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Why Investing in Low Maintenance Custom Decks is a Decision You Won’t Regret

September 15, 2016 By TORONTO CUSTOM DECKS

When contemplating a new deck most homeowners start at the same place: pressure treated lumber. Pressure treated lumber is the most popular choice for decking because it’s readily available, affordable and easy to work with. However, as it’s milled from yellow pine it will require regular maintenance to keep from splitting, warping or rotting and to prevent wood boring insects and various types of fungus from setting up shop. Because of the maintenance required of pressure treated lumber and other types of natural wood decking homeowners today are taking a serious look at low maintenance, vinyl or composite decking. In this post we’ll lay out the reasons why low maintenance custom decks is a gift that keeps on giving.

Building Custom Decks from Low Maintenance Materials

Low maintenance custom decks have come into their own in the last few years and are now virtually indistinguishable from their natural counterpart in the looks department. Where they differ is in the fact that you’ll be able to install it and pretty much forget about it. No more having to refinish or repaint the deck every year. No more having to pay to replace rotten or warped sections. Other benefits of low maintenance decking include:

It impervious to the elements: Composite or vinyl decking doesn’t care if it’s snowing or raining or hailing or anything else. It’s not affected by the cold of the Toronto winter and it’s not impressed by UV rays from the sun. It’s also less slippery than natural wood when it gets wet and you’ll never be pulling a sliver out of your foot because you walked out onto the deck in bare feet.

It will save you long-term: Yes, composite decking is more expensive to install than standard pressure treated lumber. But, over the course of just a few years you’ll make up the difference in what you don’t spend on paint or stains or replacing rotten or warped elements of your deck. And considering your low maintenance deck can easily last 20 years or more you stand to save big over the long-term.

Increases your home’s value: Professionally installed custom decks add substantial bottom line value to your home. The fact that yours won’t require more than a light cleaning once in a while is a strong selling point to potential buyers. Some buyers will look at pressure treated lumber decks and think; “Nice but lots of upkeep”. With low maintenance decks their assessment will stop at “Nice!”

Aesthetics: In the early days of composite, low maintenance decking homeowners often took issue with the fact that the material looked artificial. That’s no longer the case today as sophisticated methods of mimicking the colour and grain of real wood have been perfected. Your new low-maintenance deck will look as good 10 years after you install it as it does the day you first step onto it.

Low maintenance custom decks are quickly becoming one of the most popular types of deck and for good reason. Give most people a choice between a beautiful deck that will require regular maintenance and one that looks just as good but is virtually maintenance free and they’ll pick the latter almost every time (there will always be those purists that just won’t go for anything non-traditional and that’s fine).

Talk to the deck professionals at Toronto Custom Decks to learn more about the various types of low maintenance decking materials available and to determine which one would be right for your home. We can build you a low-maintenance deck for less than you might imagine. One that will add beauty, value and enjoyment to your home for years, no, decades to come.

Outdoor Kitchen: The Evolution of Outdoor Cooking

September 6, 2016 By TORONTO CUSTOM DECKS

evolution of outdoor kitchen Outdoor cooking whether in Toronto or anywhere else is not a new concept. In fact there was a time when if you wanted anything cooked you had to do it outdoors else the smoke, grease and odours would make your abode unliveable. Most all cooking in Mesoamerica was done outdoors, same with ancient Egypt, India and most other cultures. The advent of the chimney in the 12th century however, had a profound effect on cooking habits and most grilling etc. moved indoors. It wasn’t until the discovery of the New World that Westerners were reintroduced to the pleasures of outdoor cooking for which the term outdoor kitchen was introduced.

The Outdoor Kitchen: From Hibachis to Haute Cuisine

In the 16th century Spanish colonial settlers in the West Indies adopted the native practice of roasting whole animals (chickens, sheep etc.) over an open fire. The natives had a word for this method of cooking that the Spanish transliterated as “barbacoa”. Both the practice and the word spread into what would become the southeastern US with both undergoing modifications until they became what we would recognize as the modern barbecue.

Adoption: The barbecue became a favourite summer pastime of North Americans during the 18th century but the practice remained a labour intensive one. The invention of the charcoal briquette in the 19th century changed all that however, making the barbecue affordable and practical for most homeowners and spawning the invention of the mobile charcoal grille. The same period saw the introduction of the Japanese Teppanyaki grille into Western markets and its renaming as the ‘Hibachi’. Still the barbecue retained an ephemeral air in that it was a set up and take down affair.

