Deck Specialist - Winter 2021

Digital Edition Sponsored by DECK BUILDER’S GIFT GUIDE

• CONTRACTOR Q&A WITH DECK DOGS • DECK EXPO RECAP

DECK

Winter Winter 20212021

SPECIALIST Ideas & Strategies for Outdoor Living Professionals

Rooftop Decking

DECK BUILDER’S GIFT GUIDE • CONTRACTOR Q&A WITH DECK DOGS • DECK EXPO RECAP

DECK

Winter Winter 20212021

SPECIALIST Ideas & Strategies for Outdoor Living Professionals

Rooftop Decking

Longer spans.

Like, 25 years long.

Decked out just took on a whole new meaning. PWT Treated™ is now on deck and shipping.

It’s longer lasting, with longer spans, and has a longer warranty.* Here’s to outdoor living that’s made to outlive!

Find out more at pacificwoodtech.com/treated

By

*Excludes industrial applications, such as scaffold plank and concrete forming.

DECK

SPECIALIST

Ideas & Strategies for Outdoor Living Professionals WHAT’S HOT

14

Rooftops Come of Age Exploring a new deck tile system

30

Project Spotlight Creative hybrid deck/dock

FEATURE STORIES

22

Contractor Q&A Meet Chris Wolf, founder of Wisconsinbased Deck Dogs LLC

26

Hot Tub Tips Pros share lessons learned when it comes to decks with spas.

INDUSTRY EVENTS

32

14

DeckExpo in Dallas Recapping the return of DeckExpo

ON THE COVER: Hardwood deck tiles installed with a unique pedestal system are ideal for rooftop decks.

(Photo by Tague Lumber)

62 4

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

ALSO INSIDE 8 Editor’s Note 10 Industry News 40 On the House with the Carey Bros.

42 Parks & Deck Creation with Bobby Parks 44 Set the Standard with Brendan Casey 48 Product Reviews with Marv Johnson 52 New Products 60 Date Planner 61 Ad Index 62 Idea Book

Lonza® Wood Protection is now You can expect the same quality, service, and innovation synonymous with our preservatives and our brand.

FrameGuard MOLD & DECAY PROTECTION

WolmanizedWood.com Please read all product information available at wolmanizedwood.com before use. © 2021 Arxada

INSECTICIDE

DECK SPECIALIST

OUR MARKET MOVES QUICKLY—SO DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND!

SUBSCRIBE

TODAY!

A publication of 526 Media Group, Inc.

151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. E200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Phone (714) 486-2735

President/Publisher Patrick Adams padams@526mediagroup.com Vice President Shelly Smith Adams sadams@526mediagroup.com Managing Editor Stephanie Ornelas sornelas@526mediagroup.com Editorial Director David Koenig dkoenig@526mediagroup.com Columnists James & Morris Carey, Brendan Casey, Marv Johnson, Bobby Parks Guest Contributors Sean Collinsgru, Maureen Murray, Joe O’Donnell

E SUBSCRIB E IV E C E TO R

l, print, digittaer eNewslet & more!

Advertising Sales

(714) 486-2735 Chuck Casey ccasey@526mediagroup.com Nick Kosan nkosan@526mediagroup.com

The new publication for qualified industry decision makers!

• Update your subscription • Sign up key colleagues • Enroll multiple locations

Marketing/Graphics Mitch Tanis mtanis@526mediagroup.com

Virtual Events Alek Olson aolson@526mediagroup.com

Circulation/Support Jody Bays jbays@526mediagroup.com DECK SPECIALIST is published quarterly at 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. E200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, (714) 486-2735, www.building-products.com, by 526 Media Group, Inc. (a California Corporation). It is an independently owned publication for U.S.-based builders and contrators that specialize in decking and other outdoor living projects. Copyright®2021 by 526 Media Group, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved.

Deck Specialist reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it.

Winter 2021 • Volume 5 • Number 4

6

|

Deck Specialist

|

is available on a qualified requester basis to senior management of U.S.-based builders and contractors specializing in decking and other outdoor living projects and to others at the rate of $22 per year. Subscribe now by emailing info@building-products.com or calling 714.486.2735.

