Deck Innovations

You are getting ready to build your new deck, regardless if it’s wood, composite or a stone deck, creating a solid base is key! For those of us who live in Canada, winter and ground frost is a real concern. So, do deck supports shift with ground frost? The bottom line is if you choose the appropriate deck support for your job and you install them correctly, you will not have any issues.

Let’s quickly look at what ground frost is and do deck supports shift with ground frost. Without getting too much into the science behind ground frost, moisture is absorbed and held within the ground materials and as this moisture freezes it expands. When this material expands, it is displaced and can displace objects within, around or on its surface.

To determine what deck supports are right for your job, here are some main points to consider; what do local building codes require, if anything? What is the size and weight of your deck, as well as the elevation of it? What are the soil conditions that the deck is being built on? Besides the building code aspects, all these other factors mentioned will determine whether your deck supports shift with ground frost.

Please keep in mind these points are for purposes of discussion and any actual building plans should be validated by a qualified source.

When it comes to soil conditions, if you are dealing with a sandy soil you will already have an advantage. Sandy soil will hold less moisture and will be less affected by any freeze-thaw cycles. Sand compacts well, with little to no settling over time, if compacted properly. With this situation, it is possible to create floating deck footings. These are appropriately sized concrete blocks or pads, placed as frequently and where they are required, as per the design of the deck.

On the other end of the soil spectrum is clay soil. This is the most problematic soil and will cause deck supports to shift with ground frost when using floating footings. Clay will hold a lot of moisture and as a result of freeze-thaw cycles, will cause it to move and shift.

In-ground footings are by far the best and most reliable way to prevent your deck supports shifting with ground frost. These are either concrete footings or mechanical screw piles, both of which are installed below the frost line. The depth of the frost line will be determined by the area of your location, the average cold temperatures and how long they last.

When installing concrete footings, you need to determine the diameter of the footing required, and it is important to bell the bottom. The idea of this is to create a base that will act as an attached base pad, that is wider than the footing itself. This accomplishes two things: provides more support to the bottom of the concrete footing and, more importantly, prevents the deck supports from shifting with ground frost. Have you ever seen a fence installed and after one winter all the posts are pushed up and sideways? This is caused by the installer digging holes straight down and pouring cylindrical footings that are easily pushed up by ground frost. In some regions of Canada, you will find ground frost over 36” deep. When designing your concrete footings, it is important to determine the load requirements for each to ensure they are constructed appropriately.

This is why mechanical screw piles are the best choice to prevent deck supports shifting with ground frost. With mechanical screw piles, there is no guess work in ensuring you have the correct footings for your deck. Most reputable screw pile companies are able to recommend the appropriate size of pile, depth and torque it should be driven to, based on the size and weight of the deck and snow loads where it is being installed. Plus, the design and nature of a screw pile prevents it from being pushed up.

As you can see there are several choices when it comes to choosing the supports for you deck. If you select the appropriate one for your job, you will have no issues with your deck supports shifting due to ground frost.

You are planning on building a deck in your backyard, so what do you need to do? When preparing your site for a deck the first thing to consider is the materials you will be using to construct your new deck. Are you planning on building a wood or composite deck, or are you installing a stone deck? Is that stone deck being installed using traditional installation techniques or are you using some of the innovative products out on the market?

The first thing to take into account when preparing your site for a deck is whether your municipality or region require any permits. This really will be determined by the style of deck you are planning to build, such as whether you are physically securing it to the house and the overall elevation of it. In some cases, you may be required to have an independent engineer sign off on your project. It is always best to check with your local building department to find out what is needed.

The next thing to consider when preparing your site for a deck is access to the worksite. Will you need to take down any fences, hedges, or use a neighbour’s property for access? Are there mechanical structures or utility lines that have to be considered or worked around? This is particularly applicable if using traditional installation methods of stone decks and patios that involve excavation. Depending on your access, especially when limited, you may want to consider some unique products like; Gator Base, Silca SoilGrid, Paverdeck Plank, SilcaGrate and Paverdeck. All of these products are great to use when building those tight locations.

Now that you have determined the style of deck, sorted out all required permits, and figured out how to get the appropriate materials into your worksite, the next and perhaps the most important, part of preparing your site for a deck rests with what is required for the ground under and around your new deck. There are a few key components to this including; proper drainage of accumulating water from rain or snow melt, diverting any water that is coming off the house usually by eavestroughs, and adding a granular base for moisture control.

