Archives: Decks & Porches

DIY Decks | Don’t Be A Failure

By Todd Fratzel on Decks & Porches

Deck Failures According to NADRA (North American Deck and Railing Association) there were 30 deaths between 2000 and 2006 from deck failures. It is also estimated that here are over 40,000 decks in need of replacement or repair in this country. With numbers like that I thought it was important to talk about some common…

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Porch and Deck Footing Types

By Todd Fratzel on Decks & Porches, Foundations

Spring is quickly approaching and many of you are dreaming about a new deck or porch. Decks can be a fun DIY project if you take your time and understand the basics. The basics start with a good foundation so this article will show you several alternatives to porch and deck footings. Porch and Deck…

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Deck Makeover for Early Fall Entertaining

By Todd Fratzel on Decks & Porches

Makeover An Old Deck with Trex Decking For less than a third the cost of a new deck you may be able to “makeover” your deck just in time for Labor Day weekend and early fall entertaining with some tips from eco-friendly Trex decking. Deck renovations are often cheaper, and a lot cooler, in the…

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Porch Skirt for Farmers Porch

By Todd Fratzel on Decks & Porches, Finish Carpentry, Siding & Trim

Farmers Porch With Lattice Skirt The farmer’s porch in the adjacent photo has a complete pvc lattice skirt around the bottom of the porch framing. Raised porches look best with some sort of skirt to hide the framing and keep small animals and children out of the space. Materials The entire porch skirt is built…

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One TIME® Wood Protector – Before & After

By Todd Fratzel on Decks & Porches, Painting and Finishing, Product Reviews

One TIME® Wood Protector Last year we tested the One TIME Wood Protector on the rear portion of the deck with great results. We’ve been so impressed with the One TIME Wood Protector results that we’ve decided to use it to finish the remaining stairs and farmer’s porch as well. As you can see in…

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National Enjoy Your Deck Day

By Todd Fratzel on Decks & Porches

National Enjoy Your Deck Day Nationwide celebration on Saturday, July 24, 2010 – encouraging people to enjoy their decks and spend time with family and friends Celebration includes a huge national deck party – host or attend a local deck party in your city at http://www.meetup.com/National-Enjoy-Your-Deck-Day/ Numerous ways to celebrate with fun deck activities, game…

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Vinyl Beadboard Ceilings

By Todd Fratzel on Decks & Porches

Long Lasting Vinyl Beadboard Porch Ceilings Last year we wrote an article about using vinyl beadboard for porch ceilings. That article has been quite popular with lots of folks emailing us asking questions about how to install this product and quite a few questions about using PVC Trim for the porch carrying beam. Reader Uses…

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One TIME Wood Protector – 10 Months Later

By Todd Fratzel on Decks & Porches, Painting and Finishing

One TIME Wood Protector Last summer I tested a product called One TIME Wood Protector on our Cambara Decking. In the past we’ve had horrible luck finding a product that could seal our beautiful deck and stand up to the harsh New England weather (extreme cold winters and searing hot sun in the summer). However,…

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