SUBSCRIBE NOW info@Building-Products.com or 714.486.2735

Winter 2021

Sub2019_DS_4.5x10.indd 1

8/21/19 10:24 AM

Beautifully Finished Projects Installed 50% Faster Since its introduction, the Cortex® Hidden Fastening System has led the industry in improving installation quality and delivering the homeowner a premium finished look. Innovative collated plug strips for decking and trim applications are engineered to reduce installation time by 50% compared to loose plugs.

Available for the leading board manufacturers, there's a perfect Cortex plug for every project.

Visit FastenMaster.com to watch installation videos and view technical guides.

Cortex Decking and Trim packaging available in various lengths, sizes and brands

FastenMaster.com

800·518·3569

FastenMaster® and Cortex® are registered trademarks of OMG Inc. Copyright © 2021 OMG, Inc. All rights reserved.

EDITOR’S NOTE

A lot to be thankful for As I’m writing this, it’s Thanksgiving weekend and in between clouded thoughts I’m sifting through the dozens of images my colleague sent me from Deck Expo. All that comes to mind right now is that there’s so much to be thankful for.

Something I’ve learned over the years is that deck builders are relentless, full of passion, and they say it like it is. There’s no time to beat around the bush. So I knew that if a builder wasn’t happy or didn’t agree with an article I produced, I was going to hear about it.

While no product is 100% perfect, I’ve come to appreciate the advice and feedback I get from builders. It’s a community that I’m thankful to be a part of.

I recall speaking to a builder in the middle of the pandemic who said, “It’s pretty tough right now. If it weren’t for my insane passion for deck building, I would have given up already.”

But the last thing he said to me on that call was, “It always gets better, though, for those with enough passion to stick it out.” Well, that builder is thriving today, and he’s still building beautiful decks.

I was thankful for his words that day and I still think of that conversation often.

We’re rounding out year four with Deck Specialist magazine and I can’t tell you how exciting it’s been to see the industry rally around the publication. Through social media, one-on-one interviews and industry events (like Deck Expo on page 32!), we’ve been able to connect with our audience—that’s you—and

build a team of experts who have taken Deck Specialist to new heights.

We’ve been truly blessed with wonderful contributors, but today we bid farewell to two of our amazing Deck Specialist columnists and friends—The Carey Brothers (see page 40).

James and Morris Carey have been a staple of our publication since day one. Their witty banter and encouraging business tips have helped so many contractors learn the ropes of deck building and remodeling.

James and Morris, you helped bring the publication to life. We wish you great success with your business and a prosperous future, just like you’ve always wished for our publication and our readers. How lucky are we to have had something so great that makes saying goodbye so hard?

But as many great leaders have said, “The show must go on.”

Stephanie Ornelas is managing editor of Deck Specialist. Reach her at sornelas@526mediagroup.com

8

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

Spring 2017

|

Deck Specialist

|

9

INDUSTRY NEWS

MoistureShield Recognizing MVPs

MoistureShield introduced the MoistureShield Valued Partner (MVP) certified contractor program, which offers training, support and rewards, as well as a labor warranty program.

The three-tiered program features multiple benefits to contractors designed to enhance their MoistureShield decking experience: • Access to the exclusive MoistureShield University (MSU) online training only available to registered MVPs on-demand on their computer or mobile device. Easy to access, the user-friendly MSU courses are designed to educate contractors on MoistureShield’s product portfolio and installation best practices, while accommodating contractors’ busy schedules.

• The new MVP program incorporates MoistureShield Contractor Rewards with a chance to earn up to triple the reward points based on their MVP level. Contractors can earn points on all MoistureShield and sister-brand Belgard Paver purchases along with 19 other top building brands—redeemable for more than one million items such as pro tools, golf clubs, electronics and travel.

• Priority status on MoistureShield’s Find a Contractor web page.

• MoistureShield-branded gear gifts.

• Labor warranties of up to five years.

• Access to co-op marketing funds for highperforming contractors.

Barrette Rebrands Deck, Rail Lines

Barrette is consolidating several of its individual brands under the Barrette Outdoor Living umbrella.

DuraLife, Xpanse Greater Outdoors and RDI will now be known as the RDI Collection within Barrette Outdoor Living. This move is intended to leverage the full power of the manufacturer’s brand to create more value and brand equity for the overall business.

Concurrently, Barrette launched a new brand campaign and tagline, The Outside Company.

