Custom Decks
Your Custom Deck
A successful deck project must first work on paper. That's why they are called plans! A deck is not just a deck, it's an investment in outdoor living space. An addition to your home that will add beauty, enjoyment and value for years to come.You can select from one of our hundreds of plans or customize a deck for your specific needs. Whatever the choice, Anchor Home Improvement has the design that will match your needs and budget.
Questions and Answers:
Who designs your decks?
Anchor Home Improvement only uses deck designs from Decks USA. Custom Environments, the parent company of Decks USA, have been pioneering the way decks are visualized, budgeted, designed, structured and built since 1978. Decks USA have innovated many aspects of deck building as we know it today and have designed , structured and built, or assisted in building, virtually tens of thousands of decks, totaling over 65 million dollars.
What will I receive in the Construction package?
With each complete deck plan construction package or custom deck design you will receive:
- 1/4" - 1' scale structure print.
- Showing every lumber member of the deck assembly.
- 1/4" - 1' scale floor plan.
- Rendered floor plan.
- 3-D views rendered print.
- Rendered 3-D views including front angle.
- 3-D views structural print.
- Showing every lumber member of the deck assembly.
- Rendered elevation points.
- Including: front, left and right views.
- Piece by piece material takeoff sheet.
- Listing individual pieces for joist, blocking, band, etc.
- Standard deck construction details.
- 25 details including: house attachments, footings, columns, beams, stairs, railings.
- Material order sheet.
- Material list for ordering lumber.
What is the retention value of the lumber you use in your deck projects?
Anchor Home Improvement recommends the treated lumber used in your project should be rated a .40 retention. The lumber tags will give this information. Any deck builder that can't answer this one is demonstrating they aren't familiar with the basic material they use most.
What are your pound per square foot calculations? Regular deck and Spa deck?
Althouogh most building codes require a 40 pound per square foot (PPSF), All decks form Anchor Home Improvement are structured for 60 pounds per square foot. Please know that building codes are set for minimum requirements. When a builder says "We build to code", this could mean they're only doing the least amount of work required by code. Anchor Home Improvement uses a 60 pounds per square foot approach because we figure in large parties and "get togethers" and it also reduces or eliminates any bouncing. Our Spa decks are structured at 100 pound per square foot. If you're considering placing a Spa on your deck, now or in the future, correct weight distribution takes a high priority. Anchor Home Improvement offers a Spa reinforcement construction detail.
What is live load and dead load?
Live load is the weight of the dead load plus anything else placed upon the structure (people, pets, furnitue, etc.). Dead load is the structure itself. The pound per square foot directly impacts these numbers.
How much of a gap do you leave between deck boards?
Convential wisdom once taught that you should allow 1/16" - 1/8" gap between deck boards. For composite deck materials this still holds true. Treated lumber normally is delivered wet, due to the treatment process. It will naturally space itself anywhere from 1/8" - 1/2". So, No gap is the correct answer. If you gap the boards during construction, the eventual spacing will be even larger. High-heels will be a no-no and a potential injury.
Do you use screws or nails?
Screws typically cost up to seven times more than nails, but they have seven time the holding power. Anchor Home Improvement recommends screws.
How long should I wait before applying a water sealer?
Your new deck has been assembled wet due to the treatment process. The deck should be allowed to "dry out" at an even rate. Anchor Home Improvement recommends re-wetting your deck every morning or afternoon for 7 - 10 days to allow this drying process to occur. After this period you will be able to apply any stain, paint or water sealer.
Post and beam construction or "corn cob" method? What's the difference?
Post and beam construction is exactly that. The weight of the deck transfers to the beam which sits on top of the post. The lumber carries the weight, not the hardware. There are covered bridges and many structures still standing today that are well over one hundred years old. "Corn cob" is when the post that holds the deck up, continues and becomes part of the rail system. Typically the weight of the deck relies on the hardware to caryy the load. If amd when the hardware fails; so does the deck. Anchor Home Improvement only uses the post and beam method in designing and structuring decks. Besides the increased structural aspects, this method uses less footings which translates into less work involved in digging holes and a more attractive project because of not seeing a lot of posts coming out of the ground.
"Content used with permission by Decks USA"