Porches and Decks.

 The backyard is often one of the most utilized areas of your home, yet it can be easily neglected. While many focus on enhancing the interior living spaces, the outdoor areas—used for everything from summer BBQs to winter fires—may lack functionality and charm. If you're considering an upgrade, a deck is an excellent choice. Not only does it add attractive, functional space to your backyard, but it also increases your home's value. As your local trusted builder, we can help you either add a new deck or revamp an existing one.

Installing a deck requires thorough planning to comply with local codes and standards. Despite the extensive preparation involved, the result—a stunning addition to your home—will be rewarding for years to come.

Deck planning is more than just deciding on the aesthetics; it's about functionality and compliance. The most common deck type is structurally anchored to the home, often extending from a room and providing seamless access between indoors and outdoors. This category includes everything from simple ground-level platforms to elaborate multi-level structures with stairways and landings. These decks are solidly connected to the house via a ledger board, making them strong and durable but also subject to building codes as they are considered structural extensions. Standalone decks, not attached to the house, typically require additional poles and beams. 

Deck Footing Depth - Ensuring the footings of a freestanding deck (or any deck) are installed below the frost level is crucial. This prevents the deck from shifting during freeze-thaw cycles.

Freestanding Deck Height and Open Span - Consider the desired height of your deck. A lower deck will sway less, but taller decks can reduce swaying with diagonal bracing.

Cost of Attached vs. Freestanding Decks - For many homes with siding, the cost of building an attached or freestanding deck is similar. Fewer structural posts are needed for an attached deck, but installing a ledger board and flashing is labor-intensive, especially when drilling through brick veneer.

Choosing Between a Freestanding and Attached Deck - The best choice depends on several factors, including your deck's design, your house's siding style, the deck's height, and whether you need space underneath. An experienced builder can construct both types to last for decades. However, without the need for a patio underneath, an attached deck offers limited benefits. 

Budget Considerations - Your budget will influence the deck's size, design, and materials. Remember to account for building permits, labor, and additional features like flowerboxes, railings, seating, and lighting. Each build option incurs costs, and there is no standard price per square foot for deck construction; it's all custom work.

Designing Your Deck in Oklahoma - [Incomplete sentence, rewriting not possible]

Building Materials:

Deck Frames - The underside or framing of a deck is its most critical component, bearing the brunt of the load. Wood framing materials outside the frame are vulnerable to the elements, and building codes are becoming more rigorous to ensure that these wooden members can endure wind, humidity, and precipitation, thus averting wood rot.

While wood has traditionally been the material of choice for deck framing, the trend is shifting towards metal framing members, which are gaining popularity and becoming more prevalent than ever before.

Deck Covering - Cedar, redwood, and pressure-treated wood are the primary materials used for constructing outdoor decks. Redwood and cedar are naturally resistant to decay and insects, requiring re-staining every three to five years. However, there are other decking options available that require less maintenance. Decking materials include wood, plastic, and metal:

- Pressure-treated woods, such as pine, cedar, and redwood, are treated with preservatives for weather resistance and provide a traditional warm look.

- Exotic hardwoods like teak, ipe, and Brazilian varieties offer superior durability.

- Composite decking, crafted from recycled wood fibers and plastics, is a low-maintenance option but generally more expensive than natural wood.

- PVC or plastic planks resist rot and handle harsh weather conditions well, but they can be costly, may feel less solid underfoot, and can heat up significantly in direct sunlight.

- Aluminum decking is highly slip-resistant, ideal for wet areas, but carries a higher cost.

Pressure-treated wood, usually chemically treated pine, is engineered to withstand insects and weather damage. It provides a durable and functional deck, enhancing your home's value and offering an ideal space for barbecues, relaxation, or card games, though it may be susceptible to warping or distortion from its chemical treatment. 

The IBC code for structural design has some particular requirements for deck stairs, rails, rise, and treads.

Stair rails on decks should be between 34 and 38 inches high, measured vertically from the nose of the tread to the top of the rail.

The treads must be at least 10 inches deep, measuring from front to back, and at least 36 inches wide. However, a width of 48 inches is best so the stairs don't feel cramped. They must also support a weight of at least 300 pounds in an area no more than four inches square.  

Stair treads may be made of a single two-by-twelve but typically have two decking boards, usually two-by-sixes.

The rise, or the vertical distance from one tread to the next, can be no more than 7 3/4 inches high. At the same time, the minimum stair rise is 4 inches. The total rise is a stairway’s height from the landing to the top of the decking.