10

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

Trex Plans New Decking Plant

Trex Co. plans to develop a new multi-faceted production site in Little Rock, AR., to provide customers significantly better access to Trex Residential products and position the company for future growth.

“This new site represents a strategic investment not only in our company’s future but in the future success of our valued channel partners,” said president and CEO Bryan Fairbanks. “With the outdoor living category continuing to show strong momentum and our success to-date in converting share from the wood decking market, the time is right to further expand our capacity so that we can meet future customer demand efficiently and effectively.”

Trex believes the new production complex, to be located within the Port of Little Rock, should increase the company’s ability to meet the anticipated strong demand for its industryleading decking and railing products. Based on the company’s search parameters, Little Rock emerged as the best fit for Trex’s immediate and future needs with a location closer to essential raw materials, a strong pool of qualified and skilled labor, proximity to key growth regions for wood conversion, and adjacency to major transportation hubs that will offer optimized freight costs for customers in the middle of the country who are presently served by existing facilities in Virginia and Nevada.

Adding capacity also positions the company to better serve its distribution and retail partners domestically and abroad.

Trex expects to invest an estimated $400 million over the next five years in the development of the new Arkansas site, funded primarily through ongoing cash generation.

The campus will sit on nearly 300 acres of land and will eventually include buildings dedicated to decking and railing production, plastic film recycling and processing, reclaimed wood storage, warehousing and administrative offices.

Construction is slated to begin in early 2022.

The development approach will be modular and calibrated to demand trends with the first production output anticipated in 2024.

The campus will substantially expand output, with the potential to surpass Fernley, NV., and Winchester, VA., to become Trex’s largest manufacturing facility.

E LEAD TIM S DER FOR OR E THAN NO MOR S! 10 DAY

WWW.WOODBRID.COM

915.533.8767

info@woodbrid.com

Hybrid Decking That Lasts

Low-maintenance composite decking with the color variation and texture of real wood.

• Moisture repellency that makes it ideal for any climate • 25-year warranty

Colors: • Desert Sand • Coral Blue • Kalabassa • Shell White • Chocolate • Red Sunset • Charcoal • Black

Finishes: • Gloss Finish• Gloss & Embossed • Woodgrain • Sanded & Embossed • Heavy Traffic, Walkways & Stairs

Providing quality decking and railing since the first boom of the composite decking industry

We also supply top quality composite siding offering comparable benefits, colors and finishes

Showrooms in San Antonio and El Paso, TX Made in the USA

Distributors for Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

11

INDUSTRY NEWS DSI Rebrands Products Lines

To increase its profile in the market, Digger Specialties Inc., Bremen, IN., is remaking its branding structure.

The DSI corporate brand will be featured with the tagline “Transforming the Outdoor Living Experience,” which reflects the premium designs of DSI building products. Aligned under the DSI brand will be product-brands with logo designs based on DSI’s Westbury Aluminum Railing logo to reflect continuity in DSI brand images. Getting new logos are Westbury, PolyRail, DSI Columns, Magena Star Lighting, and fencing lines CourtYard, Regis, Polyvinyl and PolyRail.

The branding will appear on product packaging, DSI website, literature, P-O-P signage, advertising and social media.

DSI president and CEO Loren “Digger” Graber said, “The new brand architecture represents our objective of making our company and products more visible in the marketplace.”

Barrette Snaps Up Railing Producers

Within a week, Barrette Outdoor Living acquired two regional railing producers— Madden Manufacturing of Lake Ozark, MO., and National Vinyl Products (NVP) of Nephi, UT. Madden provides easy-to-install, qualityengineered outdoor living products, including deck railings, handrails and screen enclosures.

By partnering with Madden, Barrette gains faster shipping times, a broader product portfolio and the ability to serve contractors and homeowners across the country.

The facilities and teams at both Madden Manufacturing and Barrette Outdoor Living will continue to function independently while combining the strengths of both partners. Madden Manufacturing will continue to service its existing customer base and at the same time expand to service and grow the various channels of distribution that are part of Barrette Outdoor Living.

NVP was purchased from the Hadfield family.

As part of the new partnership, the facilities and teams at both NVP and Barrette Outdoor Living will continue to function independently while combining the manufacturing strengths and strategic plant locations of both partners. NVP will continue to service its existing customer base while also increasing its product offering.

