Here’s a question that we get often as temperatures climb to ridiculous levels in the summer: Is there a certain deck board that stays cooler or gets hotter than others? And for that question, we have an answer!

In simplest terms, you’ll find that lighter colors will not get quite as hot as darker colors as with everything else.  Also, the pure plastic boards don’t get quite as hot as their wood and composite counterparts.  But the location of the deck makes a huge difference in how hot the products get – southern facing decks will be much hotter than a northern facing deck because of the amount of sun exposure.  A vinyl-sided home with many windows will reflect a much greater amount of energy down on a deck’s surface making it much hotter than other settings.

The bottom line seems to be that when it is hot outside and the deck is in direct sunlight, everything gets too hot to the touch.  Some folks have even tested this at our showroom by doing barefoot tests outside. And don’t be shy, we won’t mind if you’d like to do that, too! Come on by and say hello!

California Custom Decks has been awarded the prestigious 2010 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the companies rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service companies.

“Our Super Service Award winners are the cream of the crop when it comes to providing consistently high quality customer service, as judged by the customers who hired them,” said Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List.

California Custom Decks representative Mike Brueggenjohann says “We really pride ourselves on providing customers the greatest service and value possible. People put their trust in us to handle their project, and we want them to know that it is just as important to us as it is to them. Angie’s List gives folks an opportunity to understand what kind of experience they will have working with us and the confidence to know that the project will be done correctly.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their customers and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List, but members can find the 2010 Super Service Award logo next to company names in search results on AngiesList.com.

In spite of the most challenging economy in several decades, Fiberon®, a leading manufacturer of composite and PVC decking, railing and fencing products, is ramping up production of its game changer Horizon Decking product line.

Due to the overwhelming demand for Horizon decking with patent-pending PermaTech innovation, Fiberon is adding manufacturing capabilities at both its facilities in New London, N.C. and in Meridian, ID to keep up with demand.

“The response to the Horizon product line has been so overwhelming that we have had to invest rapidly in expanding our capacity,” said Doug Mancosh, CEO and owner of Fiberon, LLC. “Since January 2010, we have increased our production capacity by 300 percent and have plans for further expansion.”

The technology leader in the composite decking industry, Fiberon introduced Horizon decking in October 2008.  Horizon decking incorporates a traditional wood plastic composite board for strength and rigidity, and encapsulates it on all four sides with an incredibly durable non-organic surface material that provides unprecedented stain, fade and mold resistance. As a result of the thoroughly tested proven performance of Horizon decking, Fiberon was the first producer in the industry to offer a stain and fade warranty.    

An important evolution of Horizon decking occurred with the introduction of multichromatic surfaces that offer the appearance of a tropical hardwood in August of 2009. The multichromatic Horizon decking boards are available in Ipe and Rosewood grain patterns and colors.  

“These two wood tones have generated enormous interest and excitement among consumers, deck builders and the media in general because of their exotic and elegant appearance. Combined with the true low maintenance features resulting from the PermaTech surfaces, Horizon decking offers lasting beauty. In reality, Mancosh stated, Horizon multichromatic decking is simply unequaled in the industry for it’s stunning appearance and is rapidly gaining that reputation.”

The popularity of TigerDeck continues to rise as homeowners are learning more about its benefits and understand that they can have a beautiful, low-maintenance deck built with a natural material.  We’ve used it for a number of projects and in all different capacities – sunrooms, gazebos, decks, walls.  Most people find it to be the most attractive decking in appearance.  It is naturally durable to resist insects and rot without applying any stain or paint.  We have a nice display in our showroom with several railing options available, so stop by and check it out!

Of all of the great synthetic products available now, the Fiberon Horizon product in the Ipe color is certainly a popular new choice.  Besides the attractive look with the multi-chromatic Ipe color, the properties of the Horizon product are phenomenal: 2o-year no-stain, no-fade warranty…superior scratch resistance…mold resistance…hidden fastening system.  Fiberon’s black railing is also an attractive, affordable complement to the decking.  The new line of products from Fiberon are certainly leading the way into the next generation of synthetics with which we are currently being introduced.

With all of the advancements in product development in the last several years, people are finding more choices for their projects than they know what to do with.  Be sure to ask about all of your potential choices before making a firm decision on a certain color or manufacturer’s product.  There is no perfect decking or railing that EVERYONE should use for their deck, but there is one that is best for YOU.

When we discuss a project with a potential client, we listen for the things that are most important and can usually make a good recommendation that will meet their needs.  Now, there are over 40 different decking choices we could potentially recommend when considering all of the different colors… and there are just as many railing choices to go with those, so the number of deck looks is almost endless.  When working with someone, we want to know what level of maintenance is desired, if hidden fastening is critical, what color palette seems to be preferred, if there is a general style of railing that seems to catch the person’s eye, and what kind of budget they might be working with.  Once we’ve gotten a good feeling for what’s important, we can usually determine the best fit.

Take for instance, the project in the photo above, where we used Fiberon Horizon decking in the Bronze color, but built a railing with Evergrain in the Weathered Wood color…plus the balusters are from Deckorators in a Bronze color, but this shade of Bronze is different from the decking shade of Bronze!!!  Sounds confusing right?  Well, not to a true deck professional who is aware of all of the available product choices that might work for you.  You may just think of a deck company like California Custom Decks as another place to pick up a few things for your weekend project or a reputable company who can build a nice big deck…but we do much more than that now.  People rely on us to help them design, pick out colors, and educate them on how to achieve a certain look.  We’ve become a sort of “exterior designer” who can do more than just drive nails with a hammer.  If internet research still leaves you feeling incomplete about what you want to do, stop by our showroom and spend half of an hour with us…hopefully, we’ll complete the picture for you!

Gazebos are a charming addition to any backyard, and we’ve seen this popular deck and gazebo combination dozens of times over the last few years.  In fact, if we were to claim a signature project type, this might be it.  This is a large deck with a 12′ screened gazebo, built with low-maintenance materials.  While this one is in Sunset Hills, you’ll see customized versions of this combination all over the area!

AZEK Deck is developing a new generation of decking that is scratch resistant, stain resistant, and mold and mildew resistant.  With the new Arbor color collection (Acacia, Morado, Redland Rose) and Terra color collection (Fawn, Kona, Sedona, Tahoe), they have created a beautiful low-maintenance decking line that will hold up to the test of time.  Visit the AZEK website for more information on the product and new colors.  Visit our showroom for samples and to discuss your project.  We are both a dealer and installer of AZEK products.

Here’s an interesting article from the resident home expert Bob Vila’s website.  It’s pretty basic as an introduction to the decisions we’re faced with these days when choosing a new decking.  There are some great options in wood, composite, and PVC today.  Feel free to stop by our showroom to discuss your options because picking a new flooring is quite a balancing act.  There’s no perfect choice that will absolutely be the best choice for everyone, and that’s where we excel.  We have a deep understanding of all of the available products and can help you determine what is best for you.

click here for full article

Also, there’s a little incorrect information in the article.  Fiberon’s no-stain, no-fade warranty is actually 20 years.

We just finished a new project in Fenton that featured beautiful TigerDeck decking and trim.  The railing was Black Radiance Rail from TimberTech.  It looks great and really opens up to the backyard!  There’s some nice subtle lighting that you can’t see here, but it should be a fantastic setting when the Spring weather finally arrives.