Low-Maintenance Deck Replacement in The Hills of Lakeway, TX, Suggests Déjà Vu!
Replacing a deck at your Austin-area home doesn’t mean you have to make a lot of changes. Our clients in The Hills of Lakeway, TX, liked the deck they had. They liked the color, the size, the shape, and the way it hugged the back of their home. The deck was built with cedar, however, and what the homeowners did not like was the way their wood deck was starting to deteriorate. The deck was low to grade, exposed to moisture near the ground, and the wood was beginning to rot. It was time for a deck replacement.
Will a Low-Maintenance Deck Rot Like Wood?
Not likely! One of the reasons many homeowners choose low-maintenance decking today is for its moisture-resistant properties. Composite and synthetic decking is capped with polymers making it extremely resistant to moisture damage. You can tell by these products’ lengthy warranties that they’re made to last a very long time—without rotting. At Archadeck of Austin, we recommend synthetic (PVC) decking if your deck is low to grade.
Like many of our clients, these homeowners in The Hills of Lakeway wanted a new deck that would look great without a lot of upkeep. For their deck replacement, they selected AZEK low-maintenance decking from TimberTech’s Harvest Collection in Slate Gray.
Your Austin Deck Replacement: What to Keep, What to Change?
Since the homeowners liked so much about their original deck, design decisions for their deck replacement were easy! That’s the great thing about replacing a deck—you don’t have to make a lot of changes if you don’t want to. In this case, our clients wanted us to use the same footprint for their new deck’s scale and size. They chose a similar shade of gray, too, and they wanted similar benches along the sides of the new deck.
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- Before
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- Before
We laid the decking boards out in a picture-frame design. Since the decking is monochromatic, the picture-framing is not as noticeable here as it would be on a deck with contrasting board colors. Picture-framing gives the deck a smooth edge, which is especially significant at the location of the step down to the yard.
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- After
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We also built the new benches with AZEK. We used low maintenance PVC for the deck skirting, too, so the mulch around the deck will never cause rotting in the future. The Hardie stucco-finish board we used on this project is a low maintenance material as well.
And the Rest of the Story …
The scope of this job included a side project in addition to the deck replacement. The clients had a little walkout/stoop at a doorway elsewhere on the home that was built with the same cedar boards as the original deck. Archadeck of Austin removed the cedar stoop and built a new one with concrete.
Has the time come to replace a deck at your home? Whether you are replacing a deck or interested in adding one for the first time, call Archadeck of Austin today at 512-259-8282 or email us to schedule your free design consultation.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
Archadeck of Austin Transformed an Existing Concrete Patio into a Lavish Outdoor Oasis!
Our line of business not only entails providing high-quality designs and workmanship on each of our outdoor living structure additions and renovations, it also involves helping our customers “imagine” what their outdoor can be and making that vision come to life. This is where the expertise of a seasoned, experienced design and build team comes into play — making the unimaginable, a reality.
“Realizing the vision” is exactly what we did in one of our recent projects in South Austin, TX. We used an existing concrete patio as the base for a multi-functional outdoor oasis that includes a spacious deck with pergola, stone bar entertaining area and private spa area.
We began the backyard transformation by staining the existing concrete patio and building a low-maintenance AZEK deck just off the patio that extends off the rear of this South Austin home. The deck is quite spacious at 20′ deep and features a 20 x 20 overhead cedar pergola that anchors the space. The color the homeowner’s chose is Harvest Bronze. Fortress Sand Black rail. The sand finish is cooler to the touch and is a matte finish vs. a high gloss finish fitting with the rustic details present in the space. We also finished off the deck with a full privacy cedar skirt with a door for access to the under side. Archadeck of Austin also brought in electrical service to all the fans and hot tub.
The deck also includes a tranquil spa for the homeowner’s to enjoy. A versatile drop-screen was installed to create a privacy barrier so the hot tub can be used without the worry of prying eyes, and it does deliver an ample amount of shade, along with the pergola, if the homeowner’s choose to use the spa during the day.
Located just Northeast to the spa area, Archadeck of Austin created an outdoor bar entertaining area within the space. The bar is built using natural stone and features a Leuder’s stone top. The bar is built much like the bars seen in an interior “eat in kitchen” with ample room for bar stools and even an integrated ice bucket to keep beverages cool on the hottest of days! This custom entertainment area also features custom cabinets with plenty of drawers and clever storage.
Let us not forget all the creature comforts included within this versatile outdoor living space either; four ceiling fans are mounted to enhance circulation and keep the space comfortable for daily use, while sconce lighting and an LED light package on the face of the posts allows for evening enjoyment! This design literally has everything you could ask for in an outdoor living space, under one pergola!
If you would like to learn more about fulfilling your vision of the ultimate outdoor living space, contact Archadeck of Austin.Our talented team of designers and craftsmen can make your backyard dreams a reality! You can reach us at ( 512) 259 – 8282 or email us at jim.odom@archadeck.net.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
Austin Decks, Pergolas, Covered Patios, Porches, more 