Is your deck as safe as you think?
In August, right here in Colorado, four people were sent to the hospital from injuries caused by a collapsing outdoor deck. Any deck 15 years or older is subject to aging problems with some not showing obvious signs of decay until an accident happens. Don’t become a victim of this notoriously unseen problem. (Video Source: CBS 4 News, Denver) Warning signs As Denver's recognized deck specialist since 1990, we ask you to look for these items: Are joists, beams, or other structural pieces rotted or split? Do your stairs shake when you use them? Are rails poorly connected or not to code? Does your deck have loose, warped or broken boards? Is the overall condition of your deck affecting its usefulness or marketability in any way? If you have these or any other concerns, have your deck inspected by a professional deck specialist. Our recommendations on the appropriate maintenance plan will keep your deck not only looking great, but safe all year. Don't do it yourself While many people think of a deck as the[...]
10 Ways a Deck or Patio Roof Addition Can Enhance Your Outdoor Living
Part 2 of 2 Here is the second in our series covering other ways a roof addition can enhance your outdoor living experience. Privacy Matters - Some backyards make you feel like you're in a fishbowl, with neighbors on all sides and even above you. By adding some drop down blinds from the beams on the front or side, a roof addition can provide your needed privacy for your outdoor living enjoyment. Have privacy when you want it. Save Energy - A roof cover will reduce energy costs by providing shade in the summer. Instead of closing the windows and drapes against the summer sun, you can open them to fresh air and cooling breezes, reduce air conditioning needs and enjoy the view. A new roof can even provide the right exposure for solar panels so you can go "green" and add space at the same time. A Larger Home - By bringing the outdoors in with a roof addition, you effectively create the illusion of a larger home to live in and entertain with. This[...]
10 Ways a Deck or Patio Roof Addition Can Enhance Your Outdoor Living
Part 1 of 2 You remember that classic concept of life on "Grandpa's porch"? The homestead usually had a wraparound porch covered with a nice roof to keep the rain off and provide shade for those warm summer afternoons of lemonade and lilac smells. At DeckTec we believe in the wonderful experience of living outdoors too. Here are the first five in our two part series covering other ways a roof addition can enhance your outdoor living experience. Create an Outdoor Room - Bring the indoors out. A roof creates the boundaries of your outdoor living space just like the walls and ceilings do inside your home. A large deck is just a big area without the definition of space a roof cover provides. Year-Round Protection - A roof cover will protect your deck from spring and summer showers and from having to shovel off winter snow. As UV rays are a real Colorado issue, you never want to spend too much time in direct sunlight. What a pleasant, healthy way to stay out of the[...]
Now That the Snow is Gone…
Now that the snow is gone and the weather warms up, it's time to clean out and spruce up the house and yard. The same is true for maintaining your deck. Whether you have a beautiful natural wood finish or a composite deck, our experts can help. Every situation is unique due to the variety of use, age, construction and other factors. However, here are the four main ways to care for your wooden deck: Leave it alone - If you have a well built Redwood, Cedar or hardwood outdoor structure, doing nothing is a choice to allow your deck to weather to a natural grey finish. What you want to be careful about with this plan, however, is that in our dry climate, wood can dry out, causing some board checking (surface cracks). If you choose to go with this low level of maintenance approach, please keep our number handy for time-to-time board replacement or minor fix-up that may occur. Basic cleaning - You can keep the natural buckskin look of your wooden deck, and[...]
Grimey Grill Clean Up
Are you ready for those steaks, hot dogs or other grill adventures? You may be, but how about your grill? Here are some annual cleaning tips we hope will help you enjoy your summer cooking faster: Before starting the spring clean of your grill, be sure to lay a drop cloth down. It will save you a lot of messy clean up. Turn off and disconnect any gas lines or propane hook-ups for safety while cleaning. Be sure to inspect your cooking grates. Over time they can become rusty or worn to the point of ruining the taste and safety of the food you cook. Most grates can be replaced at your local hardware store. Heat your grill before trying to scrape or clean it. This will loosen debris and make it easier for you to clean. Use dishwasher detergent to clean removable parts of your grill. Always keep your manufacturer's instruction manual nearby for help with part names and appropriate re-installation instructions. And if you'd like to have a built-in grill, the team at DeckTec[...]
Spring Cleaning Your Patio Furniture
As warmer weather invites us outside, visions of lazy Sunday mornings with the newspaper and coffee on the deck filter through our minds. We go out to plop down in our favorite lawn chair and, oops! Winter grime coats the furniture surfaces. Another mighty clean-up job? Don't be discouraged. Peg Mangieri and Margaret Mills of Marina Pool, Spa, and Patio Company have some good advice. Their business has been operating since 1979 so they have a lot of experience helping people spruce up their Outdoor Living environments. "Patio furniture isn't that hard to clean," said Margaret. "Some nice dishwasher soap and a little rubbing will take away most of the grime easily. Just be sure to thoroughly rinse your furniture when done, or you may end up with soap bubbles every time it rains." For metal frames that have rust spots, you can get your item powder coated at several companies around town. This painting process bakes in colors on your furniture and provides a durable new color look for your metal furniture frames. A much[...]
Time to Spruce Up Your Deck
Now is a great time to take an early spring walk outside and see what needs to be done to keep your deck in great shape for the summer season. According to the North American Deck & Railing Association Consumer Safety Checklist, here are a few specific things to look for: Look at your wood - are there split, checked or rotted pieces of wood? They'll need to be replaced. Loose or corroded fasteners like screws and nails will need to be addressed. Railings and banisters need to be secure - try pushing on yours to make sure of this. Dirt and grime from dead leaves and other winter debris can become a safety hazard if not cleaned up, especially as they can cause mildew and will become slippery if wet. A good deck maintenance plan for both safety and beauty is part of every good home-ownership-program. At DeckTec we have whole teams of service professionals ready and waiting to help you with an inspection, a repair or the refinishing of your beautiful deck. Call us[...]
Denver’s Home Show a Great Success
Spring has come to Denver in a blast of colors and excitement. The 52nd annual Colorado Home and Garden Show held from February 12 through February 20 was a great opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones, as approximately 55,000 people made their way through the 400,000 square feet of gardens, consumer displays and presentations for improving our lifestyles in and around the Denver metropolitan area. DeckTec was pleased to be a part of this great community outreach as we teamed up with the California Redwood Company to offer information and prizes to the hundreds of people who stopped by. One of the new features of our booth was to offer a drawing for some great prizes. Check out the March 2011 newsletter to see if you are one of the winners! If you aren't a newsletter subscriber, sign up today and don't miss out on this great resource. Congratulations To DeckTec's Dinner Winner Each month, DeckTec randomly draws a name from one of our Facebook followers to receive a $50 dinner gift card[...]
Haiti remains on our minds
One of the best parts of living in the United States is that we have enough to satisfy our own needs, and some left over to help others. Haiti's needs for construction materials have reached our DeckTec team and we were happy to help out. See our news video here: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gquA5SArrVM&w=640&h=385]
Outdoor Living Comes Inside…
Whether you're planning a small addition of pots and pans to your home this year, an expansive garden, or Outdoor Living area, the Colorado Home Show has everything you need under one roof! Watch how a local TV news station covers the subject, then come on down and see us at the Denver Convention Center this weekend. We look forward to seeing all our old friends & meeting new ones. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm3aT9AvwDk&w=640&h=385]
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