The Big Deck Refresh — Part 3

Over the last few months, we have made significant progress with our Big Deck Refresh. We updated the top boards of our existing wood deck with Cardinal-supplied Wolf PVC deck boards. Then we built an entirely new deck extension off the newly resurfaced existing deck. It’s a step up 20′ wide and 16 feet deep, adding a gazebo on top of that portion. We have begun adding facia boards around the perimeter sides to complete the look and piping under the deck to feed water to strategically placed faucets. We added a new electrical breaker to our outside sub panel that powers our hot tub and provides power to the gazebo, where we plan to have an oscillating fan, LED lighting, an Amazon Echo, and whatever else our hearts desire. That said, we still have a bit more to do.

The Project Continues

What remains on the seemingly never-ending to-do list are steps and railings. We are updating the existing steps from wood treads to the Wolf PVC and need to create a second set of steps that will provide easy access from the other side of the new deck area. I want to add a water feature, but I haven’t told Glenn yet (shhhhhh, I have to wait for the right moment).

STEPS ARE A BIG PAIN IN THE BUTT! That said, however, they are doable. We will not attempt to explain the process of building steps in this article – Youtube has some great how-to-videos that provide a better and more detailed explanation of the process. Considerations include measuring and marking the correct measurements, determining the number of steps needed by measuring the height, calculating the number of 11-inch steps to rise from the ground to the deck, and cutting the stringers supporting the step treads and backers are all there. Still, we will share some of our learnings here.

• Even more than the rest of your deck project, this will require careful planning. Measure twice, cut once. If you have scrap wood, do a test to confirm your measurements are accurate.

• Follow the recommended distance between stringers from the deck board manufacturer and your building codes. Specific regulations for height and depth (rise and run) of steps make them familiar to walk up and down. Ignoring these details will have someone tripping, or worse, on your steps, and you don’t want that.

• When cutting the stair stringers, use a circular saw only to the point of the tip of the circular blade, meeting the intersecting measurement line. Then STOP and use a handsaw or a jig saw to finish the remainder of the cut; otherwise, your circular saw blade will cut too far, and you will have to start over.

• If you only have three steps, you can visit Cardinal and purchase pre-cut stringers and save yourself a lot of aggravation and time apologizing to your neighbors for the profanity-laced tirade you broadcasted throughout the neighborhood.

I kid, but only a little bit. This step of the deck project (see what I did there) will challenge many, and it can be frustrating until there is a better process. Take it slow. Watch several videos and read multiple articles and take notes. Once you do that, you will know how to bring it together. You can do it!

Railings Complete the Look of Your New Deck

Now let’s talk about the railings. Our original plan (and still might be, but it’s dwindling) was to use 4×4 posts and run them through a planer on each side to get a smooth finish. Next, we would stain them black and mount them to the exterior panels of the deck. Then we would run top rails stained black and use deck cable and accessories (all available at Cardinal) to complete the cable railings. We want cable because we don’t want to obstruct the wooded view we love so much in our backyard, especially in the Fall.

Now that we have made as much progress as we have and don’t have to use our imaginations to see the entire project, we are now thinking that maybe aluminum posts with the wire railing solution might look even better.

As I write this final installment of the Big Deck Refresh, we are working out the numbers to determine which way we go. That said, though, this is where, once again, Cardinal has been fantastic. We went to them with our ideas, and Matt jumped at the opportunity to share his knowledge and expertise to provide manufacturers’ options and costs associated with each. They have a great variety of options and solutions to meet any objective.

So, where will we land? At this very moment, we aren’t sure; we want to sit and think on it a bit (OHHHH, boy, I did it again). After investing time and money to this point, we want to do it right and not regret this final and vital decision. We will share final photos showing what we decided and anything else we learned while installing them.

One Final Thought

If these types of projects are new to you, think, at some point, everyone, no matter their experience, could have said that when they took on their first project. With the power of the internet, especially Youtube, and the team at Cardinal, you have an incredible manual at your fingertips to learn the how-tos and how-nots of any project you want to tackle. Being able to do a project like this all starts with the willingness to begin, learn, make mistakes, and bask in the glory after you complete it. We weren’t fearless in the beginning, but we are now, and we know you can be too!