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We’ve built countless above ground pool decks over the years and we wanted to give you some of the key details on how we’re exercising creativity, best practices, and superior products, to create the above ground pool deck of this client’s dreams.

How Did We Build this Small Deck for an Above Ground Pool?

We build this above ground pool deck by digging holes and putting in concrete footers. We then buried #1 grade pressure treated Southern Pine 6X6 posts into the ground.

Pool decks crop up all across the American landscape and look amazing on above ground pools and below. They’re wildly popular with more than 3.5 million scattered across the countryside. These decks can be constructed from various materials including Ipe, Pressure Treated Southern Pine, Cumuru, Cedar, Mahogony, composite, vinyl capped composite, and vinyl. We’ve poured through our creations to show you four pool decks in various materials that’ll inspire you to take action today.  

RadianceRail is a premier Vinyl Deck Railing manufactured by CPG Building Products. They are now sold under the brand name Azek, but for years were sold as Timbertech Radience Railings. This change happened in 2015 after CPG who owned Azek, bought out Timbertech decking and railing brands. Regardless of the name that appears on the boxes, this remains a top of the line deck railing for several reasons. Aesthetically, it has a big, strong profile with it’s 5” square posts and thick railings. From a performance standpoint, I don’t know of another Vinyl Deck railing available in the darker colors that will beat out these railings. Their only weakness is they tend to scuff easier than some other railings because of their glossy finish. That finish does make it easier to clean off the mildew and pollen that tends to collect on deck railings.

As the popularity of outdoor living continues to grow, we are getting more and more requests for outdoor kitchens and fireplaces to go on our decks. Being avid grillers who love to entertain outdoors ourselves, we are happy to help you create your ideal outdoor living space. We have recently found a source for quality, outdoor kitchen cabinets. These durable, aluminum cabinets are available in 3 colors, black, white, & ash. They are powder coated to withstand any conditions, and the drawers are water tight.

Can I get deck railings to match my deck floor exactly? This is a question we often hear from prospective clients. Most manufacturer’s of vinyl (PVC) decking, do not make a railing that matches their deck colors. Some clients needed their deck floor and railings to match because of their HOA. Some really like the railing and floor matching for aesthetic reasons. So about 5 years ago, we put our Lancaster County craftsmen to work figuring out a way to build a great-looking, long-lasting, deck railing to match the decking that we use. We came up with a great custom deck railing that can be built using the ½ thick fascia trim that all vinyl (PVC) decking manufacturers sell to match their decking

You probably drive by dozens of decks and porches during your daily commute. If you were to pay close attention to the railings on each of them, it’s likely that you will see most of them have some type of vinyl deck railing. It is by far the most popular of all exterior railing choices. One of the big reasons for this railing’s popularity is that you never need to paint or stain it. The durable vinyl has a lifetime warranty for color and structure. Price is another reason. Compared to other synthetic railings like fiberglass or aluminum, vinyl railings are very affordable.

We have built a lot of Pergolas over the years, and while they provide some shade from the sun when it is overhead. They do little to keep the intense afternoon sun from beating in the sides, even if you have added a canopy to it. We have recently found an affordable source for beautiful, quality, shade curtains. These curtains can be installed on one, or all sides of your pergola. They are custom made to fit your pergola, and are available in several different colors. They are raised and lowered with a cord, just like indoor curtains.

We all want our new decks to be different from our neighbors, and there are lots of way to accomplish this. You can add planters, wrought iron railings, a pergola, or low-voltage lighting, but one of our favorite ways is to curve the front of the deck. Curved decks are a lot easier to pull off now than they were in the past. The reason is that modern composite and PVC decking is much easier to bend than Pressure Treated wood. A curved front can help your deck to flow better, especially if you have a round table. For a deck that is low to the ground, it can add some character to the landscape of your backyard. Plus, they just look really cool…..

A lot of deck builders, including us, sell people on upgrading their current decks from the old wood floor & railing to new Vinyl decking & railing. We call this process “Re-decking”. This can save you some money by re-using the existing deck framing, posts and footers. It can however present some challenges since your deck probably was built before their were very many building codes for decks. Some deck builders may try to make some quick money by selling you a deck upgrade when you really should have a new deck. Deck upgrades are nice easy jobs for most deck builders, especially in winter time. We don’t have to dig holes for new footers which makes a much cleaner jobsite. Deck upgrades usually don’t require permits from the township, so no waiting around on inspectors, or pesky paperwork to slow us down. So it is important for you the homeowner to make sure that your deck builder is taking the time to bring your deck framing up to code as well, not just slapping a new skin onto a frame that is rotting or falling apart.

Spring is right around the corner here in the Northeast. This is the time of year when lots of well meaning husbands, will attempt to build the deck that their wives have been asking for. As a fellow DIYer who routinely finds himself in over his head with various projects, my hope is to save you from making a big mistake that will haunt you later. Even if you are doing the work yourself, a deck is still an expensive project. Especially if you are using composite or vinyl materials instead of the traditional wood. So by taking a little extra time up front, hopefully we can extend the life of the deck.