Assuming there are no issues with your current backyard and water is able to properly drain, you may find with the construction traffic around your new deck the ground can become very compacted. This could potentially alter the topography of the ground causing water to pool or flow towards your house, as opposed to away. All that to say, you want to ensure you have a good slope away from the house and the best time to address this is before the final deck is laid.

Now that you have the proper drainage in place, you want to ensure that any water coming off your house is carried away properly as well. Your home will either have water running straight off the roof or being caught by eavestroughs. Having water running off the roof and continuously hit your deck in the same spot every time it rains, or snow melts will result in your deck being discolored or even damaged in that area. When water is directed by eavestroughs, they usually push the flow of water 3 feet away from the foundation. This typically will fall under your new deck or on top of your new patio. Having water flow across your new stone patio will cause the polymeric sand to wash away over time, as well as discolour the stones in that area. Having water continuously flow under the base of the deck in the same spot will eventually wash away the slopes you created and can cause damage to any footings nearby.

Adding a gravel base under the deck may not seem so important when preparing your site for a deck, but it helps the area under the deck to dry out quicker, helps with water flow and makes for an uncomfortable bedding area for any critters that may want to call your new deck home.

Preparing your site for a deck can require additional considerations, depending on the design and any other mitigating factors. The ones covered here are the basics that can be applied and should be considered for most deck builds. Welcome to the Deck Revolution.

Anyone that lives in Canada appreciates spending time outside – especially in the spring/summer/fall months when the weather is more agreeable. We often find ourselves adding useful outdoor elements to our homes to allow us to use our backyards more.  Decks are an effective way to create a beautiful, livable outdoor space, however the maintenance involved can take away from their enjoyment. So, how about a Stone Deck vs a Wood Deck?

 A wood deck simply put is made of all wood, it’s framed with and cladded with wood decking boards. This is problematic in that it allows the wood to weather and rot over time.  Stone is widely used in landscaping and building industries, as it is highly prized for beauty, durability and strength, and of course it’s maintenance-free qualities. 

Besides these obvious differences, there are some similarities when comparing a stone deck vs a wood deck.

The construction techniques and concepts of both a stone deck and a wood deck can be very similar. The structure itself is framed using pressure treated lumber or similar materials. This framed structure can be either floated or supported by footings, depending on your soil conditions.  These footing supports are either made of concrete or are mechanical screw piles. The actual framing of a stone deck vs a wood deck may require slightly larger framing members, due to the extra weight of the stone in certain cases.  Once you have your structure framed, you can choose one of several innovative products that allow you to create that stone deck.  Both Silca System by StoneDeks and Tiledeck by Evolutiondecks are two products that are attached to the framing and act as a sturdy all weather subfloor to support the stone.

The maintenance of a stone deck vs a wood deck will be very different. A stone deck simply needs a quick pressure wash to get rid of the grime from winter or when needed. A wood deck will require regular maintenance with an extensive process, that includes pressure washing and sanding the deck, followed by applications of a stain or sealer. This can be a very time consuming process depending on the size of the deck!

Another factor to consider for those living in more northern areas is winter maintenance. With snow and ice build-up, keeping your deck clear may be a bit of a challenge.  So how does a stone deck vs wood deck compare for winter maintenance? Some stone products may be affected by salt, so the best option for removing snow and ice is a calcium chloride-based “ice melt” or rock salt. Look for the phrases “safe for concrete”, “safe for flagstone” and “will not kill grass”. Any wood decking boards will discolor, and we would not recommend using salt or ice melt products on any of them.  Using a metal or plastic shovel or even snow blowing will not affect a stone deck, and any non-slip grit that is applied will easily wash off in the spring. Sand or grit, while it offers traction on slippery surfaces, should be avoided on wood decking as it can scratch and damage the surface. Metal shovels, sharp-edge tools and snow blowing are also not recommended for use on wood decking surfaces.

