Design

This is a guest post from LBM Journal:

As homeowners enter the summer months, many are looking into DIY projects that will allow them to upgrade their outdoor living space. As they do, a common question deck professionals receive is, “how much can my deck hold?”

This is a guest post from LBM Journal:

I've been in this industry for 29 years, and if there is one thing I've noticed it's that there are a large number of decks in the U.S. that are more than 20 years old. A lot of homeowners are looking to update their outdoor living space this year—and that's why they come to you. Now, a great deal has happened in the last 20 years: codes have changed and building materials are evolving and enhancing every few years. For that very reason, when a customer comes into the store wanting to salvage and rebuild their existing deck, there are some key considerations.

This is a guest post from LBM Journal:

It can be a challenge when someone comes into your store asking about products and trends. If you want to make the sale, you certainly want to be as knowledgeable as you can. They might present you with questions such as, “What are the most popular colors?” “What else can I do to enhance my outdoor living space?” and “What are the best products to use for what type of deck I'm looking to build?” The questions are endless, and that's why you've got to be prepared to answer questions about the latest trends for the current season.

Just like deciding what material to use to build your deck, when choosing a railing you have just as many, and sometimes even more options to choose from. Deck railing comes in all kinds of colors, materials, and shapes. This article will walk you through the most popular options and why you might want to choose each one.

Pressure-treated wood is a building material that has been infused with chemical preservatives to make it more durable and prevent rot, mold, and harmful insects. They invented this method of treatment because any wood that is in contact with the ground or moisture for long periods become enticing for insects and speed up natural decay, so untreated wood may only last a year or two. Because of this pressure-treated wood is one of the most popular materials used for deck building, that's why we went ahead and made a complete guide on this topic to answer all of your questions.

If your deck is low to the ground or even in contact with the ground you do not need to install a deck railing. You will soon realize during your deck build that different areas have different standards and codes so this article will walk you through what you need to do.

When choosing deck lighting, it's always good to know your options. In general, you are going to choose solar lights or wired lighting. Here we will explain to you what option is best for your deck and when to use either a solar light or a wired light and why.

Have you decided to build an amazing new deck? The odds are good you might be getting lost in all the deck boards and decking materials that are available. Which decking material is best? Is the price of composite decking worth it? In this article, we go over each material you may want to use for your new deck.

During the 1990s, composite decking hit the deck construction scene and became a direct alternative to wood. Composite decking offers a similar look and feels to wood, but this material is also water-resistant and requires much less maintenance. Composite decking is a material that is a mixture of wood fibers and plastic that is melted together and goes through a "die" to create a wood-like shape and color. New composite decking materials combine the plastic core with an exterior layer of vinyl. Also known as WPC or wood-plastic composite.