The Direct Answer Yes. A wood deck increases your home value. This is true almost every time. But here is the important part. You will not get back 100% of the money you spend. Most homeowners get back about 60%…
Quick Answer Yes, most decks need a building permit. In most areas, you need a permit if your deck is attached to your house, higher than 30 inches off the ground, or larger than 200 square feet. You get this…
Quick Answer A good wood deck maintenance checklist covers four things: inspect it, clean it, fix it, and seal it. Do this once a year at minimum, plus a quick seasonal check after harsh weather. Start with the water bead…
A Quick Note on Links: I only recommend tools and products I actually use and trust. To help support this site, I use affiliate links. If you buy something through these links, I may earn a small commission from Amazon…
A guy walked into the lumber yard with me a few months back. He picked up a board of pressure-treated pine. Then he picked up a board of Ipe sitting three feet away. Same size. Same job — hold up…
Redwood is a wood I really love working with, but it’s also a wood a lot of homeowners don’t fully understand before they buy it. I still remember the first time I worked with redwood. A customer wanted a deck…
If you clicked on this article, chances are you’re standing on your deck right now, looking at a wobbly board or a rotten post, and wondering “how much is this gonna hurt my wallet?” I get it. I’ve been there…
I helped my neighbor tear out her old deck last spring. The boards were so soft you could poke a screwdriver right through them. She kept asking me the same question over and over: “How much is this actually going…
If you’ve been staring at your deck lately, wondering whether that gray, slightly wobbly board situation is normal or a sign of trouble, you’re not alone. I get asked this question more than almost anything else: “How long is my…
Thinking about building a new deck? Cedar is one of the most popular choices for good reason. It looks warm and natural, smells fantastic, and fights rot and insects better than many other woods without heavy chemical treatments. In this…