To be able to compare the cost of a stone deck vs a wood deck we need to consider the type of wood being used for the surface to do a fair comparison.  Since both builds, in essence, are the same from the footings to the framing, the difference in pricing will be the cladding materials.  If you are looking at creating a pressure treated or cedar cladded deck, the costs would be less. But both of these options demand a high level of maintenance. If, however, you are planning to clad with exotic woods, such as Ipe or Cumaru in an effort to reduce your maintenance, you will find the costs to be very similar.

When it’s time for you to deciding on a stone deck vs wood deck, make sure to consider the advantages and disadvantages of both options before deciding which one is right for you. And don’t forget to look at the many different styles available in stone – if you want to maintain the “wood deck” look but avoid the maintenance, there are options available to you.

Welcome to the deck revolution!

With several new innovative products being introduced to the hardscape industry over the last several years, we now have the ability to create beautiful maintenance free decks and patios quickly and cost efficiently.  These products also allow us to do conventional tasks more efficiently, such as put a deck in the ground, as opposed to building a standard interlock patio. Here we will look at the advantages of a ground level Deck vs patio.

First, let’s review the basic concept of a ground patio. The area where the patio is to be built is excavated to a depth of 12-24” depending on the soil conditions. The excavated area is compacted, granular material is added and compacted to create the base.  Interlock stone, pavers, or bricks are laid on the compacted base and voila – you have a stone patio.  Now, there are some other steps and materials need in this process such as geotextile, edging, polymeric sand, etc., but this is the basic process. 

This may seem to be a somewhat simple task, so are there advantages of a ground level Deck vs patio and why would you choose this build method?  The reality is that in our harsh Canadian climate with constant freeze-thaw cycles over the winter, despite all your hard work and effort to build and install the ground patio, it will inevitably shift and move.

But how, you ask, can one put a deck in the ground without it rotting out and falling apart over time?  Most people think of a deck as a wood framed structure, supporting wood or composite decking boards. In this scenario, you would be correct to be hesitant to use wood. You are probably now thinking that there are no advantages of a ground level Deck vs patio and I have completely lost my mind.

For those who have read our blog series, you will know we are all about discovering innovative stone decking products that allow you to build that maintenance free deck that will save you time, money and will last!  So, when I speak of a “deck” it is related to the concept of a stone deck and using some of the new products on the market to accomplish this.

These products are designed to minimize excavation, require less granular material to be brought in, create a thermal layer to minimize or eliminate the effects of the freeze-thaw cycles, and can be supported by a proper footing system. These are just some of the advantages of a ground level Deck vs patio, and I haven’t even mentioned the time and effort you will save!

Evolutiondeck manufactures a product called Paverdeck, which is a galvanized steel decking kit that can be fully or partially buried in the ground depending on the topography of your work area.  This deck would either be floated on concrete blocks or supported by footings, depending on your soil conditions, and creates a solid flat surface ready to clad with stone or porcelain pavers. And it does this without the need to excavate, backfill and compact as is necessary in a conventional application.

The Paverdeck System is a sturdy, long lasting subfloor, that will not allow any of the stones or pavers to shift or move.  As you can see, the Paverdeck System demonstrates the advantages of a ground level Deck vs patio.

Two other great products on the market are Stonedeks Soil Grid and Alliance Gator Gator Base.  Both these systems allow for less excavation and the need for less granular materials to be brought in and compacted. They create a thermal insulating layer, which again will help minimize or eliminate the effects of the freeze-thaw cycles.  These two types of ground application products are the perfect choice for the homeowner who is trying to save even more money by doing the work themselves.  This further demonstrates how SoilGrid and Gator Base products prove the advantages of a ground level Deck vs patio.

As more of these innovative products hit the market, the consumer will have even more choices to select from and be able to find the perfect product that fits their needs and skill set.

Welcome to the Stone Deck Revolution!

So, you have a flat roof and you want to put a deck on it, is this really possible? Rooftop Decking is becoming more popular as cities grow, and builders utilize more of the home’s potential. Rooftop decking can be virtually anything you want it to be – from wood, composite, stone, porcelain pavers, and even artificial turf. The possibilities are endless to create that beautiful maintenance-free living space.

A rooftop deck is a very inviting gathering space, offering great views and potentially lowering your heating bills by providing another insulating layer. When deciding on your rooftop decking, there are a few points to consider.

Firstly, is a rooftop deck allowed in your area? Will local building codes or zoning by-laws allow it? Are you part of a condo-association, where the By-laws may prohibit the construction of a rooftop deck? You certainly want to ensure this is possible before investing time and money into your project.