Evolution: During the 60s grille evolution continued apace with the introduction of portable propane grilles. These became fairly elaborate appliances; large, heavy and capable of cooking lots of meat in a hurry. As grilling became more practical some folks began to tinker with the idea of making the gas grille a permanent part of the backyard landscape. Briquette enthusiasts countered with permanent brick outdoor grilles. Patios were built or extended to accommodate the new cooking stations and the outdoor kitchen began to take shape.

Arrival: Though these permanent grilles laid the foundation for the modern open air kitchen food, utensils, pots and pans, chairs and everything else still had to be trudged from the indoors to the outdoors and then back again every time you wanted to eat outside. In the 1990s this changed as the first outdoor-ready cabinets hit the market. From there it was a short step to outdoor refrigerators, running water, permanent lighting, weather resistant furniture and all the accoutrement we now associate with a great outdoor kitchen.

Refinement: Today’s outdoor kitchens push the technological envelope as they reclaim the outdoor eating experience for the contemporary audience. In recent years plein air kitchens have become incredibly elaborate and in some cases (mostly in warmer climes to be sure) have overtaken the indoor kitchen as the primary eating environment. Today’s outdoor kitchens sport state-of-the-art LED lighting, flat screen TVs, retractable roofs, heated floors and full bars and are often part of a larger kitchen/swimming pool complex. And while burgers and hot dogs are still on the menu so is Sesame Ginger Salmon and Duck a l’Orange.

Yes, outdoor dining has come a long way since the days of the “barbacoa” and with the substantial increase in market value it can also provide a home the outdoor kitchen is not going away any time soon. Talk to the outdoor kitchen professionals at Toronto Custom Decks to find out more about outdoor kitchens and whether one would be a good fit for your home.

Call a Landscaping Company Already: 4 Things You Shouldn’t Put Off Any Longer

August 30, 2016 By TORONTO CUSTOM DECKS

Who wants to think about pressing issues in the yard when they’re relaxing on a Saturday afternoon? No one. Unfortunately there are some landscaping issues that just won’t wait until you feel properly motivated. They require attention now and failure to get up off the couch and face the landscaping music may wind up costing you a lot more than a little inconvenience in the long run. In this post we’ll go over a few things you won’t want to put off dealing with when it comes to landscaping and why you should call a Toronto landscaping company as soon as you can.

When it’s Time to Call the Landscaping Company

There are a few landscaping jobs that can be handled with the right garden tool and a couple of hours of free time, and then there are those bigger ones that will require a professional landscaping company and which need to be addressed even if you think they’re no big deal. These include:

Solving a drainage problem – When you look out your kitchen window you see what is becoming a familiar sight: an enormous puddle in the yard that seems to get bigger and last longer every time it rains. You might think it’s only water but a drainage problem can wind up destroying your lawn, causing root rot in your plants and creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The sooner you call in the landscaping company the easier the fix will be.
Repairing a retaining wall – Maybe you’ve noticed that one of the retaining walls in the yard has cracked and is beginning to bulge. You’ve been putting off having it fixed because you think maybe it’s been there a long time and you just noticed it. Deep down though you know that if it had been there before you would have noticed, and if you allow it to fail completely you’re looking at either an expensive fix or the ruination of your backyard landscape design.
Aerating the lawn – When most folks think of lawn care they think of having the landscaping company over to do some mowing, weeding, fertilizing or seeding. But as your lawn ages the underlying soil begins to compact and as it does it can rob grass roots of the ability to absorb water and nutrients. If your lawn is looking patchy and dull it may not be calling for fertilizer or re-seeding, it may be telling you it’s time to aerate.
Building a cooler yard – This one’s a bit of a luxury, but think about it: you can have the most awesome outdoor kitchen ever designed but if there’s no shade who is going to be able to enjoy it on a sunny day? You’ve been thinking about building a pergola and running some vines up it but you’ve been procrastinating. The bottom line is that whether you have an outdoor kitchen or not shade goes a long way toward making your yard more user-friendly.

Taking care of the yard often gets relegated to the bottom of the priority list. In some cases that’s fine. In other cases however delaying needed landscaping work could lead to major expenses down the road and large sections of your property being taken out of service until repairs are made.

Toronto Custom Decks is a leading landscaping company in Toronto. Our customers come back to us time and again because we get the job done at a price that doesn’t break the bank. From complete backyard landscaping design schemes to hardscaping, softscaping, outdoor kitchens and general maintenance of your lawn, shrubs and trees we’re the landscaping company to call to make sure your home is always looking its best.

