your local city hall.

If you are reading this you have likely landed in this situation where a neighbour has complained, or you are planning to build a privacy screen and you want to know if you can legally build a privacy screen on your property.

This is another case where building departments are flying by the seats of their pants to paint something they really don't understand as "This" or "That".

Can you dig half a hole? Not unless you define the hole.

Leaving judgements up to low level managers leads to stress among homeowners. In one area we can build anything we want if it it contains 3" spaces, and 3 miles away they could make you tear the same thing down because it has been deemed to not fit within specifications by a single clerk's interpretation of a more or less identical bylaw.

When it comes down to it most areas bylaws were created to address a certain situation that occurred that resulted in 2 neighbors arguing.

When you are dealing with the building department or municipal bylaw office or even the zoning department you need to take copious notes. It is always best to take a sketch of what you want to build and get their opinion there. The plans examiners and bylaw enforcement officers know the commonly enforced rules and should be able to give you enough information that you can plan a privacy screen with confidence.

You need to get a business card or write down the names of everyone you speak to. While you go through this process you will discover something magical. If you ask someone at the building department for their card or name they may immedietly call someone else over. This means that you were speaking with someone less experienced at first contact and you may have been wasting your time or about to get inaccurate information.

If they tell you that you cannot legally build the privacy screen you want--you need to ask questions. What can I legally build. Ask for interpretations and definitions so that you can design something that fits your requirements and yours. There is always a large grey area within bylaws.

If you live in Ontario you can speak to Dave Macilius (289) 339-9600 (Hamilton-Burlington) , Mark Schwarz (519) 669-2972 (Kitchener Waterloo), Paul Corsetti (416) 455-5515 (Toronto + GTA). These guys are talented designers that can help you interpret the rules in your favour.

Across Canada and in the US you will want to speak to me, Lawrence Winterburn. (888) 293-8938. I can help you design suitable privacy screens that will meet local code requirements.

To see more Privacy Screens check out our Gallery of Privacy Screens and our Decks Gallery

Some Decks from Tennessee

2011-11-29T16:44:00.001-05:00

Rod Brooker shared these photos of recent work he did in Chattanooga Tennessee. These decks are all of his own design.

This deck is of virgin vinyl PVC "Composite Decking", which is really the only type of composite materials our builders use. He built in tables with stone tops, planter boxes and lighting.

I really like the benches. Many of you in the northern states might not know that the skirting around the deck can run right to the ground when you don't have frost to worry about...

Here's a second level deck by Rod with a red cedar pergola ( Arbor ) built right into the structure!

To see more of Rod's work in Chattanooga Tennessee please click here.

How to build curved decks.

2011-11-20T08:15:00.000-05:00

Here is a fine example of how to design and build a deck with curves provided by our design-builder in North Kawartha ( Near Peterborough Ontario).

This deck was designed artfully, around the trees, with plenty of clearance and most importantly it compliments the house and simply looks like it grew there naturally. If I had designed this deck--it would likely look exactly as it does. I give this design a 10 out of 10. Very well done Garry! You won't see anything this well done on any TV deck building shows!

This is no kerf-cut wannabe deck that will fall apart in 5 or 10 years. Garry did a layered lamination on the rim joist using marine epoxies, cut the rails out of solid stock and spent the time to get it right. Heavy ledgers connect this deck to the frame of the house so that even in the event of an earthquake this deck will remain the way it is today. When you hire an expert designer to design and build your curved deck--you get a structure like this that will last 30 years plus!

Garry also did the front deck, giant flagstone and landscaping on this year round residence near Peterborough Ontario. Kudos to you Garry-- Beautiful job!

To see more photos of this curved decks project click http://www.gardenstructure.com/circular_decks_Ontario

You can reach Garry at 705-656-3757

Etobicoke - Toronto Cedar Decks

2011-10-26T09:16:00.000-04:00

More Cedar decks in Etobicoke, (part of Toronto Ontario). This deck was designed by Lawrence and built by Luke Simonovski and Crew. The deck we replaced was 3 levels and was poorly planned. A narrow upper platform and another narrow platform below made it too cramped for furniture.

Privacy screens work well to create a sense of privacy even though the neighbours are only a few feet away. By adding found objects or art sculpture you can personalize these blank panels and make it feel more like the interior of your home.

These decks have plenty of space for furniture and still maintain traffic flow. The pergola is designed for a future retractable canopy system. There is still a nook in the far corner designed for housing a hot tub in the future.