Secondly, you must ensure your roof is strong enough to support the weight of your rooftop decking. Depending on the style and material selected for your rooftop decking, it can add considerable weight. Your local building office may be able to help to a certain extent by providing you with building code requirements. Also, you may consider hiring a professional engineer to calculate the load capacities of your roof, taking into consideration snow loads for your area. You should not install any rooftop decking unless you are certain the roof can handle the weight.

Now that you have determined your roof can handle rooftop decking, it’s time to determine your design and find the right contractor for you – if you are not doing the work yourself. There are lots of building architects, landscape architects, designers and even green roof specialists that can assist you. Find one that can make your visions come to life and can work within your budget. Consider incorporating shade elements, whether that is umbrellas, pergolas or sun sails – you will be happy you did. Planters with vegetation will also add a softening to the hardscape on the rooftop deck.

Working with a designer or architect you will now have to consider the best rooftop decking material based on the design and needs. As mentioned, the possibilities are endless and depending on what finishes you choose will determine the structure under them. Obviously maintaining the roofs waterproof integrity is crucial, and fortunately, there are fantastic products out there for supporting your rooftop decking without compromising the integrity.

If you are planning on using prefabricated wood tiles, stone or porcelain pavers you will find pedestal systems, such as Bison and Eterno Ivica will work best. These pedestal systems allow for the adjustment of slope and pitch of the roof, while easily adjusting for the required height. One pedestal will be needed in each corner of the wood or stone tile.

When wood or composite boards are selected as your preferred rooftop decking you will need to install a joist system, similar to building a deck. These joists will support the chosen wood or composite boards. In this case, the joists are best supported again by pedestals, and the Bison pedestal system has a product called the Joist Topper. This is an attachment that quickly and easily attached to the top of the bison pedestal and secures the joist in place.

When selecting smaller size stones, porcelain planks or even artificial turf, your best bet is to use a product called SilcaGrate. These are structural supporting grates that can be used with a pedestal system and offer a sturdy subfloor for this type of rooftop decking.

Now that you have considered these key points in choosing the best options for your new rooftop decking, the only thing left is to start building. Welcome to the deck revolution.

We have seen an increase in the urban population and more people looking for homes in the urban market. Builders have responded by maximizing the number of home-builds, usually resulting in big, multi-level homes on smaller properties; building up when you can’t build-out. To give customers more outdoor liveable spaces, builders are incorporating balconies and flat rooftops.

Homeowners and contractors are now facing challenges such as how to finish these balconies and rooftops. Thanks to systems such as Bison Pedestals and Eterno Ivica Pedestals systems, transforming these areas into beautiful maintenance free living spaces is quick and easy.

Many are under the impression that installing a rooftop Pedestal System is complicated and can damage a roof membrane. This is not the case, as installing a rooftop Pedestal System is an easy and relatively simple process, that is not permanently attached to the roof. Installing a rooftop Pedestal System is a similar concept to laying a floating floor. The strength and integrity of the system is based on the entire system, a sum of all its parts, and is contained by a border.

The first step in installing a rooftop Pedestal System is to determine the style of the deck flooring you wish to install. The possibilities are endless; wood or composite planks, prefabricated wood tiles, stone, porcelain paver or planks, even artificial turf.

Depending on the style of decking you select, there are three basic installation techniques. If you are working with wood or composite decking, they will be attached to joists in the same manner as building a standard deck, except the joists will be supported by pedestals. The Bison line has an easy to work with connector called the Joist Topper which sits on the pedestal and secures the framing. If you opt to use prefabricated wood tiles, stone or porcelain pavers the pedestals will support these directly by having a pedestal at each corner. Finally, if you select a porcelain plank, smaller size stones or artificial turf, you would have the pedestals support SilcaGrate, creating your subfloor that will then support this style of decking or turf.

Once you have selected the style of the decking you wish to use, determine the cavity height at all thresholds, drains and high points. The cavity height is the space between the top of the floor membrane and the bottom of the decking material selected. Using a laser level or chalk line may assist you in determining this.

Deduct the thickness of the decking material from the cavity height, which determines the height of the pedestals that need to be used. The greatest advantage of installing a rooftop Pedestal System is they allow you to easily adjust for pitch and slope of the roof as you can dial the exact height of each pedestal you are installing.