Our Deck Builders Explain the Importance of Adhering to Local Building Codes

May 30, 2016 By Custom Decks

Having a high quality deck built in your back yard can be a fantastic home improvement that allows you and your family to really make the most of the fine weather we often enjoy during the spring, summer, and fall in Toronto. However, if you are planning to construct a new deck in your back yard this year, you need to consider the local building codes at the design stage. Failure to do so could lead to problems in the future and unnecessary expense.

Why You Should Hire Deck Builders Who Are Familiar with Local Building Codes

You may be tempted to build your own deck or to hire a firm that charges significantly less than the competition but has little real world experience. However, following either of these paths could cause you unnecessary grief in the future.

Possibility of a Fine – If your deck is built contrary to local building codes it will not be possible to obtain a permit for the work and to have it inspected and passed as safe by the local municipality once it has been completed. Even if the deck in question is built correctly, you could be found to be in contravention of the local building code and required to pay a fine if you did not obtain a permit before the work started. Rather than run the risk of being financially penalized, you should hire a team of deck builders who know how to do everything by the book.
Interruption to Work – In the event that your builders should fail to follow local guidelines, it is possible that the local council will insist that all work is halted until any faults have been corrected. This could cost you a lot of time and money and is a situation you should avoid.
Removal of Your Deck – In a worst case scenario, if your deck is not designed and constructed in accordance will local building codes, you could be asked to remove it completely. This would obviously involve a major financial loss and unless you have a watertight contract with your deck builders, you may not be able to recover any of the money that you spent on the project.
Safety Concerns – A deck that is improperly designed or constructed may pose a safety risk to you and other members of your household. Regardless of whether you are penalized by the local authorities, this is a situation that you will of course wish to avoid at all costs. To avoid any such safety issues, only deal with reputable deck builders in Toronto who have a proven track record.
Durability Issues – If your deck is poorly constructed, there is a very good chance that it will deteriorate over the coming months and years, far more quickly than would otherwise have been the case. To protect your investment, insist that all plans are approved by the relevant authorities and that final payment is not made until the work has been signed off by local officials.

If you do not want to run the risk of contravening local building codes, you should hire the very best deck builders you can afford. With a track record second to none and a highly competitive pricing structure, we can design and build the perfect deck for your back yard at a reasonable cost and ensure that it complies with all relevant local regulations. Call today to discuss your requirements and to request an estimate for the work you would like to have done. We have helped many local businesses and homeowners in the past and would be delighted to design and build a new deck for you.

7 Common Ways in Which Custom Deck Projects Can Go Wrong

May 18, 2016 By Custom Decks

A brand new deck where you can enjoy eating outdoors, or simply relaxing in a pleasant environment when the fine weather arrives, sounds like a great idea and if the work is completed properly it could prove to be a major asset for years to come. Many Toronto homeowners have beautiful decks from which they derive much pleasure but you need to plan such a project carefully if you are to avoid making the mistakes that others have made in the past.

Mistakes to Avoid When Designing and Constructing Custom Decks

When you are planning your new deck, consider the following common mistakes and make sure that you do not follow in the footsteps of other unfortunate homeowners.

Failing to Produce a Detailed Plan – Whether you would like to tackle the work yourself or you hire a local firm to build your new deck, the very first thing you will need is a comprehensive plan. A deck may not sound like a major project when compared to a home addition but if you do not have a detailed design from which to work, there is very little chance that the project will be a success.
Failure to Obtain a Permit – Custom decks that are more than 60cm off the ground require a building permit from the local authorities. If you do not apply for, and receive, such a permit, you may be asked to dismantle your deck should it be discovered by local officials at any point in the future.
Hiring an Inexperienced Team – If you are paying for professional help, make sure that you hire a firm with the knowledge and experience to build a high quality deck in your Toronto backyard. Less experienced contractors may charge slightly less but can end up costing you much more in the long term.
Using Concrete Footings – Unless they are several feet below grade, concrete footings are susceptible to freeze/thaw damage in the cold winters we experience here. This damage can cause custom decks to move or sink over time, which is obviously undesirable.
Failure to Plan the Position of Furniture and Cooking Appliances – If you want to use your new deck to cook and eat meals outside in the warm weather, you will need to consider the placement of tables, seating, and BBQ equipment at the design stage. Failure to do so could result in you having to make undesirable compromises once the project is well underway.
Not Considering the Position of the Sun – If you want to make the most of your new deck, you will need to consider siding at the planning stage, to shade it from the heat of the midday sun. The position of the sun during the hottest part of the day will determine the height and position of any siding that you incorporate into your final design.
Hiring Uninsured Contractors – Any reputable firm that builds custom decks in the area should have a generous public liability policy that covers the cost of any damage they may inadvertently cause to your property or any injuries that may be sustained by their staff or clients. If you hire an uninsured contractor, you could be faced with massive repair costs or expensive lawsuits in the event that something should go seriously wrong during the construction of your new deck.

