MARCH 9, 2012 CATEGORIES: ALPHARETTA KITCHEN REMODELING, BLOG, HOME IMPROVEMENT, HOME REMODELING, HOME RENOVATIONS, NORM HUGHES HOMES BY ADMIN 0 COMMENTS
Your Gwinnett County home can
be much more inviting, entertaining and a better use of space when you have a deck.
A finished deck is
also a great way to add value to your home.
Porches and decks can
be a great addition to your home and
allow a place to relax. Norm
Hughes Homes has been building great, quality decks in John’s Creek, Georgia that
last for many years. We stand behind our work and look forward to hearing what
you have to say about your new
remodel, porch or deck project.
Get in touch with us to find out what we can offer you. Now that spring has
arrived, many homeowners are finding ways to expand their living spaces to the
outdoors. Naturally, building
a deck quickly comes to mind, along with this question from
one of our members…
“What are some things we should look out for when building a deck? “
Here’s
what Norm Hughes Homes in Alpharetta, Georgia had
to say on the matter…
“The most common mistakes I encounter on most decks is the flashing. Flashing is
the water barrier between the deck
ledger (the board attached to the house that holds up
your deck) and
your home. When
water comes down the side of your house it comes into contact with the deck and
the ledger.
If incorrectly installed this can cause water damage and moisture in your homes
framing.
Call us at Norm Hughes Homes and we will be able to answer any questions you may have about the best solutions for your deck and home. “In architecture, a deck is a flat surface capable of supporting weight, similar to a floor, but typically constructed outdoors, often elevated from the ground, and usually connected to a building.” The term is a generalization of decks as found on ships.
Functions and materials
Wood or timber “decking” can be used in a number of ways – as part of garden landscaping, to extend living areas of houses, and as an alternative to stone based features such as patios. Decks are made from treated lumber, composite material, Aluminum, Western red cedar, teak, mahogany, ipê and other hardwoods and recycled planks made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polystyrene (PS) and PET plastic as well as mixed plastics and wood fiber (often called “composite” lumber).
Artificial decking products are often called “wood-plastic composites”.
Historically, the softwoods used for decking were logged from old growth forests. These include Atlantic white cedar, redwood and Western red cedar. Atlantic City built the first coastal boardwalk in the United States, originally constructed of Atlantic white cedar. However, it was not long before the commercial logging of this tree and clearing of cedar swamps in New Jersey caused a decline in the availability of decking.
Atlantic City and New York City both switched to Western red cedar. By the 1960s, Western red cedar from the US was declining due to over-logging. More expensive Western red cedar was available from western Canada (British Columbia) but by then, pressure treated pine had become available.
But even with chemical treatments (such as chromated copper arsenate or CCA), pine decking is not as durable as cedars in an outdoor environment. Thus, many municipalities and homeowners are turning to hardwoods. Decks are often built from pressure treated wood. Pressure treated wood is long lasting and holds up to wet and icy weather conditions. Pressure treated wood however is treated with chemicals which have been known to be toxic. Slivers received from pressure treated wood most generally become infected. Pressure treated saw dust also contains toxins such as strychnine, also often used as rat poison. These toxins, when inhaled, can require hospitalization for both acute and chronic exposures.
Generally, hardwoods used for decking come from tropical forests. Much of the logging taking place to produce these woods, especially teak, mahogany and ipê, is occurring illegally, as outlined in numerous reports by environmental organizations such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Rainforest Relief. US tropical wood imports are rising, partly due to the demand for decking.
Due to environmental concerns, composite decking (a mixture of two materials, typically wood pulp and recycled material such as plastic bottles or plastic bags) have appeared on the market. Proponents of composite decking have touted this as a much needed development as this helps to curb logging of trees for new decks. However composite decking has been found to contain harmful chemicals, cannot be refurbished, and despite claims from decking companies, the composite deck still attracts molding.
Residential decks may contain spaces for BBQing, dining and seating. BBQ areas ideally should be situated near the patio door while out of the way from general foot traffic. Dining spaces will include patio tables, for a typical 6 person outdoor patio table building an area of 12′ x 16′[4] is ideal. If deck space permits including a seating area for outdoor couches and benches makes a great addition to any deck.
Construction
The deck of a house is generally a wooden platform built above the ground and connected to the main building. It is generally enclosed by a railing for safety. Access may be from the house through doors and from the ground via a stairway. Residential decks can be constructed over steep areas or rough ground that is otherwise unusable. Decks can also be covered by a canopy or pergola to control sunlight. Deck designs can vary and Norm Hughes Homes can help plan the deck of your dreams in John’s Creek, Georgia.