“Joining the Barrette Outdoor Living family

12

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

gives us the ability to elevate our product offerings to our customers and continue to support their growth,” said Zack Clark, general manager of NVP.

Distributors Sign New Deck Lines

The game of musical chairs continues as decking and railing manufacturers secure new distributors throughout the country.

MoistureShield has significantly increased its coverage in both the East and the West. BlueLinx is now stocking a full line of MoistureShield composite decking products at seven additional branches—Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C.; Denville, N.J.; Yaphank, N.Y.; Burlington, VT.; Bellingham, MA.; and Portland, ME. As well, Specialty Forest Products’ branches in Spokane and Tacoma, WA., and Bozeman, MT., now carry MoistureShield Vision, Elevate and Vantage composite decking for the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and Hawaii.

Digger Specialties Inc.’s Westbury aluminum railings are now being distributed in New England and the mid-Atlantic by Sherwood Lumber, Melville, N.Y. BlueLinx’s distribution centers in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, OK.; Littlerock, AR.; and Atlanta, GA., have added Digger’s Westbury Aluminum Railing, ADA Railing, and Magena Star Lighting.

AZEK Building Products’ TimberTech outdoor living products now have greater reach into Texas, after being picked up by Weyerhaeuser Distribution’s DCs in Dallas and Houston.

Russin, Mongomery, N.Y., is now exclusive Northeast and mid-Atlantic distributor for Tropical Forest Products’ new Black Label brand of ipé and other tropical hardwoods. Some Black Label products are already in stock; others, including branded fasteners and oil, will arrive over the next few months.

Wolf Home Products’ decking and railing are expanding their reach into Illinois, Minnesota and parts of Indiana and Wisconsin via PrimeSource Brands, which acquired Wolf earlier this year. The DCs will initially offer Wolf Serenity Decking alongside partner brand Fiberon Decking and Railing.

Envision Outdoor Living Products’ composite decking is now being distributed to Wisconsin, northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, northern Illinois, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula by Prince Building Systems, Neillsville, WI.

THE FIRST STAIN

WORTHY OF THE YELLA TAG. Introducing YellaWood Protector® Semi-Transparent Stain and Clear Water Repellent.

It takes a whole lot to earn the right to wear the Yella Tag. Backed by fifty years of proven knowledge and quality, YellaWood Protector® products are specifically formulated by the makers of YellaWood® pressure treated pine. YellaWood Protector® products provide long-lasting, rich color and the superior protection savvy homeowners demand. All with a limited warranty against chipping, peeling, water damage, mold, mildew and color fade. Since there are no long drying times or even in-store mixing or tinting required, you’ll love how easy it is to use. Find your local dealer at yellawood.com/protector and finish like a pro.

yellawood.com/protector

YellaWood® brand pressure treated products are treated with preservatives (the “Preservatives”) and preservative methods, and technologies of unrelated third parties. For details regarding the Preservatives, methods, and technologies used by Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated, see www.yellawood.com/preservative or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. Ask dealer for warranty details. For warranty or for important handling and other information concerning our products including the appropriate Safety Data Sheet (SDS), please visit us at www.yellawood.com/ Winter 2021of their|respective Deck | warranties or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. YellaWood and the yellow tag are federally registered trademarks of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated. All other marks are trademarks ownersSpecialist and are used with their permission.

13

IPÉ DECK TILES’ ready availability in most markets has helped fuel the acceptance of pedestal rooftop sysem.

ROOFS AND PATIOS COME OF AGE

with pedestal-mounted deck tile systems

By Stephanie Ornelas and Joe O’Donnell, IWPA Photos by Tague Lumber

A rooftop deck offers spectacular views, especially in the city, but it also comes with major challenges. Builder Oleg Mironchuk of Ascent Design & Builder understood the assignment when he began working on an apartment complex that overlooks downtown Philadelphia. He decided to use the Ironwoods deck and pedestal system to make the building process easier.

“We actually constructed the entire building, and the deck was the easy part,” said Mironchuk. “When we build these apartment 14

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

buildings our roofs are sloped which is why we use the pedestal system. “We’ve used it before and what makes this deck unique is that you can adjust it to be level on top of a sloped roof.”

Mironchuk explained how without the system it would be difficult to attain a level surface, a challenge that is commonly faced when building a rooftop deck for an apartment complex.

