Decks & Patios in Lakewood
Lakewood decks, patio covers and paver terraces framed to cope with hot afternoons, drying wind and the odd heavy rain. Itemized written quotes.
Lakewood backyards get long stretches of hard sunlight and drying wind, broken now and then by a storm heavy enough to push water into every gap in a deck. Repeat that for a few seasons and rails wobble, boards check and the ledger on the wall starts to soften. We design, repair and replace decks, patio covers and paved terraces for Lakewood homes, and we settle the framing and the house connection first, with board color coming last.
What sun and storms do to a deck frame
Heat pulls moisture out of the top face of a wood board faster than out of its core. The face shrinks, cracks open along the grain, and screws back out of the joists a little at a time. A heavy winter rain then runs into those cracks and down behind a ledger that no one can see from the lawn. Decay begins against the house, well before the surface feels spongy. On an existing deck, we go under it with a flashlight and an awl, test the rim, every post base and the end of each joist, then show the owner what we found. Repair or replacement gets discussed after that.
Patio covers, pavers and the permit
A solid patio cover shades the slab and the rear wall, which takes heat off that side of the house. It stands on its own footings, carries a beam sized for its span and sheds roof water away from the foundation. Paved patios sit on a compacted base pitched so storm water heads out to the yard. Attached decks and covers go through review at the building department that serves Lakewood. We prepare those drawings, submit them, respond to the plan checker and then build what the approved set shows. Your written quote lists framing, decking, cover and paving as separate figures.
Decks & Patios in Lakewood: questions
Often it can. When posts, beams and the ledger are still firm, fresh decking and rails fastened to the old structure make a lasting job. Punky wood where the joists meet the ledger, or at the post bases, means the structure itself should come out. We probe each of those points and walk you through the photos before you decide.
Capped composite or PVC boards hold their color and will not split in strong sun. Darker shades run hot underfoot, so a pale gray or tan is more comfortable in summer. Redwood and cedar look warm, though they need refinishing more often when the sun hits them all afternoon. Whatever you walk on, the joists should be treated lumber hung on coated or stainless hardware.
We do. Our drawings cover footing size, joist and beam spans, how the ledger attaches and how tall the guard is. We submit that set to the building department that serves Lakewood and book each inspection. At the ledger, a membrane and bent metal flashing go on before any joist is hung, since that joint decides whether the wall stays dry.
More we do in Lakewood
Talk to us about your Lakewood project
Ask for a written quote or a call back. If photos would help, we ask for them when we reply.