Plan out your decking and pedestal layout. For builds utilizing a joist framing system, position your pedestals as needed to support your framing. For the other build method where pedestals will support material at the corners, begin your installation by creating a “T” shape portion of the deck, to ensure your deck is laid to run straight and true along both axes. Once you have this “T” pattern in place, you can install on both sides of the “T”, levelling the decking as you go.

For detailed instructions on installing a rooftop Pedestal System, check out the manufactures websites. Both Bison and Eterno Ivica systems have detailed instructions, and any reputable retailer will also be able to help you with installation questions.

Installing a rooftop Pedestal System is an easy, cost-effective way to transform any balcony or flat rooftop into a usable outdoor living space Welcome to the Deck Revolution.

As we watch our cities grow, we watch properties get smaller and smaller while homes, condos, and apartments seem to get bigger. Despite this, there is a real desire by consumers to have livable outdoor spaces. The designers are responding to this demand by incorporating large usable balconies and rooftop patios. The challenge now for the homeowner or contractor is how to transform that balcony or rooftop to a beautiful maintenance-free living space. Thanks to pedestal deck systems, this is not only possible but relatively simple.

When you think of most balconies, they are either a concrete slab or wood-framed with plywood and a waterproof membrane and both are sloped for drainage. Rooftops can be of similar construction with an appropriate waterproof membrane, with possible drains or mechanical systems installed. In either of these cases, pedestal deck systems allow you to create virtually whatever living space you desire, without having to connect through any waterproofing membranes. They allow you to easily adjust for any pitch or slope and work around any obstacles.

A pedestal deck system is composed of adjustable supports, that level and uniformly space pavers or tiles for proper water drainage and airflow. The various pedestal deck systems available on the market are extremely versatile and strong, allowing for support from as little as 1/8 of an inch to 3 inches and coming with various accessories to make any installation possible.

As there are many pedestal deck systems out there, we will look at two of the best ones available on the market today to better explain these systems and the concepts around them.

Bison Innovative Products are manufactured in the USA and have two main pedestal lines. The Level is more of a basic pedestal line that can hold up to 750 lbs per pedestal, while the Versdjust can hold up to 1250 lbs per pedestal and comes with a base leveling system that allows you to adjust up to 8 degrees without shimming.  In addition, Bison Innovative Products manufactures exotic wood tiles, porcelain pavers and very modern, stylish site furnishings that are specifically designed to work with their pedestal system.

Eterno Ivica pedestal systems are manufactured in Italy; they support similar weights to the Bison pedestal line and have 3 lines of pedestals depending on your needs and tolerances. Their top line, the SE model, has a leveling system that will adjust up to 5 degrees.

Deck pedestal systems can be placed and positioned to support framing joists, the Bison Joist Topper is perfect for making this connection quick and easy. This method of using the deck pedestal systems is a similar concept to building a deck. The pedestals are the footings supporting the framing, and on that framing, you can install, wood planks, composite decking, Silca System with stone, porcelain pavers and even artificial turf.  With the increasing popularity of porcelain tiles, especially ones that mimic wood planking, this method of installation would be a more preferred option. By using the framing and Silca System to support the porcelain planking, you will not require as many pedestal units.

The other method of installing deck pedestal systems is have them support specific manufactured and engineered wood tiles, stone or porcelain pavers. For most of these types of flooring options, the greatest recommended span between pedestals is 24 inches. So, you are laying the pedestals down in a 2-foot by 2-foot grid, even when working with larger tiles, like 24” by 48.”  Some exceptions may apply, that is why it is always best to check with the manufacturer of the product to see what they recommend and will warranty it against.

Since deck pedestal systems are in essence raised floating floors, running any electrical, lighting or gas lines for a fire feature are simple to install. Another great benefit of this system is you can easily lift up the floor tiles to access any of these mechanical items to service them or do any repairs to the roof or balcony if needed.

As Canadians, we love spending time outdoors, so if you have a flat rooftop or balcony you want to transform into a beautiful, livable space consider using one of the many deck pedestal systems on the market.