“The roof has a few inches of pitch from one end to the other,” said Mironchuk. “So, without this pedestal system, if it were to be used as a regular deck, you would place down your

furniture and feel the slight angle as if you’re walking on a roof.”

“This is where the pedestal system comes in. It allows you to level out the floor so that way it’s more comfortable to use. If you have people up there it’s not comfortable to walk on when it has a slight pitch. It’s why I chose this system over anything else. You just have to make sure that you design it the right way originally, especially when it comes to measuring all the elevations,” said Mironchuk.

Using different sizes of pedestals— both shorter ones and taller ones— Mironchuk started at the highest point of the roof using the shortest pedestal and worked his way down to the lowest point.

Using adjustable pedestals between 3” and 5” helped attain a level roof deck in spite of the pitched roof below it.

The final step was to install the wood tiles on top of the pedestals. And just a week after starting the build, Mironchuk was left with a deck that was perfectly level, even though the roof it was sitting on was not. “I think my favorite part of the deck is the overall look of it,” he said. “The way the tiles have that pattern to them, it just looks nice and natural.”

Ipé decks, patios and roofs have come of age thanks to this simple yet groundbreaking modular tile concept.

The concept uses a pedestal mounting system that is versatile, easy to install and extremely cost effective, with ipé tiles mounted on adjustable bases that are attached to either a flat or pitched surface.

Wooden tiles are easily placed and securely attached with heavy-duty plastic pins. Most pedestal models are adjustable in height and can pivot and self-level to accommodate the slope.

Not only does this concept eliminate labor, it adds installation flexibility.

The pedestals can be adjusted without removing any tiles.

“A tool is inserted at the intersection of the tiles that allows adjustment while standing on the tile,” said Wes Robichaud, business development director at Coastal Forest Products.

“This eliminates the need to remove

THE SYSTEM allows the option to receive a pedestal joist elevated above the rubber membrane, providing easy access to mechanicals and for cleaning and removing debris.

MIRONCHUK’S CREW started at the highest point of the roof using the shortest pedestal and worked their way down to the lowest point.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

15

the tile again and again when making final adjustments to level a deck.”

The pedestal-mounted model can receive pressure treated joists. In the past, developers used sleeper joists to install roofs on rubber membranes. Because a pedestal is stationary and fits with no lateral movement, wear and tear on a rubber roof is negligible and there is no need for sleepers, according to Robichaud.

“The pedestal system offers the option to receive a pedestal joist elevated above the rubber membrane, providing easy access to mechanicals and for cleaning and removing debris,” he said.

“Few things in the construction industry are as easy to move within a building as a 24”x24” deck tile.”

Avoiding the labor involved in building a framework and installing deck boards is a huge cost saver. But even beyond that, the square foot cost for deck tiles is minimal compared to conventional decking.

“Still, what’s really boosted acceptance of this technique is the ease of use with self-leveling and fact that ipé deck tiles are now readily available in most markets,” Robichaud said.

A pedestal-mounted decking system can be ideal in urban areas to maximize rooftop areas

for outdoor living. It is also an ideal application to cover concrete for patios. Ipé is especially well suited around pools since it is not affected by pool chemicals. And tiles offer unlimited design options.

Combining various tile lengths and sizes produces a beautiful aesthetic that enhances any setting. By simply alternating the direction of tiles, a herringbone pattern emerges that resembles parquet flooring. The supply of resilient hardwoods has remained steady throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Robichaud.

Although costs have gone up due to shipping and logistics issues, ipé offers tremendous value relative to other decking products. For those with environmental concerns or projects qualifying for LEED points, Ironwoods offers FSC-certified Itauba decktiles. Itauba is a species similar in color and durability to ipe that is available with chain of custody, FSC certification and Green by Nature “Due Care” compliance.

“We have seen widespread acceptance and uptake of these systems throughout the country, and we expect demand to continue to grow,” Robichaud said. “Just imagine your outdoor kitchen with a gorgeous ipé parquet floor.

Absolutely gorgeous!”

BY ALTERNATING the direction of tiles, a herringbone pattern emerges that resembles parquet flooring.

16

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

Smarter software.

Happier customers.

