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jake14mw

Need advice on deck/patio combo

jake14mw
15 years ago

Hi everyone,

I need advice on a deck and or patio project I am planning. We have a grey vinyl sided house that we have been in for 10 years. When we built it, we planned on doing a deck right away, so the builder put on a 20' PT ledger? board with all of the flashing, etc. I haven't done anything with it for 10 years because I've always had grand plans of some elaborate deck/patio combination that I don't have the money for. I have finally decided that I need some surface to entertain on! The back yard is very flat, and the top or the ledger board is @ 18" from the ground level.

What I really want is to have a 20 x 16 deck with a paver or stamped concrete patio coming off that. I have confidence that I can do the deck easily and inexpensively myself, but I don't think I can do a quality job on the patio part. I think hiring someone for that part would be too expensive for me. I figure I can do the deck for $2500 with composite decking.

Here are my questions:

1) Is a DIY patio with pavers advisable? I don't want it to turn out bumpy and uneven in a few years.

2) As far as the deck goes, low maintanance is #1 for me. Since the house is grey vinyl sided, I think grey composite decking is the way to go for me. Does that make sense?

3) I used Grey Premier decking for a pool deck a few years ago, and I like the way that turned out. The supplier I used says he now carries Latitudes decking instead which is made by the same company and is $48 for a 20' board. Anyone have any experience with that decking? The only negatives I have noticed with the Premier are that it is very hot on the feet on hot days, and the mushrooms from the screws were a little bigger than I would like, but not all that bad.

4) Is there anything special I need to do because the deck will be so low to the ground?

5) Anybody have any other advice or considerations for this type of project?

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