You’ve probably seen enough decks to know that not all decks are created equal, as the expression goes. What makes Archadeck of Columbus decks so much better than the others? Beyond our quality construction, what sets our decks apart are our deck amenities, custom features, high-quality materials, attention to detail, and our unbeatable warranties.
We take our expert craftsmanship and quality construction for granted (in a good way!), and we expect you to, as well. Inspect any deck that Archadeck of Columbus has designed and built, and you will find all the evidence of careful craftsmanship and quality construction. You can expect the same whether we are adding a wood deck or a low-maintenance composite deck to your home.
What Deck Amenities Make Our Decks Stand Out from The Crowd?
Amenities … we’re talking about those little extra touches that mean a lot. Take, for example, the drink rail. It’s a simple thing, but so helpful when you need it. Ever stood among a group of people on someone’s deck (or your old deck) and tried to find somewhere to set your drink? Had trouble balancing a drink in one hand and a plate in the other? Tried to describe something using hand gestures and spilled your drink in the process? The convenience of a drink rail has prevented many a spill on decks!
You can see a super-sized drink rail here: Archadeck of Columbus Transforms This Westerville Low-To-Grade Patio and Stoop Into A Full-On Outdoor Oasis! It’s wider than most drink rails and can actually be used as a bar.
Privacy screens are popular as a deck amenity in Columbus-area subdivisions. Are the homes in your neighborhood situated so that everyone can see activity on their next-door neighbors’ deck? Do you face a golf course and find golfers looking over to see what you’re having for dinner? You need a deck with a privacy screen! Archadeck of Columbus can incorporate an attractive and discrete privacy screen into your new deck design.
Integrated deck lighting is another amenity that seems so essential you could argue it’s a necessity rather than just nice-to-have. Gone are the days when deck lighting was an afterthought! Deck lighting increase your family’s safety on and around your deck, and the safety of your guests, too. We recommend including small LED lights on stair risers and at key spots along deck railings or posts. In addition to increasing safety, deck lighting creates ambiance and makes lingering on your deck more enjoyable.
On the hottest Columbus afternoons, a shade cover will make your deck so much more comfortable! There’s no need to suffer in the heat! Even better, you don’t need to avoid your deck on hot days if you can bring shade to the deck. Archadeck of Columbus can do that for you by adding a shade pergola or other shade cover. While many homeowners think of pergolas as purely ornamental, if they are designed to provide shade, they will help keep you cooler. We can design your deck with a pergola that has a cover to filter UV rays and block some of the sun’s heat. At the same time, when you include a pergola, you suddenly have a place to hang a ceiling fan over your deck. While decks and ceiling fans don’t usually go together, we think they should!
We normally don’t think of deck steps as amenities, but if the steps are extra-wide, flowing steps, then yes! When a deck is at grade or low to grade (only a step or two above the ground), we have the opportunity to design extra-wide steps. These steps seem to flow from the deck to the ground! Sometimes we can surround two or three sides of a deck with these wide steps. Not only are they attention-getting, you can even use them for additional seating when you have more guests than your deck can comfortably seat in chairs.
A bump-out area for a grill on the deck is a practical amenity because it means your grill won’t take up valuable floor space. Think about those decks that must allow room for a grill but don’t have a bump-out. The grill ends up being in the way far too often. A simple area just for the grill, where it won’t impede traffic flow on the deck, is quite desirable.
Finally, let’s not forget the ultimate deck amenity, an outdoor kitchen. They’re not just for patios! Who doesn’t love dining on the deck? Having the outdoor kitchen right there, so you can prepare a meal and get it to the table while still hot … it’s a luxury! If you are interested in incorporating an outdoor kitchen into your new deck design, let us know. We’ll talk about the additional steps required like running utilities (gas and water) to the deck and providing extra support for the weight of an outdoor kitchen.
Read more: Outdoor Living Space Trends In Columbus, OH
How Do Custom Design Features Take Our Decks to the Next Level?
We can’t over-emphasize the importance of custom components in a custom deck design. It’s your deck, so let’s design it with the custom elements that will give you the greatest enjoyment and pride. When Archadeck of Columbus adds a new deck to your home, we want you to be proud of it! Custom design features that command attention include custom deck railings, parting board and picture framing details, color-coordinated decking, integrated deck seating and custom deck skirting.