Dropping the level of the deck and maintaining the barbecue area up top means a larger lower platform. When you want to build beautiful decks in Toronto Please call us at (416) 951-9998. Everywhere else, please call (888) 293-8938

To see more photos of these Toronto Decks click here.

To see more photos of our decks click here

Stairs with No Screws?

2011-10-20T21:33:00.000-04:00

Here's a new twist on stairs... No fasteners. Well, not very many anyways.

When I was looking at this deck in Muskoka, I nearly missed this. Normally I am pretty quick on the critiques, but it was one of the last things I noticed. The deck did look fairly good, and it was a new build. Ford had it's better idea... (the Pinto).

Chev had it's better idea... (the Vega)

And this carpenter's better idea, gluing stairs together with flooring adhesive... YIKES!

There are a few finishing nails to hold the outer stringers on until the glue sets... but the only screws, (which shouldn't be used for stairs anyhow), were toenailed into the stringers 1 per plank.

Please don't try this at home people... VERY DANGEROUS to mess with stairs when you don't have a clue what you are doing. I know, not a fair statement. This guy knew enough to build a beautiful deck, and the only flaw other than the stairs that I could find were a few odd spaced joists and some joist hangers that are too small. He won't know that the glued stringers idea didn't work...because he ran off with the client's money. That's why I was there--they had me price finishing the rails. I designed a nice system for the rails that matched the log home rather nicely if I don't say so myself!

So, to sum up, as wood expands and contracts glue will separate on exterior work. Wood shrinks in all directions. Unless the grains are aligned and you use marine epoxy... glue will release. These stairs will come tumbling down, maybe not this year... but likely within 3.

When stairs collapse it nearly always ends in injury...and they nearly always collapse when someone of size is using them, which makes the injury worse.

Life Time Lumber-- Out of Business

2011-10-10T11:30:00.000-04:00

Another Composite Decking Company has closed it's doors. Two months ago they sent us samples... and today, they are out of business. The website is gone... I guess warranty service isn't an issue, unless the composite decking you bought from these guys doesn't live up to expectations. In that case--you have no warranty--sorry.

Composite decking companies seem to come and go. If anyone knows of a site keeping score of composite decking company failures, please let me know about it.

Life Time Lumber has closed up shop and their manufacturing facility is winding up production. This company had actually constructed pergolas out of the materials so it had peaked my interest. Unfortunately the samples (delivered by UPS ) were damaged during the shipping process even though they were bubble wrapped.

The material was extremely heavy and also very soft. It reminds me of MDO in structure and I am not convinced that material will work very well for exterior work that is exposed to potential damage.

I was going to do a little experiment... hanging a concrete block off double rafters for a couple of seasons to measure it's structural strength. I guess they saved me time by going out of business.

Nice knowing you Life Time Lumber--

L

Copper Post Caps or Cheap Immitation?

2011-10-01T08:06:00.001-04:00

I suspected it, and yes, it is pretty much impossible to create copper clad post caps for $20.

As you can see the copper... is peeling off. Copper does not de-laminate from the cheap tin core like this post cap is doing.

These beautiful and inexpensive copper topped post caps you find at the big box stores are not what they seem. They are anodized coatings that eventually corrode off and leave you with the cheap tin top you paid for. There are authentic copper caps available from specialty retailers, but be careful. you can test them by scratching the finish in an unobtrusive place. Real copper will be the same color inside as it is on the outer surface.

You can expect to pay $35 or more for authentic copper caps. Copper caps will turn a green patina as they oxidize and they don't rot...unless you have 3 or 4 hundred years to wait.

When it comes to copper clad post caps...if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

L

Deck Renovations- With Curved Brow

2011-09-18T09:01:00.001-04:00

Here are the near finished shots of that deck with the dangerous staircase. As you can see a safer staircase was built--away from the septic system. We also built in a storage area beneath the stairs with a landing mid way down to avoid guests tumbling too far if they were to mis-step.

We added a boardwalk out for easy travel to the water--this is a property near Wasaga Beach Ontario. Dan Maragno was the builder and you can see his smiling face on the boardwalk.

We paired joists and added a brow to allow more space on the deck. This is no kerf cut temporary brow like you see on TV--this is a solid red cedar lamination using epoxy which will last 30 years.

Adding the brow in this case made it possible for a full size dining table on the second level. Dan also took care of a large deficiency list stemming from the deck inspection that spawned this project.

Another masterful job by Dan Maragno--Our Oakville Design Builder! L

Deck Inspection--Scary Stairs

2011-09-16T06:32:00.001-04:00

Think Twice before walking up this Staircase!

