Pros and cons of glass vs cable railings for upper deck
ontariomom
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
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mayflowers
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoontariomom
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Composite vs real wood deck in new construction build?
Comments (21)We opted to go with concrete. I didn't stamp it since most other decks/patios I've seen that were stamped collect and hold dirt in the grooves. We also didn't stain it since that option tends to need to be repeated once traffic areas wear through. You also have to keep the surface of the concrete clean from spills and stains during the build. Everywhere something spills is a spot where the stain may not adhere. Instead of all of that we worked with the concrete company and had our concrete colored. They added color dye to the entire batch of concrete and when it was poured it had a nice mellow brown tone. This blended in nicely with the house. Almost all of the synthetic wood decks I've seen have their issues. Some can be simply keeping them cleaned and free from mold, others I've seen suffered from sagging and swelling. All of them require some type of maintenance. We're going on two years and I've done absolutely nothing to our suspended concrete deck, patio, or covered concrete patio below. They are solid and sound. Not sure if you can utilize concrete or not, but look into seeing if your concrete company will add dye, maybe another option for you. FWIW - I would never install a wood deck - way too much maintenance....See MoreBuilder upgrades vs Future upgrades - Structural Only
Comments (38)Standard doors are 6" - are you suggesting not to upgrade to 8" ? We felt higher the door height, the easier it is to move furniture and stuff, of-course the width of the door isn't changing. I wouldn't bother with this. How often do you move "furniture and stuff" that's taller than 7'? Extended Lanai: Oh, I thought it'd be a deeper lanai ... I'd be less inclined to pay for a wider lanai. Wider isn't all that useful, and it means more rooms are shaded /have less natural light. Vent Hood/Microwave to Outside - If we don't choose, the smoke will stay indoors - the builder should have included this in the base price but it is what it is. I am really surprised that this isn't standard. I would do the oak riser steps instead of carpet. Yes overpriced but probably better now. Yes, if you don't do the oak risers now, you probably won't be able to do them later ... at all. If they do carpet stairs, they're going to use plywood /paint quality stuff under that carpet; thus, it won't be a matter of pulling up carpet later and staining /painting. It is easy to say walk away and build a custom home, but not everyone can afford to do that, nor does everyone want to go that route (even if they can afford to). True. Tara we all have to make compromises. For ourselves it's been a 2 year journey building our custom home, plus the hours and hours spent researching and finding even the smallest details. So I understand where you're coming from. Yup, no matter your circumstances, you're going to "give" somewhere. For us, we're taking the same route as CP describes above: The place where we're "giving" is time and personal effort....See MoreThey want HOW much for a deck?!?
Comments (33)I'd find a local carpenter that is licensed and trusted to come over and evaluate the deck. 18 years isn't that old if the wood originally used for the structure is treated. The carpenter may be able to diagnose and offer some simple repairs to make it structurally sound again. Make sure he or she pays close attention to the way the ledger is attached to the house, it is almost certainly not to code on an 18 year old deck, but this is an easy remediation with new tie-style anchors assuming the wood is sound. You may be able to get away with just some structural repair, a decking replacement, and a new railing. If you go this route, while the decking is off make sure and have the tops of your structural components flashed. It will insure they remain in good shape for a much longer period. Also, no matter what, $64K for the size described is insane. It should be less than half that. Decks are NOT complex carpentry beyond knowing the basic structural safety requirements. A good team of carpenters could assemble that sucker in a few days of work, including concrete footing work, plus maybe $7,000 in materials if you go for cedar. Last time I checked galvanized nails weren't made of gold....See MoreLoft railing; solid or see through?
Comments (19)Oh, and yes, hanging a Christmas garland without the railing is one thing I’ve already thought of - going to be harder. Our interior designer designed an option with a wall and then a single horizontal railing above it as a cap, but 1) we decided to go with a simple vertical railing everywhere else, and 2) I suspect a custom railing panel would be cost prohibitive, so not quite sure yet how we’ll finish off the wall. It will definitely need hidden garland hooks - we take our holiday decor seriously around here :-)....See Moremayflowers
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