Four Things to Know Before Building a Deck in San Antonio
As is the case with construction as a whole, there is no one size fits all approach to building a deck. There are a variety of factors that determine how much your project ends up costing you. So here are 4 things to consider before building a deck in your Texas home.
1. What material do I want to build my deck out of?
When it comes to building a deck, we offer three options for material, Treated Pine, Cedar, and Composite. We’ve covered this subject more in-depth, which you can read about here, but to summarize, Treated Decks are budget-friendly, but need lots of maintenance. Cedar’s somewhere in the middle in terms of both budget and maintenance. Composite decks are higher on the budget end but require virtually no maintenance.
2. Will My project require a handrail?
Texas building code requires a handrail on any deck that exceeds a height of 30 inches, so if you think your project exceeds that number, you should definitely factor the handrail into your build. You may be asking yourself what your options are when it comes to the handrail, and this too ranges greatly. The most cost-effective option is 2x2 wooden balusters, however, these have a tendency to splinter and crack prematurely due to the thickness of the wood. A much better option available is powder-coated aluminum balusters, which easily last your deck’s lifetime.
3. Does my backyard already have shade?
As silly as it might sound, having shade over your deck is extremely important. When the sun isn’t constantly beating down on boards, they are less affected by expansion and contraction. This increases the life of your deck by effectively cutting down on the stress your boards are under, by reducing the amount of stress they are under. So what can you do to add more shade? We recommend arbors because of the great shade benefits without sacrificing the outdoor feel. They aren't as expensive as patio covers and are much easier to maintain.
4. What size should my deck be?
This one is often overlooked, some people aren't really sure what size they want so they end up buying a deck that is either too big, too small, or not designed for their needs. It’s important to understand your yard and what would make sense in the space you create. If you have a big backyard with lots of elevation, a big multilevel deck would make sense. Now picture that in a townhome, not really right? If your backyard is smaller, you might want a compact deck so you retain usable space, but still, have a welcoming outdoor living area.