Would you try it? What if I told you that these stairs were supported by 3-2 1/2" Nails? That the stairs were basically held up by the hand rails?

This was for a client that lives in China and bought this place as a summer home in Canada.

When we removed these stairs we found 3 small nails carrying the deck, through the weakest point of the stringers. (the part that will snap off the straight grain under a load). We normally build out a base from the beam so that the stringers are capped and securely fastened to the deck structure. The cap needs to extend past the lowest extent of the stringer to be safe.

And at the bottom of the staircase we find the same thing as the top. Supported by the tip of the stringer that is prone to break off. To make things worse it is supported by a platform without footings on sand--on top of the septic field. You are not allowed to build anything within 5' of the septic field. We ended up moving the staircase to the other end of the deck to maintain distance from the septic system.

I don't know who the manufacturer of this frail rail system is, however I would expect it to be the lowest priced item available in a big box store. The rail is sagging under the weight of the glass and the posts are weak enough to give way if anyone fell towards it. No engineer would stamp this rail as suitable and I have no idea how it passed inspection in the first place. We changed the rail to a more robust system.

Here's a common issue not addressed by building code.

Code stipulates that second level decks need to be connected to the house with carriage bolts through the framing of the home... they stipulate every 24" but they don't say where to mount the bolts. All the bolts are mounted 1.5" down from the top of the beam...which means the entire structure is supported by a 2x2 piece of pressure treated lumber. We added bolts and had to remove drywall and patch inside the already finished basement.

The ledger adds another layer of safety--however the ledger was attached to the part of the rim which if tested, would fail. There were also no joist hangers... so we had to add those.

My other concern was that there was no flashing to prevent moisture from getting behind the siding to rot out the connected structure. We added flashings during the re-build.

We discovered a few other issues like non-acq rated nails here and there but we were able to salvage much of the structure. Stay tuned--the next post shows how it turned out! L

Composite Decking could Cost You as a Contractor

2011-09-14T08:32:00.000-04:00

Composite Decking Liabilities

We published a poll where we asked;

Who should pay for the labour to remove and replace faulty composite decking?

The Home Owner (12%)

The Builder (34%)

Your Insurance Company (0%)

The Manufacturer (even if you have to sue) (54%)

People seem to be of the opinion that if you sell it to them--you are partially liable for replacing it when things go wrong.

YIKES

The important consideration here is that since the manufacturer refuses to pay for the removal, disposal and installation of the replacement decking (under warranty), YOU as the BUILDER may well be shamed into, or worse still forced to through litigation with your own client.

In my mind any external factor that could put you at odds with a happy client is simply not something we as high end builders should ever risk. I don't like having to tell people "No Maam, even though I sold you composite decking--and it turned out to be defective, I couldn't possibly replace it for you for free". The majority of our builders have steered clear of it for this simple reason and the fact that we don't believe it to be the best material to use.

In the act of selling people composite decking you must make clear that in the event of a warranty claim you will not be supplying free labor to replace the deck should the materials turn out to be defective. You need to tell them verbally and include it as a term within your contract. If you don't make this perfectly clear up front, your act of selling the product could leave you vulnerable later.

The other trouble is that once you tell people you won't replace defective materials for free--they just may not buy from you.

The Company that was the largest deck builder in Canada staked their business on composites--and in the last couple of years they have watched 10 of their franchisees close their doors, (1 joined GardenStructure.com). I am not sure if that is due to complications of composites or just management issues in general.

As deck builders we need to choose what we sell carefully. We need to look at the warranty and decide if the risk is worth the potential gains. It is your deck business and only you decide what you will or will not sell.

Privacy Screens in Toronto

2011-07-17T10:05:00.000-04:00

Here is a privacy screen we designed for a home in the Beach - Toronto.

The neighbors were doing an extensive addition and it had been going on for about 2 years when we got the call. The situation was urgent considering the home owner was considering moving to avoid putting up with the mess next door any longer.

The view from the neighbor's side is minimalist, and budget was a concern for our client. We utilized the original hand rail support posts and added some strength by cladding the posts. These screens are made of pressure treated lumber... however they still look great utilizing these inexpensive materials.

The client in this case is a fabulous designer, so adding the candle holders, umbrella and plantings really sets the entire feature off. This project was designed by Lawrence Winterburn and installed by our Toronto East Builder, Luke Simonovski. To speak to them please call 888 293 8938.

To see more Privacy Screens go to our Gallery of Deck Designs , Gallery of Wood Fences, or our Trelliswork Gallery.

This has been the busiest spring ever for most of our builders--so please forgive my truancy, I'll be posting more often from this point and I have plenty of projects to show off from this season!

