We have officially replaced and finished our deck! Like most things in our personal home, it takes us a while. If you remember back in 2020 when we first started talking about our deck design and how we needed to replace it, because family and friends were literally falling through it? Well, two years later – it’s a wrap!
Before
Original to the home, these boards were in need of some major replacement. Most boards were rotten and it was very sketchy and somewhat unsafe to walk on it. I always warned my guests to only step on the nails, but we still ended up with a few casualties. One of the musts we knew we wanted to invest in was composite decking, so this wouldn’t happen again. However, with composite, that is maintenance free, comes a bigger price tag. But now that it’s installed, I’m already so happy with not only the design but knowing we won’t have to be staining or replacing it anytime soon. And, as you know, MN winters are hard on decks.
It’s crazy to think how much we’ve done to this view right here over the last couple of years! So much has changed. An in-ground pool, sport court, fireplace and lounging area now take over this same view. And although we started on this journey a few years back, I like to remind ourselves that good things take time!
After
To save on costs and being we didn’t need a larger decking space, we kept the original footings and only replaced the decking and railing.
One of the other big must-haves we knew we wanted to incorporate with the deck was a black rod railing, in which we went with View Rail.
Onyx Rod Railing is View Rail’s patented and trend-setting modern farmhouse railing style. All the same advantages of Signature Rod Railing System, but the only difference is that Onyx Rods have a premium matte black powder coat finish. The first all-black system of its kind, Onyx rods are a premier offering within our Signature Line. The hollow rods are 1/4″ in diameter and either made from 304 Stainless Steel (Standard) or 2205 Stainless Steel (Coastal) — meaning that they are highly durable, corrosion resistant, and made to last a lifetime. From components and hardware to the rod infill itself, Onyx is a complete system.
Best part of working with View Rail is that they are with you every step of the way. We sent them over our measurements and they told us exactly what we needed and mailed it to us, down to the fasteners, nuts and bolts. Made for a seamless process!
Jamie had no issue installing it, as everything that came with the railing was properly marked, labeled and had clear instructions. From the demo to install of the decking to railing, Jamie put in about 80 hours of labor time.
When it came to the decking, we knew we wanted a lighter colored wood look. Not only do we like the look as it plays off of our kitchen flooring, but as for heat, this product is up to 30 degrees cooler than many competitive composite products. We ordered a few samples from AZEK, which they send for free, and in the end went with Weathered Oak.
We are so happy with how it turned out and the decking and railing fit beautifully with the vibe of the interior and exterior of our home. It plays perfectly off of the interior railings in our sport court and within our living room.
Photo Credit: Space Crafting
Materials
Pricing
As always, we’re all about sharing the costs behind the project. The grand total for materials was $24,017.81. And this did not include labor or tools. Jamie put in about 80 hours from start to finish to complete this project, and he is a pro. So, if you were to hire this out you’d be looking at an additional $15,000 – 20K to complete a project of our size.
Railing $13,245.67 | Decking $10,127.03 | Dumpster $500 | Misc Home Depot trips $145.11