Pergola Planner Software™

PPS

DPS

Deck Planner Software™

Help deliver a dream outdoor structure with Deck Planner Software™ and Pergola Planner Software™ from Simpson Strong-Tie. Easily design a strong and beautiful deck, pergola or other popular structure in just minutes using prebuilt templates or custom dimensions. Work in 2D or 3D environments and select wood species or additional features from a full library of options. Then just print out the plan view and materials list and start building. Your clients, and your business, will thank you.

To learn more about our free downloadable software, visit our website at go.strongtie.com/pergolaplannersoftware or call (800) 999-5099. ©2021 Simpson

Winter 2021

|

Strong-Tie Company Inc. PERGDECKPLAN20-C

Deck Specialist

|

17

Level-up your design with a deck board privacy wall As contractors, we always keep up with the

latest tools and techniques, and as creative designers it is equally as important to keep up with trends in designs. We have recently seen an uptick in the number of requests we receive for privacy walls in the outdoor living spaces we create.

Whether it be a large-scale trend or a customer simply seeing the special touches we add to our designs through our photos, privacy walls are high on customers’ wish lists.

While privacy walls are functional as well as aesthetically pleasing, we strive to maintain the balance between a focal point that is not cumbersome and a shield from the elements that does not feel overpowering.

As we began incorporating privacy walls into designs, we made the decision to use the same product for building vertically that we were already using to build with horizontally. This provides consistency that helps tie the outdoor living space together by using the same material on the deck and the privacy wall, rather than attempting to color match different products together.

18

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

By Sean Collinsgru Photos courtesy of Premier Outdoor Living and Deckorators

ABOVE: Red balau is a vibrant choice for both outdoor and indoor structures built to last.

ABOVE: Create a custom design stamp with unique features and decor.

AT RIGHT: Inlays and picture frame boards add a modern feel to an outdoor living space.

We intentionally chose a product for our deck designs that is not only incredibly durable, but also has many options for colors and width, so it was an easy choice to also go with Deckorators composite decking for our privacy walls.

Deckorators offers a wide range of options including varied-plank widths and picture frame board which allows us to get very detailed with our designs and inlays. A variety of color options and woodgrain finishes make it easy to create customized style, but the products also look great all on their own. With Deckorators composite decking, we also do not have to worry about things like expansion and contraction or how it will hold up in the weather, which makes it a great product to work with.

Keep an open space

The most intricate part of building a privacy wall will be the design if you choose to incorporate one. This vertical element is a great way to draw the eye up, while maintaining an airiness in the space. Make sure to be mindful of how open you want the space to feel. It’s important to strike a balance between a space that feels private but Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

19

DECK DECK BOARD BOARD privacy privacy walls walls can can combine combine privacy privacy with with purpose. purpose.

not closed off or closed in. Of course, different homeowners have different goals, but the ideal privacy wall should feel open and airy while still separating the space from neighbors and noise.

Level-up your deck design

Use outdoor living designs as an opportunity to leave a personal stamp on a project. Each one of my designs is custom made for each customer to flow with their home and project and will not be reused again. This is a great way to level up a project and an opportunity to get your creative juices flowing. Using decking boards is a great way to upgrade from the traditional lattice look to a more up to date tailor-made option that both contractors and homeowners can appreciate.

Privacy and purpose

Not only are custom privacy walls beautiful to look at and effective as physical barriers from wind or neighbors, but they can also have another very practical use. They are great for hiding any pesky wires for things like lighting, outdoor TVs, or outdoor refrigerators. Many homeowners dislike having to run extension cords all over their brand-new beautiful decks or patios, and with some planning and intentional design a pri-

20

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

vacy wall can be the perfect hiding spot or solution to unwieldy electrical cords.

Using privacy walls correctly can be a great way to keep some of that indoor intimate feel, while still being able to enjoy outdoor spaces.

They can also be a great way to showcase your craftsmanship and give your customers the “wow factor” that will set their outdoor living space apart.

How to...

Building a custom privacy wall with deck boards is very simple.

1. Start by anchoring 4x4 posts into your deck framing and install just as you would on the deck floor.

2. Install additional blocking for a custom design or inlay. Keep in mind this will be more susceptible to the wind when fastening to the framing.

3. Complete the look with color-matched fastener plugs.

– Sean Collinsgru founded Premier Outdoor Living, LLC, Palmyra, N.J., in 2015 as a design-build firm that specializes in creating unique outdoor living spaces throughout Southern New Jersey.

