Non-Wood Options for Elevated Backyard Deck?

[3Ts]

While a deck can be constructed of anything, you'll also want to know what your builder is familiar with. Using something he's never used before means that he's learning at your expense. And that it may not (probably won't) turn out as good as it should.

 

[ultrarunner]

Distance is my problem... 800 miles from the job leaves a lot to be desired.

Decks had just been done in 2005 when I bought the place... the PNW isn't kind to wood.

One thought is to eliminate the large deck completely but that is not going over well with the tenant...

Not the best situation.

 

[rox]

I was thinking about your post and your best solutions. I had posted that pic showing the roofing material we built over top of our balcony, the builder used galvanized steel and I said I would do the painting of the frame. He welded the frame (he is a metal guy) and then he instructed me to only buy this product
32�2 Galvinoleum(R)
You roll it (or brush it) on and it is like a sticky film, then before the film dries you have to paint on top of the sticky primer. It is a real PIA because normally you prime the whole job and then you switch rollers to your finish paint. With this product you have to keep the painting trays going for both the primer and the finish coat along with a brush and a roller for each. It is a lot of messing around switching from rolling and brushing on the primer to within a few minutes rolling on and brushing the finish coat. So I was thinking of you and I googled and ran across a very good research article out of India on powder coated galvanized steel.
Here is that article,
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn/2013/464710/

On my project because of the direct Provence sun, and we get over 300 sunny days a year here, I wanted the paint job to last, so I did the primer followed by 3 coats of high gloss high quality paint on all parts that got direct sun exposure. The rafters under the roof I did the primer and two coats, but I did heavy coats. It took about 3 days for the primer/first coat to cure. It took a full 30 days for the entire paint job to fully cure and it cured hard and smooth. I'm pleased with it. I really like the solidness of a welded frame. Now if you bought powder coated galvanized steel and had it welded where they weld you are going to need to prime and paint those areas. I can testify that primer although a PIA is an awesome product, I mean my paint bonded. If you go to the Rustolium website and select Galvanized steel you will see many products. I think the 3200 System Clear Blue Undercoat must be similar to the 3202 Galvinoleum. Mine was blue, my metal guy was really a pro and he said the only thing I should use was the Galvinolium primer. I'm happy with the balcony roof, there is nothing like welded steel and galvanized is the best. I bet my paint job will last 20 years and it's never going to rust, the key is really cleaning and painting those butt joints where they weld the metal together.

 

[ultrarunner]

Anyone used Deckoratorsｮ Frontier decking?

It is water and ground rated with a 25 year replacement warranty.

Met a deck contractor and he uses this on a lot of his PNW jobs.

Frontier Composite Decking - Deckorators

Also thinking of doing the stairs to grade this way as the stringers are not cut and the treads will not rot and can be reused.

 

[goeduck]

Anyone used Deckoratorsｮ Frontier decking?

It is water and ground rated with a 25 year replacement warranty.

Met a deck contractor and he uses this on a lot of his PNW jobs.

Frontier Composite Decking - Deckorators

Also thinking of doing the stairs to grade this way as the stringers are not cut and the treads will not rot and can be reused.

I have been thinking of using something like that as I rebuild the float portion of my dock. Part of the idea is to get the weight down as the wood becomes waterlogged and becomes heavy.

I like the concrete treads on deck steps off the house.

 

[ultrarunner]

I have been thinking of using something like that as I rebuild the float portion of my dock. Part of the idea is to get the weight down as the wood becomes waterlogged and becomes heavy.

I like the concrete treads on deck steps off the house.

According to my Thurston County Builder he uses the same Frontier Composite for docks without issue... at a $100 a 20' plank it should be good.

The company my brother works for builds a lot of commercial and multifamily... the picture of the steps are what they used in Lacey... 4x12 pressure treated Stringers with galvanized angle brackets instead of the birds mouth cuts...

I have lots of steps to the water to tackle another time... even when the steps were brand new... they would be slick as all get out... anyone using needed the hand rail for safety... the wood was almost never dry...