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Forum Thread

Nice deck

70,256 5,366 March 21, 2018 at 03:58 PM in Finance
laugh out loud

Ok now that I got that out of the way...

Composite vs wood decks discuss.

The builder who made this little neighborhood of home has added decks to most and I can pay to have one added to mine but they are plain wood.. looks like just pine, I will assume treated wood but it's pretty basic. And their quote sounds pricey to me...

I will wait until I move in and shop around for someone to add a deck. I'll have to get stupid HOA approval but think I can get better than what I see on the other homes by doing my own deck shopping.

I am thinking about a composite deck (trex or maybe not)...but have read some bad reviews in that the cold weather makes them contract and break free of the "hidden" bolt things and then it's all warped and unusable.

Does anyone have experience with trex or any other composite decking in cold climates?
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Joined Jan 2004
Here's to the future
> bubble2 25,141 Posts
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Iaaaiws
03-23-2018 at 03:02 PM.
03-23-2018 at 03:02 PM.
Quote from DC :
If they dig down below the freeze line and back fill with compacted gravel, you have a good chance at it staying nice. nod
I've seen the frost line down as low as 13 feet in some places here.
They're gonna need a bigger shovel. laugh out loud
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Joined Jan 2004
Here's to the future
> bubble2 25,141 Posts
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Iaaaiws
03-23-2018 at 03:10 PM.
03-23-2018 at 03:10 PM.
Quote from Fallacy :
Anyone can build a deck. Stamped concrete is a lot harder to get it to set correctly and look good after some time. Make sure you actually visit the previous job sites, and not just look at photos of the work done.

With concrete it's not a question of if it'll crack, it's a question of when it'll crack. With a knowledgeable company you can prolong before you start seeing hairline and massive cracks outside of the expansion joints.
Equally important is where it will crack. They can design in stress points where it will hopefully break when it eventually does crack (and yes, it will eventually crack). If those built in stress points match up with lines in the design they won't be that noticeable.

Personally I don't have a lot of confidence in that working out at a high level of success though.

It sucks when pavers heave and become un-level, but it is a lot easier to repair that than repairing cracked concrete.
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Joined Jul 2003
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> bubble2 35,473 Posts
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DC
03-23-2018 at 03:37 PM.
03-23-2018 at 03:37 PM.
Quote from Iaaaiws :
I've seen the frost line down as low as 13 feet in some places here.
They're gonna need a bigger shovel. laugh out loud
Thank you Mr. Brody laugh out loudlaugh out loud
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Joined Aug 2009
Zombie exterminator
> bubble2 2,851 Posts
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Beartrkkr
03-23-2018 at 09:57 PM.
03-23-2018 at 09:57 PM.
If you keep the shrubbery trimmed back away from the deck it will make your deck look bigger...
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Joined Jan 2010
Cajun Trollop
> bubble2 7,098 Posts
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Ms.arteest
03-24-2018 at 12:46 AM.
03-24-2018 at 12:46 AM.
Quote from DC :
Those are nice details...the mark of a Pro vs. Amateur. nod

Edit: Question, where did you get the Sun medallion hanging on the wall? I've wanted to get one of those, but the were stupid expensive and the SD'er in me said no way and didn't buy one.
Hobby Lobby has outdoor decor like that sun. You can fill the back with Great Foam to keep the critters out.

Quote from Schooby :
Thanks, yeah I have a feeling Trex will be higher just for the name.

I should be closing on the house on the 4th Whee
I'm just finishing a house for a client and they went with Azek. It was cheaper than Trex and looked more more wood. They are really pleased with the look.

Quote from Schooby :
Hmm I just did a Google search and looked at some images.. they look quite nice.
Thanks, i'll have to add that into my mix of getting quotes.
I've had clients go the stamped concrete path and while it looks really good to start out, our soil is notorious for causing concrete to crack. I would think your weather will do the same. It can be repaired, but it never looks the same, due to weathering of the original color. You can have a new overlay of concrete added, but it tends to flake, at least in my experience. Also, with concrete or pavers, if the grade is not perfect, you can have areas that hold moisture and mildew or freeze. Either is slippery and you know we don't heal well at our advanced age laugh out loud
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Joined Dec 2004
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> bubble2 70,256 Posts
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Original Poster
Schooby
03-24-2018 at 04:56 AM.
03-24-2018 at 04:56 AM.
Quote from Ms.arteest :
Hobby Lobby has outdoor decor like that sun. You can fill the back with Great Foam to keep the critters out.



I'm just finishing a house for a client and they went with Azek. It was cheaper than Trex and looked more more wood. They are really pleased with the look.



I've had clients go the stamped concrete path and while it looks really good to start out, our soil is notorious for causing concrete to crack. I would think your weather will do the same. It can be repaired, but it never looks the same, due to weathering of the original color. You can have a new overlay of concrete added, but it tends to flake, at least in my experience. Also, with concrete or pavers, if the grade is not perfect, you can have areas that hold moisture and mildew or freeze. Either is slippery and you know we don't heal well at our advanced age laugh out loud


Thanks for the input/advice Smilie

Good to know, I think I'll scratch that option off my list.