THE SPEED YOU NEED TO CRUSH THE CLOCK

LEAVE THE COMPETITION IN THE DUST

The speed to tackle more in a day – if you can keep up. For 30-minute posts and same-day slabs, choose Sakrete Fast Setting Concrete Mix. Faster set. Less prep. More jobs. Easy choice.

Get Fast Setting – and get on to what’s next.

Winter 2021

|

See the proof at SakreteFast.com Deck Specialist | 21

PRO Q&A

Every Deck Has Its Day Chris Wolf launched Wisconsin’s Deck Dogs LLC because more of his existing clients wanted decks. By October, he had already built 63 decks. Now Wolf is battling the labor shortage one young pup at a time.

Deck Dogs LLC Specialty: Custom deck building Founder/President: Chris Wolf Year Founded: 2009 Website: deckdogsllc.com Instagram: @deckdogsllc Facebook: Facebook.com/@deckdogsllc YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/ UCNQSKHPUQF3ddCyMBC0zfYg

Q. How did you get started in the decking

industry?

A. I co-founded 2 Dogs Construction LLC in January 2009 after working for a concrete company for many years and then a construction company for a few years. 2 Dogs Construction’s business was primarily remodeling and building residential homes.

After about five years, more and more clients started wanting us to build screen rooms, threeand four-season rooms, and decks. We found ourselves building more decks and screen rooms than remodels in the spring, summer, and fall months. We continued to do remodeling during the winter months.

Q. How did Deck Dogs get started? How did

you come up with the name?

A. After a year of pretty much nothing but building decks as 2 Dogs Construction, LLC, we decided to create a trademark company, which then became Deck Dogs LLC to dual-brand ourselves in the construction industry. Ever since Deck Dogs LLC was established, we have been strictly building outdoor living spaces for clients.

Now, we are building decks all year long with the help of great decking and railing products that allow us to install during the cold Midwest months of the year.

The name was derived from our parent company, 2 Dogs Construction LLC. We wanted to keep the name sort of the same, but simple, so we decided upon Deck Dogs. The “dogs” part of each company came from myself and my oldest

22

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

Chris Wolf

brother, Lenny Wolf. We both, at the time, each had a Great Dane puppy, hence “2 Dogs.” And the “Deck” part is self-explanatory.

Q. What makes Deck Dogs truly unique?

A. We do not focus our business model on

certain sizes of decks or certain locations, within reasonable distance of our service area. We have established ourselves like a well-oiled machine from the first meeting with the client, to the install, to the finishing touches. We take pride in every job that we do, no matter the size.

We also enlist the help of high school kids to work in the summer months to learn the trade and make some money for themselves. We find that not many companies like ours give high

BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE: Wolf looks at each project as a blank canvas and draws a lot of his inspirations from magazines and social media.

school kids the ability to grow their knowledge and skills of basic construction. We teach them every aspect of the deck from footings, framing, decking, to railing. They get the whole nine yards.

Q. What are some challenges your business

faces and how do you manage those complications?

A. The biggest challenge over the past two years has been finding good quality workers who want to learn the trade. We had been experiencing this challenge before COVID, but now it is an even greater challenge. We have posted hiring ads on Instagram, Facebook, and Nextdoor to try to obtain more workers, but, as we are seeing with a lot of companies, there are jobs needed all over the place.

With this issue comes the issue of a smaller crew. We like to hire high school kids, when on summer break, to help them learn the trade, if that is what they want to do, and to earn some

money. You have to pay to get good help and that is what we try to do—pay a wage that is attractive, yet sustainable for a smaller company.

The labor shortage, in our area for sure, is an ongoing issue for everyone right now.

Q. What advice can you give aspiring builders

or those just getting started?

A. The biggest piece of advice that we can give aspiring builders or those just getting started is do not fall into the trap of a lot of overhead right in the beginning. Use the resources that you already have, i.e., your own vehicle, tools, office equipment, etc.

We started 2 Dogs Construction LLC in the midst of the financial bubble burst, so we took advantage of what we had already because we saw a lot of good quality companies go under due to more overhead than they could manage. Take it one day at a time and think through every decision that you make.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

23

USING ELITE products from companies like Deckorators and United Forest Products, Wolf measures each project by how the homeowner feels about the process from start to finish.

