Decks
Kiln-dried ipe or thermally modified ash · hidden fasteners · joists 16″ o.c.
Where the grade will not let a terrace sit level with the house, a deck is the honest answer. We build them out of material that ages rather than degrades, on a frame sized so the boards never telegraph a bounce, with the fasteners hidden so the surface reads as one plane.
How we build it
- FOOTINGS
- 900 mm below grade, below frost Poured on undisturbed soil, never on backfill.
- FRAME
- Joists 16″ o.c. · mid-span blocking Sized for the span and the decking, not for the minimum in the table.
- DECKING
- Kiln-dried ipe or thermally modified ash Both move less than green stock and both age to grey rather than rotting.
- FASTENING
- Hidden clips into grooved stock No face screws in the field.
- FLASHING
- Ledger flashed and counter-flashed The single most common failure point on a deck, done properly.
Materials
Ipe
Kiln-dried, FSC where available
Thermally modified ash
Domestic, dimensionally stable
Western red cedar
Clear vertical grain, for structures and screens
Process
Layout & footings
900 mm below grade
Set out against the house and the finished terrace level, then poured below frost.
Frame & flashing
Joists 16″ o.c. · flashed ledger
The ledger is flashed and counter-flashed before a single board goes down.
Decking
Hidden clips · 4 mm gap
Boards laid with a consistent gap, run continuous where the length allows.
Rail, stair & light
12 V riser lighting
Rail set to code, stairs to a consistent riser, and the risers lit so the flight reads at night.
Questions people ask
- Deck or patio?
- Grade decides it. If the finished floor of the house is more than about 450 mm above where the ground wants to sit, a terrace needs a wall and fill to reach it, and at some point a deck is both cheaper and better. We shoot the grades at the survey and tell you which one the site is asking for.
Start here
Planning decks?
Four short steps, about ninety seconds. You will get a written range before anyone comes out — and if we are not the right fit, we will say so on the call.
NJ HIC # 13VHXXXXXXXXX · Licensed & fully insured · $2M general liability · Google 4.9 / 5 — 127 Reviews · Techo-Bloc / Unilock / Belgard Authorized · Houzz Pro