Building Our Dream Deck

I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I want the things I have and buy to be of considerable value. In my household, we find out quickly whether or not something can pull its weight, since I have three boys running around, getting into scrapes, making a huge mess everywhere they go and being rough little hellions in general. It might seem ironic that someone who likes things in their place and well-maintained ended up with a rowdy house full of kids and dogs, but it’s definitely helped me to find the humor in most situations!

What I could never find funny, however, was our back deck. It came with the house when we bought it, and to be honest, at first, it wasn’t that bad. It was old, of course, and often benefited from a new coat of paint or a fresh stain, but we didn’t think much of it – that was just how it was. It seemed to be holding up well enough, until one day, my oldest son was running from the house to the backyard and his foot came down, hard, on one of the wooden beams. I watched it sag under his pretty insignificant weight. Understandably, I was filled with dread. The old deck had to go.

I talked to my husband about it and he agreed with me. It was something of an eyesore anyway, and the wood had long ago begun to warp and discolor. It had permanently become the color of a moss-covered log. I would feel zero regrets as it was dismantled, the parts carted off our property.

The Next Deck

Before that, though, we had to decide what to put in its place. It seemed we had two options: composite decking and vinyl. My husband’s mother was a proponent of composite decking, which is a combination of a wood fiber and plastic, and she was so vehement about it (in the way that only mothers-in-law can be) that she offered to pay. Well, we couldn’t turn that offer down, so composite it was.

The workers came and installed the composite decking, and I must say, it seemed as though it had been the right choice. It looked very nice, so nice that we put in an above-ground pool close-by, much to the delight of our sons and their friends. This view would significantly change, however, after a few years.

Believe it or not, the composite decking started to sag! Then there was the awful staining that occurred every time one of the kids spilled grape juice or soda – it couldn’t be removed or sanded out, and we just had to deal with it. The worst was the effects of our beautiful California weather; since we see sunlight and warm temperatures pretty much year-round, the decking was weakened from UV exposure and the hot weather that caused it to expand. Then the mold started to appear!

What About Vinyl?

It seemed like a nightmare, and Paul and I discussed what we should do. I told him that I had heard vinyl decking was an affordable, reliable option and it would eradicate all the problems we had with both wood and composite decking. Ialso asked around my group of friends, all of whom had pools and decks, and they were united in recommending vinyl decking. I then asked them why it had taken them so long to let me in on the secret!

One of my girlfriends recommended the company she had used, A Vinyl Fence and Deck Wholesaler. She explained they provided great savings because you’re buying factory-direct and receiving the toughest heavy-duty commercial grade vinyl, backed by a lifetime warranty. I was soldand  looked at their website that night, impressed by both the variety they offered and their 24/7 customer service commitment, guaranteed to be there for you when they need them. We really needed them!

I thought:  wow, if their vinyl fencing was wind certified up to 130 mph, this material must be able to stand up to some tough conditions. We decided we wanted the deck to attach to our pool and immediately began the ordering process. I was amazed when the materials arrived less than three days later and company-recommended installers got to work the very next day. It was good to know that had we wanted to install it ourselves, their customer support would there, 24/7, as always.

The finished deck looks incredible. It’s elegant in a way the wood and composite materials were not. I love knowing that UV rays, moisture and discoloration are no longer an issue. It’s been two years since we had it installed and it looks as fabulous today as it did then. A Vinyl Fence and Deck has been in business for over 19 years now and are considered the leading manufacturer in the business, and I can’t say I’ve ever had a more pleasant, professional and valuable experience. They helped to make our dream deck a reality.