There are so many new railing styles available today that it can be difficult to select your favorite. We can design custom deck railings using low-maintenance materials—even if we are building your deck with wood. One advantage of composite railings is the absence of splinters! In addition to composite or wood railings we can use aluminum, iron, cables or glass. Yes, glass! If your view from the deck is your happy place, we can install glass panels between your railing posts instead of balusters. So don’t feel penned in by yesterday’s bulky railing designs.
With our custom deck designs, parting board and picture-framing details help to make your deck unique. These details show up best on composite or vinyl (PVC) decks because we have the option of using contrasting colors. A parting board placed where a section of boards meets the next section of boards adds visual interest. We often use this design with diagonal decking board patterns or down a line where the boards change direction. It can also serve as a visual cue setting off deck areas for specific functions such as lounging in one area and dining in another. Picture framing is another deck design element we use to customize a deck and add visual interest. When we are working with composite decking, we can use contrasting colors for the deck field and the boards that encircle its perimeter—the “picture frame.”
Nothing says “custom deck” like integrated deck seating. To create this feature, we design bench-type seating built into your deck structure. Integrated deck seating saves space because it allows you to seat more people without adding too many bulky chairs.
Some homeowners overlook the role custom deck skirting can play in making your deck attractive from the ground. It’s not something you’ll notice while you’re on the deck! But if the underside of your deck can be seen from below, let’s make it attractive!
The “Before” and “After” photos of this deck will show you what a difference our custom deck skirting can make! See it here: Powell, OH, Low-Maintenance Deck Provides Beautiful Golf Course View.
Does the Quality of Your Deck Materials Make a Difference?
At Archadeck of Columbus, we build high-quality decks with the best-quality materials. If you are interviewing Columbus OH deck contractors and someone tells you the quality of their materials doesn’t matter, walk away! We frequently work with TimberTech and AZEK decking materials and Unilock paver patio products because of their consistent quality and reliability. If you prefer a different product or brand, we are open to using others, as long as they meet our quality standards. Consistently using high-quality materials on the decks we build is one of the practices that sets an Archadeck of Columbus deck apart from the others. Keep in mind, we can get much better pricing on these materials than you could at a big box home improvement retailer. Archadeck has an established, national relationship with several preferred material vendors, and that works to your advantage!
How Do Little Details Make a Deck Stand Out?
Details make the deck! At Archadeck of Columbus, we are known for our careful attention to detail. You can read more about that here: Why Hire A Professional? All of the ways that we work, our processes, focus on keeping fine details in the forefront. You can see it in our craftsmanship, in our designs, in the “little things” like deck skirting and parting boards. The details add up. When your deck builder pays attention to detail and incorporates quality details throughout, those details add up to a well-designed and well-built deck. If you work with a deck builder who doesn’t pay attention to the finer details, those details will also add up—to a mess.
How Do Our Deck Warranties Set Archadeck of Columbus Apart from our Competitors?
In addition to everything else that sets us apart, our amazing warranties do, too. If you haven’t worked with a deck builder who includes warranties in their contract, you haven’t worked with Archadeck of Columbus! All Archadeck projects come with a written one-year warranty on workmanship and a five-year warranty covering structural integrity. We also provide a completion guarantee that if we cannot complete your project, another Archadeck location will step in to complete it. They will honor the terms of your contract
Read more: Why Archadeck? Our Archadeck Warranties
This year we added a new level of warranties to our deck projects when you select TimberTech or AZEK low-maintenance decking. TimberTech and AZEK product lines offer manufacturers warranties of 25 years, 30 years and lifetime, depending on which product you select. Archadeck has partnered with TimberTech/AZEK to match those warranty periods with an Archadeck labor warranty. You can read the details here: Archadeck and TimberTech/AZEK Partner for Best Deck Warranties. When we say these labor warranties are unbeatable, we are not exaggerating. No other builder will match them.
Have we answered the question, What sets an Archadeck of Columbus deck apart from the rest? If we have not answered your questions, please give us a call so we can do so!
Are you ready to move forward with a new custom deck at your home? There is no charge for our design consultation, and videoconferencing is an option. Contact Archadeck of Columbus today to get started!
Columbus Decks, Porches and Patios by Archadeck of Columbus 