To make sure that you avoid all the above mistakes and any others that may be waiting to catch you unawares, work with Toronto Custom Decks, the local experts in custom decks. We have successfully completed many projects in the city and would love the opportunity to build your new deck.

The Perils of DIY Deck Design

April 24, 2016 By Custom Decks

The backyard deck is not only the most popular type of addition people will make to their home, it’s also one many homeowners mistake for a nice DIY project. With countless websites and TV programs promoting this idea it’s no surprise that people would take backyard deck design into their own hands. But they shouldn’t. People die in deck collapses on an all-too-frequent basis and almost all decks that collapse were either designed and/or built by non-professionals.

Backyard Decks: Design Professionals are Crucial to Long Term Reliability

There are a lot of things that can go wrong with decks. Design is where most of those problems begin. You increase the risk of experiencing problems if you take things into your own hands. Here are some of the most common mistakes DIY deck designers make.

Poorly attaching the deck to the house – The ledger board through which the deck is attached to the house needs to be firmly bolted in place; never nailed. It will have to support the weight of people, furniture, planters, a grill and more. Failure to design and implement a proper method to secure the deck to the house is the most common cause of deck collapses.

Designing a deck that’s not up to code – There are some folks who don’t see the value in checking in with City Hall before they design their new deck. Many of them are unpleasantly surprised when the inspector drops by on a neighbor’s tip and discovers a slew of code violations. You may be given a chance to fix them or you may be told to demolish the deck.

Designing an ugly deck – Let’s be honest: most DIY decks are ugly. There’s a reason (lots of them actually) why people go to school to study design. It’s not easy to do it well. Why risk having the new addition to your house be as plain as white bread or a complete aesthetic mismatch? Let the professionals handle it and wind up with a deck you’ll be proud of.

Designing a deck that busts the budget – Folks staying up late working on their dream decks design typically aren’t aware what materials cost. As a result their plans will call for top-shelf materials when middle shelf would have better suited their needs. Professional designers know the price of things and won’t set you up for a budgetary meltdown.

The Real Value of Professional Deck Design

Sometimes for relatively short money you can enlist a professional who will design a deck for you that will look great, satisfy all building codes and adhere to your budget. If you enlist a contractor to build your deck that same contractor may design the deck for free or at a greatly reduced rate as part of a package. Whichever path you choose a professional designer will typically provide you with:

An overhead elevation of the property showing the massing and position of the deck.
Detailed plans of all vital connections and components like stairs, railings and more.
Several detailed renderings showing what the finished deck will look like.
A list of all necessary materials.
An estimated build time.

Toronto Custom Decks design backyard solutions that you can use with total confidence for as long as you own your home. DIY designers sometimes forget that when it comes to backyard decks design – especially elevated platforms – lives are at stake. That’s something we don’t ever lose sight of. If this is the year you’ve decided you’re going to take the plunge and add a deck to your house, call the trusted professionals at Toronto Custom Decks. You won’t be sorry.

Outdoor Kitchen Myths You Might Have Heard

April 9, 2016 By Custom Decks

Although the idea of outdoor food prep is as old as human’s home design of the past few hundred years made it an increasingly indoor experience, save for the occasional barbecue. The outdoor kitchen reverses this trend and in the process elevates the often forgotten backyard into a hub of activity. All that said backyard kitchens have attracted their fair share of misunderstanding and myths and in this post we’ll address some of the more common ones.

5 Myths That Have Grown up Around the Outdoor Kitchen

A backyard kitchen is fun, exciting and beautiful. It can help you fall back in love with your house. However, in spite of (or maybe because of) the popularity of outdoor kitchens in Toronto and elsewhere a laundry list of myths have arisen around them; some perhaps understandable. Others, not so much. Here are some of the most commonly heard myths surrounding outdoor kitchens today.

Myth: An outdoor kitchen is the perfect DIY project – No. It’s not. A properly concepted outdoor kitchen will likely include a gas grill, running water and a tasteful, comprehensive lighting scheme. Unless you’re a certified Gas Safe technician, a plumber or an electrician you shouldn’t be attempting to handle any of those aspects of construction yourself. Especially outdoors, where the proper fitting of gas lines and wiring becomes even more crucial.