So very true laugh out loud As little kids we just got back up and kept going... ache went away withing minutes. Now if I slightly hurt a body part it hurts for days and often makes 2 or 3 other parts hurt right along with it. laugh out loud
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Joined Jan 2010
Cajun Trollop
> bubble2 7,098 Posts
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Ms.arteest
03-24-2018 at 05:15 AM.
03-24-2018 at 05:15 AM.
Quote from Schooby :

Thanks for the input/advice Smilie

Good to know, I think I'll scratch that option off my list.


So very true laugh out loud As little kids we just got back up and kept going... ache went away withing minutes. Now if I slightly hurt a body part it hurts for days and often makes 2 or 3 other parts hurt right along with it. laugh out loud
Look how spiffy you are, color coordinating your responses! Get on with your bad self!laugh out loud

The slow healing thing is why I don't get drunk, or even slightly intoxicated. I stop at the buzz. I cannot do a 2-3 day hangover. Faint laugh out loud
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Joined Dec 2004
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> bubble2 70,256 Posts
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Original Poster
Schooby
03-24-2018 at 05:25 AM.
03-24-2018 at 05:25 AM.
Quote from Ms.arteest :
Look how spiffy you are, color coordinating your responses! Get on with your bad self!laugh out loud

The slow healing thing is why I don't get drunk, or even slightly intoxicated. I stop at the buzz. I cannot do a 2-3 day hangover. Faint laugh out loud
laugh out loud Oh I get it.. I stop at a slight buzz too.. heck I rarely even drink.. I only social drink and I'm not very social LMAO

How are you feeling these days?
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Joined Jul 2003
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> bubble2 35,473 Posts
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DC
03-26-2018 at 07:29 AM.
03-26-2018 at 07:29 AM.
Quote from Ms.arteest :
Hobby Lobby has outdoor decor like that sun. You can fill the back with Great Foam to keep the critters out.
Cool thanks! I'll finally have to set foot into our local Hobby Lobby.
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Joined Jan 2010
Cajun Trollop
> bubble2 7,098 Posts
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Ms.arteest
03-26-2018 at 12:14 PM.
03-26-2018 at 12:14 PM.
Quote from Schooby :
laugh out loud Oh I get it.. I stop at a slight buzz too.. heck I rarely even drink.. I only social drink and I'm not very social LMAO

How are you feeling these days?
Better most days. DH and i had a 24 hour virus weekend and it took outs toll on my recovery.EEK! other than that, the Dr is very pleased with my progress.

Quote from DC :
Cool thanks! I'll finally have to set foot into our local Hobby Lobby.
Smilie
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Joined Dec 2004
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> bubble2 70,256 Posts
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Original Poster
Schooby
03-26-2018 at 12:17 PM.
03-26-2018 at 12:17 PM.
Quote from Ms.arteest :
Better most days. DH and i had a 24 hour virus weekend and it took outs toll on my recovery.EEK! other than that, the Dr is very pleased with my progress.



Smilie

Great to hear! woot

Yeah I have caught some bug that is kicking my butt.
Spent yesterday on the couch.
I feel like a truck ran me over blah.
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Joined Jan 2010
Cajun Trollop
> bubble2 7,098 Posts
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Ms.arteest
03-26-2018 at 12:28 PM.
03-26-2018 at 12:28 PM.
Quote from Schooby :
Great to hear! woot

Yeah I have caught some bug that is kicking my butt.
Spent yesterday on the couch.
I feel like a truck ran me over blah.

That's exactly how I described it. Fever, chills, super achy and then a feeling like you've been hit by a bus. Hope it's short-lived. Comfort
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Joined Dec 2004
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> bubble2 70,256 Posts
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Original Poster
Schooby
03-26-2018 at 12:33 PM.
03-26-2018 at 12:33 PM.
Quote from Ms.arteest :
That's exactly how I described it. Fever, chills, super achy and then a feeling like you've been hit by a bus. Hope it's short-lived. Comfort
Thanks Smilie


Yep, sounds like what I have.. thought the super achy and dogged tired was from sleeping on the couch for 4 months.. and slept badly or something, but now it's coughing, headache, feverish and chills.. lol whooppeeee. dammit laugh out loud
Yeah I am hoping it moves along to somewhere else soon.
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Joined Jul 2003
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> bubble2 35,473 Posts
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DC
03-26-2018 at 01:29 PM.
03-26-2018 at 01:29 PM.
Quote from Schooby :
Thanks Smilie


Yep, sounds like what I have.. thought the super achy and dogged tired was from sleeping on the couch for 4 months.. and slept badly or something, but now it's coughing, headache, feverish and chills.. lol whooppeeee. dammit laugh out loud
Yeah I am hoping it moves along to somewhere else soon.
puts on hazmat suit and then offers Comfort
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Joined Dec 2003
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> bubble2 32,000 Posts
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The Raddish
03-26-2018 at 06:55 PM.
03-26-2018 at 06:55 PM.
If I was to build a new deck today, and truthfully, that's not far off, I will build a composite deck with hidden fasteners.

I also live in the South, so I'm not worried about cold stuff, mostly. Sometimes, but not like 30 months out of the year like Michigan.

Just sayin'.
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