For those of us in Canada who have to endure long winters, spending time outdoors during the other seasons is a cherished activity.  While we strive to create beautiful outdoor living spaces to spend time with friends and family, the last thing we want is the responsibility of extensive maintenance and upkeep of these outdoor areas.

For this reason, we have seen an increase in products and companies advertising and selling maintenance free options. Most of you are likely aware of stone decking and composite decking products, but maybe not of the newest player in the decking game – metal decking. What is metal decking and are there any disadvantages to metal decking?

To be clear, when speaking of metal decking in this sense, we are not referring to products like Paverdeck or TileDeck, which are base decking materials made out of galvanized metal designed to be clad in stone. The metal decking we are talking about here is metal decking boards, designed and intended to be the finished surface of the deck. Metal is definitely long-lasting and strong, but are there disadvantages to metal decking?

Metal decking boards are a relatively new product on the market and as a result are somewhat limited in the number of manufacturers, styles and colors available. How is this a disadvantage to metal decking?  In essence, metal decking is planks made of aluminum and painted in a selection of colors. This is similar to the vast market of composite decking boards that are available. If you are a homeowner and want your deck to stand out and be different from what your neighbors have, this will definitely be a disadvantage. Also, since this product is somewhat limited in its market share, there are not as many contractors that have worked with the product. As a result, you could end up having a harder time sourcing a reputable installer and may be forced to pay more of a premium for the installation.

As mentioned, aluminum decking is painted, and the process used is called powder coating.  Though strong, it can still scratch and chip through normal wear and tear. It can also dent if it is hit hard or something solid is dropped onto it. Given that it is aluminum, it will not corrode once scratched or dented, but over time it will lose its luster and begin to look weathered. This is a definite disadvantage of metal decking considering it’s one of the most expensive maintenance free decking options.

You would expect an expensive option such as metal decking would be more versatile than it is. Given that it is essentially straight planking, you are limited in most cases to premanufactured lengths and, in some cases, predetermined layouts. It cannot be bent or cut without exposing the metal edge. This means creating a round deck becomes impossible unless the manufacturer has some sort of capping system available that is flexible and will hide the exposed cut edge. With aluminum, you also have to use the recommended fastener, otherwise, it may have a negative reaction with the aluminum. Also, if your build involves any pressure-treated lumber, you have to ensure it is not in contact with any exposed aluminum planking, as the chemical used in pressure treated preservation will react with it.

Considering these disadvantages of metal decking you have to take a few things into consideration if you were to use this maintenance-free option. Some consumers indicated it was a challenge to work with, citing the lack of clear installation instructions available and difficulty in cutting the product without damaging the cut edge. Also, despite a few manufacturers claiming to have a waterproof locking system, some customers reported leaks through the surface. There are also comments that the deck sounds “hollow and tinny” when walking on it.

As you do your research to find the best maintenance-free deck solution for your project, you have to look at all the pros and cons of each system.  Given that this product is new to the decking market, you will be wise to keep in mind some of the disadvantages of metal decking to make sure it is right for you.

When creating you perfect deck, one of the more challenging parts is building the stairs. Whether its stairs up to the deck or from one deck level to another, finding the right balance of the rise and tread can be tricky. For this reason, you will find several deck stairs systems on the market.  

Before we go too far into deck stair systems let’s make sure we understand some of the terminologies around them.  The rise refers to the height of the step and on average is approximately 7 inches. The tread is the depth of the step and usually is approximately 11 inches.  A stringer also called a string or stringer board is the housing on either side of a flight of stairs, into which the treads and risers are fixed. Box steps refer to a deck stair system that is created by stacking platforms onto each other to create the steps.

When comparing the two build methods of deck stair systems, there are some key differences and advantages to both the box stair and stinger methods. Both these methods can be applied to creating steps for wood, composite and even stone decks when using some innovative products like Silca System, Tiledeck or Paverdeck.

At most big box stores like Lowes and Home Depot, you will find deck stair system kits available. These kits are relatively inexpensive and easily assembled. They come with either wood or aluminum stringers, precut treads and screws. However, with these types of kits, you are limited to the size of the rise and tread and number of steps available. 

Unlike the deck stair systems found at Lowes and Home Depot that can be limiting, you can create your own. Stringers can be cut to a slightly varying degree of rise and tread depending on the size of lumber you use to cut it from.  In most cases to create an average size rise and tread you will need to use a 2” x 12” piece of lumber or larger. The box stair method of construction can be build using various sizes of lumber and it allows you to create whatever size of rise or tread you like. 