Myth: You don’t need to spend extra on weatherproof appliances – Yes, you do. Trying to cut corners budget-wise by installing indoor appliances outdoors is setting the countdown to failure in motion. You just have to hope that when the wiring in the refrigerator goes (and it will if you have an indoor fridge outdoors) that someone you love doesn’t get electrocuted. Every appliance you install in your new kitchen needs to be built specifically for the outdoors.

Myth: Outdoor kitchens are only useful on sunny summer days – If that’s your only goal when building it then this might be true. But if you want to use your backyard kitchen most of the year and you’ve hired an experienced professional to design it they’ll make sure to add features like a heated floor, strategically placed wind-breaking walls and a retractable roof that will allow you to entertain in your new space in all but the most extreme weather.

Myth: Outdoor kitchens are only for the rich – Outdoor kitchens are like anything else; how much you spend is up to you. You can spend $2,000 on a fine gas grille or you can drop $15-20,000 on the fanciest, leading-edge grille technology available. Same with everything else; you can have a slate floor or a marble floor, hot and cold running water or just cold. How much you invest will be entirely up to you. But you don’t have to drop $100,000 to get quality.

Myth: Your utility bills will go through the roof – Why would they do that? When you and your guests are outdoors there’s no need to have as many things running indoors. When you’re using the outdoor grill you’re not using the indoor stove. When you’re using the outdoor sound system you’re probably not using the indoor sound system. Is it possible that your utility bills may increase a bit if you start entertaining a lot? Sure. But that will be a function of entertaining more, not a function of having an outdoor kitchen.

The al fresco kitchen is many things alright, including the target of myths and tall tales floated by who knows who. Before you give too much weight to stories and myths you may have heard call the backyard experts at Toronto Custom Decks. We’ll show you how to achieve the outdoor kitchen of your dreams at a price you can afford.

7 Ideas for Custom Decks that are Sure to Inspire

March 29, 2016 By Custom Decks

Buying a property is a big investment, so it’s no wonder we want to be proud of our homes and keep them looking great. Your garden is often the first thing guests will see and it’s here you have a huge opportunity to set a good first impression. Do you want your outdoors to look clean and looked after, or would you prefer to showcase something a little more unique?

Custom Decks Can Give Your Outdoors a Unique Identity

Toronto experiences cold winters and hot summers, which is why your deck needs to be resilient to harsh weather while looking great to be enjoyed through the summer months. Many high quality materials can be used to create custom decks that will give your garden an awe-inspiring facelift.

Cedar Decking – This is among the most durable of materials used to create outdoor decks and its beauty makes it a popular choice for a wide range of uses across virtually any style, be it contemporary or stylised to a specific time period.
Composite Decks – Though this can appear to be a larger initial investment than some other materials, its high durability makes it worth it in the long run. Composite decks are made from a mixture of wood and plastic purposely to reduce the amount of maintenance required.
Ipe Decking – Also known as Brazilian walnut, this material is native to South America and even has a fire rating. This beautiful material naturally repels pests and mold, making it an investment you’ll enjoy for years to come.
PVC Decking – If you prefer your custom decks to have an organic look, this might not be the deck for you. However, it is fully recyclable and puts up superior resistance to weathering. It’s also extremely low maintenance for those of us who would rather not have to look after the garden on a constant basis, and there’s no need to worry about the kids picking up any painful splinters!
Trex Decking – This is an example of a composite material that promises high durability while looking great. The little amount of maintenance required makes it a popular choice, needing to be cleaned only one or two times a year to remain looking almost brand new. Choose this material for your custom decks and you’ll have a unique garden that requires very little upkeep.
Deck Design – Aside from the material you choose to give your garden an aesthetic boost, you also need to consider how exactly you want it to look. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have much of an eye for design yourself; Toronto is home to high quality deck designers that will happily offer you their expert advice.
Complete Solutions – Our final idea offering to make custom decks look as impressive as possible is to look for combined solutions that add many other elements of outdoor landscaping into the mix. Reputable companies that specialise in outdoor design never make two gardens look identical. So, if you want something really stylish, you might want to explore full landscaping solutions.

Your garden is a place for you to enjoy the hot summer weather, but it’s also crucial that it can stand up to the harsh weather during the winter months. This article explored a far from exhaustive list of ideas for custom decks which are designed to achieve both of those purposes. If you’re looking for an experienced and professional company, visit Torontocustomdecks.ca to explore a variety of outdoor ideas that could turn your garden into your own unique paradise.