If you are planning to build a deck on your property, here are two tips which you might find useful.
Be careful about your choice of balustrade material
The floors of most decks are made timber. Because of this, many people prefer their deck's balustrades to be made from wood too, so that every element of the structure matches.
However, fitting a timber balustrade is not a good idea if you intend to build a raised deck which will be several metres off the ground.
The reason for this is as follows; the structural integrity of a timber balustrade can deteriorate for any number of reasons. It can, for example, degrade as a result of a termite infestation.
A balustrade made from wood can also become weak if its fungicidal coating wears off and thus allows a wood-rotting fungus to grow on the structure's surface.
If you were to lean your full body weight against a balustrade that had become structurally weak as a result of one of the above-mentioned issues, the balustrade could break. This could lead to you falling to the ground and injuring yourself.
Conversely, if you install aluminium balustrading, there will be no risk of termites or fungi affecting its structural integrity. This will not only ensure that the balustrade does not collapse and cause an accident but will also spare you the stress and cost of having to prematurely replace this part of your deck.
Furthermore, whilst aluminium balustrading may not match your the timber floor of your deck, it can help to modernise this structure and give it a contemporary, stylish look.
Take steps to ensure the weather does not affect the progress of the deck construction process
When you're building a structure outdoors, you need to take the weather into account. If you do not, you may find that your contractor has to temporarily halt the deck construction process because it is either unsafe or impractical for them to work in adverse weather conditions.
As such, it's important to take a look at the weather forecast for the dates on which your contractor will be building the deck.
If the weather is expected to be very sunny and hot, for example, it may be worth hiring or borrowing a large, portable awning, so that those involved in the construction process do not develop heatstroke or get sunburned to the point where they cannot continue working.
This type of awning should also be useful for unexpected bouts of heavy rain, provided the canopy is made from a waterproof material.