Stay tuned!

L

Spring 2011 for Deck and Fence Builders

2011-04-03T10:11:00.002-04:00

Spring started for our builders about March 1st, so I haven't had much time for updating the blog.

Most have been wrapping up winter projects and busy doing estimates from the many inquiries in the past weeks. People call us all winter to plan projects, and many of the jobs happening this spring were planned late last summer.

We've added a few Artisan Directory Listings, A vinyl specialist in Los Angeles, builders in Dallas, Raliegh North Carolina, Baltimore Maryland and two builders in Ontario and they seem to be getting plenty of calls.

Artisan Directory Listings are a risk free way to try out what we can do for you as a deck builder--without commitment. This will give you a good indication of how many of our existing visitors are from your area looking for what you do. It also gets you familiar with our designs when you build a couple of our projects for the clients you meet through the listing.

"We also have new Accredited builders near Montreal Quebec, Etobicoke Ontario, New York and South Florida."

Watch for many more new builders this spring. Our programs are the best value going to make Deck, Fence and Pergola builders busy even in this difficult economy.

We have a 3 week backlog for custom plans already, which is very early. I am working on plans for a deck in Calgary, a cemetery in Virginia, an elaborate deck in Tampa Florida, and about 5 other projects in the Toronto area. Of course there are the usual alterations to stock plans...about 5 of those.

The economy locally in Ontario has never been worse, but we are still run off our feet.

As this most recent gas shock effect takes hold, it may be a challenging year for anyone not involved with GardenStructure.com this year--but the signs are putting to a banner year for everyone in our group. Many of our builders are booking well into summer already.

Get in touch soon to make it a better year for your deck company!

L

Become one of our Deck Builders!

Curved Decks -- How not to Build Curved Decks

2011-03-02T14:57:00.002-05:00

This fine looking deck was a beautiful design but poorly Constructed. When you look more closely you will see that the rim joist is cracking and basically not adding strength.

The owner of the home had me over to view the deck with the intention of adding a 3 season room with pergola on top of the deck. Needless to say he didn't like what I had to say. I let him know in no uncertain terms that I wouldn't erect a big box umbrella on the existing structure.

This is what is known as a Kerf Cut and it is often used in stair construction, however those are not exposed to the elements and they are usually filled with glue and then bonded to something. Anything you build outdoors needs to have the end grains sealed to prevent rot--and it should be built at least 2x as strong as you need to do the job to keep it safe long after it starts to rot.

When you drive nails through this into the end grains of the joists you are only securing about 3/8" of solid materials--which doesn't take long to rot. The nails will pull through and if stressed all the fasteners will release. Can you imagine what would happen to this deck during an earthquake?

The steel stringers would have worked... but they needed a plate of reinforcement aside the treads. They sprung badly under my 220 lb frame. It felt unsafe to me.

L

Large Decks Showcase in Video !

2011-02-26T09:38:00.000-05:00

Large Decks

We are quickly getting known for being builders of the most beautiful decks in the world. Check out our new video showcase of a very large deck with curves, glass rails, a furniture grade pergola over a hot tub and pre-finished red cedar decking.

The curved treads are solid laminations and the rails actually shed water from the inner parts.

This deck was built along the shores of the St. Lawrence so the views were spectacular.

To see more of our Beautiful Decks (click)

To become one of our Deck Builders (click)

L

Some of our Decks from 2010

2011-02-09T17:02:00.001-05:00

Our builders did some beautiful decks in 2010!

Decks Gallery part 1

Decks Gallery Part 2

These decks were designed by Jamie Elliott in Barrie Ontario. They feature pre-finished materials, (Red Cedar), internal membrane roofing and evestroughs so that it is dry below all the platforms, and built in benches. Nice work Jamie!

Cable Rail Decks

Above is a cable rail deck by Mark Schwarz and his Earthscape crew. It wasn't built last year--but we did get the photos to share last year. See more photos of these decks by clicking the photos.

Here is another Decks with Pergola Project by Mark Schwarz and Earthscape. It is a balcany-roof-deck project that had to be craned into place. GORGEOUS work guys!

What are portico decks? A deck that looks like a portico... and a deck from above, yet it sheds water like a roof into an evestrough--lets not get picky. The trough wasn't there when I took these preliminary shots--but for the spring shoot they will be on!

This is one of my designs, and you can see the designs and before shots here.

This Portico deck was built by Dan Maragno in Oakville Ontario.

If you want to start building projects like this... get in touch with me at 888 293 8938 or click this link- Join GardenStructure.com