As mentioned before these methods of construction can be used to create wood, composite or stone deck stairs.  The base of all these deck stair systems remains the same, constructed from either pressure treated or cedar lumber. When cladding with either wood or composite the rise and treads are screwed directly onto the framing.  When cladding with stone, you would need to use a product like StoneDeks Silca System, or Evolutiondecks Tiledeck first to support the stone. We have attached two links that show these deck stair systems being used in both the stringer and box step method of construction.

Silca System Box Stairs

Tile Deck Box Stairs

When construction stairs for a stone deck in a more traditional method of stone construction you will need to ensure the base is properly constructed.  This would initially involve excavation and preparation and compaction of the granular base. As each step level is build using stones, the area within each step level would have to have its base prepared to support the next step. This is often a challenge, ensuring proper compaction of each level without disrupting the level below and obtaining a level surface in order to build the next step on. As you can see there are many deck stair systems available to you, from premanufactured ones to totally customizable ones. Finding the one that is right for you will depend on your specific needs, the desired cladding material and your level of comfort working with the material.

Over the years there has been an increase in demand for people incorporating hardscape landscaping into their back yards. The use of interlock or patio stone decks allows for the creation of spectacular, maintenance-free living spaces.  Stone has a natural look, is durable and easily maintained, and aging just increases its beauty!

Traditional interlock installation techniques require relatively deep excavation, removal of materials and extensive base preparation.  If the topography of your yard involves slopes, then traditional interlock installation would require the construction of an interlock wall and drainage systems.  A patio stone deck helps mitigate many of these factors.

As the popularity of patio stone decks increases, several companies have developed unique products allowing for easy construction.  Stonedeks Soil Grid and Alliance Gator Mat* are two products that are cost-effective and make installation of a patio stone deck much easier. Evolutiondeck’s Paverdeck can be installed in the ground, either wholly or partially, making this a fantastic choice when dealing with slopes.

The benefits of using these types of innovative deck systems to create an in-ground patio stone deck are time of installation and structural stability. While traditional interlock installation relies heavily on base preparations, these innovative products rely on their design and the geosynthetics used for stability and longevity. The concept of these would be similar to an outdoor floating floor that is locked together preventing movement of the stone due to freeze-thaw cycles. These systems also work incredibly well to support and stabilize outdoor porcelain pavers which are gaining in popularity.

For perspective, let’s look at the installation of one of these products.  The StoneDeks Soil Grid is an engineered plastic grate that locks together, allows for drainage and stays flexible even in the extreme Canadian cold.  I have had the opportunity to witness the installation of this type of patio stone deck at several projects across Canada, both by contractors and homeowners, and the results were amazing, with no reported callbacks for shifting, movement or settling.

The process starts with minimal excavation to accommodate the thickness of stone chosen, the soil grid, and approximately 4” of granular used for leveling.  This amount of excavation is significantly less than traditional interlock installation, greatly reducing the labour time or the need for heavy equipment.

Once excavated, the disturbed soil is compacted, and a layer of geotextile is put down to prevent the granular from migrating into the ground over time.  The granular material is added, leveled and compacted and a second layer of geotextile is placed over the compacted granular.  The second layer of geotextile prevents the soil grid grates from settling into the granular over time.  Once the soil grid is down and locked into place a final layer of geotextile is added directly on the grids to hold the polymeric sand in place.  The final step to finishing your patio stone deck is to lay the desired stones and sweep in the polymeric sand.

The way these patio stone deck systems lock together, and the use of geotextiles to hold the various layers of materials in place gives these systems the ability to weather the Canadian climate.

The price of a patio stone deck can be equivalent to standard interlock ground installation.  The extra cost of these materials used is offset by the time and other materials saved during installation. If there are any significant slopes involved, then using a product such as Paverdeck to create your patio stone deck will definitely offset the cost.  The fact that the use of these systems allows for less excavation make them ideal for the “do-it-yourselfer” who may not have access to equipment for excavating.

As people invest more money and time into their yards in an effort to create beautiful, outdoor living space, they want products that will last and look great for years to come.  Welcome to the deck innovations!