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What Materials are Best for Outdoor Deck Support Posts?

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One of the most important aspects of an Outdoor deck is the support posts. Support posts should be properly installed to ensure the deck is properly supported and safe for use. When selecting support posts, it is important to consider the load of the deck, the overall structure, and the material being used. To provide maximum stability, posts should be spaced at least 8 feet apart and be securely anchored to the ground. Pressure-treated wood or metal posts are a popular choice for outdoor decks and should be secured with galvanized fasteners. At Denver Decks we are fully licensed and have decades experience with the proper installation of outdoor deck support posts and we will design a beautiful deck with your families safety in mind and will provide a strong, stable high quality base for your outdoor living space.

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Do I Need a Construction Permit for Decks and Patios?

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In the state of Colorado, building a deck requires a building permit. If you are planning to install a feature that requires a connection to water, electricity, or gas, you may need to obtain additional permits. However, a small, free-standing deck that is no more than 30 inches in height does not require a permit.

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To answer one of the most frequently asked questions: “Does my project require a permit?”

There are a few scenarios where you do not need to have a permit.  One would be it’s concrete patio work and that doesn’t require a building permit in most applications. Two, it’s a small grade level Deck that serves as a non-egress, in most applications, small grade level decks that are not egress do not require a permit. But outside of that you're virtually going to need a permit for all decks that are being built, even if they're the same size as the existing deck, as well as all roof structures and pergolas as well. Unless you live in Douglas County, most all the other building departments do require permits for pergolas.

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In most deck installation you’re going to plan on expecting to pay around $500 for a building permit, depending on the building department and depending on the size of the deck of course. So it's not cost-prohibited and the benefit of the building permit is first, it’s being done legally, so that’s important, if a building department catches a homeowner or a contractor building something without the permit. They may stop the project and make it very difficult to get the project permitted after the fact. Two, it puts all of the liability on the contractor since he’s the one pulling the permit. And three, it’s holding your contractor accountable, it’s your guarantee that you’re getting a deck that is built to code. But rest assured we are licensed in Denver city and County and we are more than capable of going through that process and getting that permit issued.

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What does capped composite decking mean?

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One of the common questions we get, although we don't get it as much anymore. The question is: “Why should I go with composite?” or what is the benefit of going with wood over composite? Now there was a time that we would recommend a wood product as being a viable option in our climate but with rising lumber costs, and the popularity of composites increasing to the point where the actual cost of composites is starting to go down. it's actually more affordable to install a capped composite decking material that it is install a cedar or a redwood product and that has to do with a couple of different considerations.

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First of all the cost per linear foot is more affordable but also we are able to maximize the material that we purchase with composite vs. wood because wood split and cracks so we have to order 5 to 10% extra material and you have to order about 2 feet, more of length per deck board because you're not able to install, if you’re installing a 16 foot deck, you can’t order a 16 foot deck board, you have to order an 18 wood deck board, and cut off the split ends in order to accommodate a 16 foot deck, whereas with a composite deck , you’re able to order a 16 foot deck board and install 100% of it.

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Now when I say composites, specifically what I am referring to is encapsulated composites. What that means is that they’ve taken the original composite technology from the late 90s that a lot of issues with swelling and flaking but it finally became stable, but still faded and stained and the consumer wanted a product that didn't fade and stain. In 2007, we saw cap Composites becoming a viable option and then by 2013-14, most manufacturers have discontinued their non-capped composites.

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Capped Composite decking is the perfect choice for your outdoor deck. The core of the decking is made up of recycled wood and plastics, and then it's "capped" with a protective PVC shell to guard against the elements. Plus, you can feel good knowing that Capped Composite decking is created from 75-95% recycled material.

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So now we're dealing with a capped composite, an encapsulated composite, and all that means is that it’s encapsulated with a non-porous coding, polyurethane, polypropylene or PVC, it’s like a cap on a golf ball, it’s a very hard, a very dense plastic material, that has no wood in it, so they are able to warrantee it 25 years minimum against fading and staining, not all products do well in our climate but we do know what does do well in our climate so we'll have strong recommendations of affordable options and more expensive options when it comes to encapsulating composites.

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Is capped composite decking better?

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Our composite boards feature a protective capping layer that prevents stains and residue from penetrating the material, protecting the look and feel of your boards for years to come. Unlike traditional composite products, our boards are designed with this extra layer of protection, giving you the peace of mind that your boards will remain in pristine condition.

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And our recommendation as a large deck builder that’s been building decks since 1984, is that if you like the look of composite it’s going to be the best investment for your family, you’re going to spend the least amount of time maintaining it, you’re simply spraying it off with a water hose when it’s dirty and scrubbing it with some soap and water in the Spring and the Fall, and outside of that you just get to go out there and enjoy it!

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