DeckTec Archives - DeckTec Outdoor Designs

A Behind-the-Scenes Peek at Your Red Rocks Seat

April 17th, 2019|Blog, Colorado Life, Outdoor Living|

Here’s a good cocktail-party question for you – What are the seats at Red Rocks made of? Ipe. What??? Read on for the back-story. DeckTec spoke with Tad Bowman, venue director for Red Rocks as well as the Denver Coliseum, to get our valued customers the insider Red Rocks scoop. According to Bowman, the original Red Rocks benches were made from none other than top of the line old-growth clear heart Redwood. Those “hearty” benches were installed when the amphitheater was being built back in the late 1930s and lasted more than half a century before being creatively re-purposed, as you’ll soon see. “The Redwood benches endured the full brunt of rain, snow, and mile high sun. They also at one point had the seat numbers carved into the top. Because of changes in the seating configuration at Red Rocks there was an effort to cover up the tops of [...]

Where Has All the Heart Redwood Gone?

April 10th, 2019|Blog, Deck Design Tips & Trends|

From ornate Victorian San Francisco homes to modern outdoor decks, Redwood has been the gold standard for exterior wood construction in the western United States since settlers headed west during the California Gold Rush. The wood has also been cherished in other parts of the country where it’s been less available and very costly. It’s no wonder heart redwood is so beloved! These majestic trees are insect and disease resistant, richly-colored and beautiful from naturally-occurring tannins, which are also found in red wine, rhubarb, cranberries, oak, tea, and other plants. But Redwood isn’t just known for its good looks! These iconic trees “tower” over other types of wood with their hardiness and durability. Redwood is naturally weather, insect and rot-resistant, and doesn’t warp or grow brittle over time. Despite efforts to preserve diminishing Redwood stands, beginning in 1910, resulting in establishing preserves at California’s Jedediah Smith, Del Norte Coast, and [...]

Deck-Worthy Dishes – Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes)

April 10th, 2019|Outdoor Recipes|

Ingredients 3 lbs. potatoes, scrubbed 2 sticks butter 1¼ cups hot milk 1 head cabbage, cored and finely shredded 1 (1-lb.) piece ham or bacon, cooked the day before 4 scallions, finely chopped parsley leaves, chopped black pepper, freshly ground Directions Steam potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes. Peel using a knife and fork. Chop with knife before mashing thoroughly to remove lumps. Add 1 stick butter in pieces. Gradually add hot milk, stirring consistently. Season with salt and a few grinds black pepper. Boil cabbage in unsalted water with 2 tablespoons butter until cabbage turns darker color, then cover with lid for 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly before returning to pan. Chop cabbage into small pieces. Put ham/bacon in large saucepan, cover with water. Bring to boil, simmer 45 minutes until tender. Drain. Remove any fat, chop into small pieces. Add cabbage, scallions, and ham/bacon to mashed potatoes, stirring [...]

When a Deck Becomes a Room

April 3rd, 2019|Blog, DeckTec News & Updates, Life On Deck|

Whether it’s wood floors, wood furniture or, of course, wood decks and roofs, I’ve always had tremendous appreciation not only for the durability of wood but for the warm, welcoming atmosphere that wood contributes to our living spaces. As I see it, there’s no substitute for the way that wood enhances our sense of home. Wood offers a solid, authentic and earthy feel, with subtle warm tones and natural markings that make each piece as unique as each of our customers. Nothing manufactured or mass-produced can possibly compare with what nature has provided, and that’s why DeckTec relies exclusively on quality softwoods such as Redwood and Cedar and hardwoods like Mahogany and Ipe when creating our custom decks. Over the years I’ve watched the trend toward increasing sophistication in outdoor living, with the outdoor “room” now rivaling the finest interiors in terms of design, furnishings, and material quality. Today’s homeowners [...]

Ann & Paul Sims: Windsor’s Winter Wonder Deck

February 20th, 2019|Blog, Customer Feature, Deck Project Highlights|

When Ann and Paul Sims moved from Loveland to Windsor in April, choosing DeckTec to create and build a winterized deck for their new home was a no-brainer. “This is our third project with DeckTec.” Ann, a construction software consultant, said. “They just do fantastic work.” Paul, deputy sheriff of Larimer County, agreed. While they’ve been in Colorado for 20 years, the Sims, originally from Florida, enjoy being outdoors as much as possible. For their first deck at the Loveland house, other contractors simply offered the basic slatted roof (trellis or pergola) that the Sims had asked for. DeckTec, on the other hand, proposed a more functional and appealing open gable (A-frame) roof addition, and the rest is history. “Steve came out and knew we needed something more. He came up with his own design and we loved it. It’s turned out to be perfect for us,” Ann said. “When [...]