A 25-Year-Old Deck Reborn (Seattle)

Tom had patched and re-stained the deck three times since buying the house in 2012. The 1999 pressure-treated lumber had reached the end. Boards cracked when he stepped on them. Nails kept popping up. Last fall a friend tripped on a rotted stair tread and Tom decided that was the last time.

The new deck kept the same 400 sqft footprint but replaced everything from the joists up. Trex Transcend in Spiced Rum (warm gray-brown), composite stair treads, and aluminum risers. Glass panel railing from Westbury Riviera, which opened up the view to the backyard cedars.

The pergola added $9,000 to the project but turned a 4-month deck into a 10-month deck. Adjustable louvers from StruXure with motorized control. Warm white string lights tucked into the pergola. Tom said the family uses the deck weekly from late February through November now.

4 weeks of construction, $34,000 all-in. Permit issued in 3 weeks through SDCI. Tom said the only regret was not doing it 5 years sooner.