Q. Where do you draw inspiration from for

your deck builds?

A. The inspiration for our deck builds comes from our clients, magazines, social media, etc.

We do not focus on one place for our inspiration.

We let our clients tell us what they are looking for and we go from there. It is a blank canvas for each client we meet with.

Q. What new design trends or products have

you noticed that you’re working into your outdoor living builds?

A. We try our best to keep up on the newest design trends and products out there, but being a small company, this can be a challenge.

In our area, most families are looking for sleek, traditional, easy-maintenance decks and nothing that looks out of place for their neighborhood or that will break the bank. We always try to introduce some out-of-the-ordinary options for clients, but it all depends on their tastes.

Q. What do you look for in products and in

companies that you choose to partner with?

A. When we are looking to add a product and/ or company to our product offerings, the number one thing we look for is customer service. If you do not have good customer service, how can you have

24

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

a good quality product?

After customer service, we look at production locations, cost (must be affordable for all customers), warranties, lines (multiple lines for all clients and budgets), colors (the more colors, variegated colors, the better), and added extras (multi-width boards, etc.).

The products must be well made and something that we would install on our own homes, because if we wouldn’t want the products on our house, why would we push to sell it for another person’s house?

We have been fortunate to be able to establish a great relationship with Premier Cooperative in Mt. Horeb, WI.; United Forest Products in Janesville, WI.; and Deckorators, to be able to get good, quality products relatively fast.

Even during the worst times of the pandemic, we were able to get materials shipped from other yards, from other states, to complete our orders.

These are the types of things we look for when deciding to partner with a company.

Q. How do you measure success for each

project and the Deck Dogs business overall?

A. The way we measure success for each project is how the homeowner feels about the process from start to finish. If they are happy with

START ’EM YOUNG. Wolf is no stranger to the labor shortage and finds it important to introduce students to the industry at high school age (left) and he’s even starting with his own kids (right).

the sales, bidding, construction, and finishing, then that’s a sign of true success!

It isn’t about the money; it’s about how we interact with our customers and the final product that we create for them to enjoy for many years to come. We pride ourselves on customer service and that shows by getting repeat customers or having referrals. There’s a sign of success.

Q. What project or accomplishments are you

especially proud of?

A. I am especially proud of our crew(s) and what we have accomplished this year. We installed 63 decks by October 1! We have been able to come up with innovative ways to make the installation of our decks easier and more efficient and our workers have had a hand in doing so.

As of November 1, our Pro Summit 2022 rank is 8. We are especially proud of that accomplishment as we run a small crew most of the year. Again, our strong partnerships have made this possible for us.

Q. What does the future look like for

Deck Dogs?

A. Ahhhh, the future. What I see for the future of Deck Dogs is for us to keep doing what we do best: creating quality outdoor deck spaces using quality materials so families can enjoy them for many years to come. We are hoping to add to our workforce, but as I mentioned earlier, that is a challenge.

More importantly, we want to maintain our relationships—with Premier Cooperative, United Forest Products, and Deckorators. Maintaining these relationships gets passed onto our customers by us providing them with a great product that we can back 100%.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

25

Hot Tub Lessons Learned

By Stephanie Ornelas

Winter is here and that means one thing: it’s hot tub season. No matter where your next project is, whether it’s in Southern California or North Chicago, it’s a known fact that most homeowners appreciate a hot soak.

But not all decks and their hot tubs are built the same. Three outdoor living pros share a few lessons they’ve learned when installing hot tubs in their projects.

Leave some room.

One thing the carpentry team at Webfoot, Bend, OR., specializes in is building decks around sunken hot tubs, says owner Gavin Hepp.

“We recently finished a deck with a sunken hot tub in it and if you look at it, you’ll see we’ve got the radius on the hot tub, and we also have our

26

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

deck boards perfectly scribed all the way around with a nice gap on them,” Hepp explained. “The reason for the gap is that way when your hot tub needs work or if it ever needs to be replaced, there’s plenty of room for it to be craned out.”

To carry out this necessary feature, Hepp and his team installed hatches for easy access to the hot tub panel.

“Just lift her right up and start working on your hot tub. And it’s the same for all sides. In this certain situation, and most decks that we deal with that have hot tubs, the concrete slab and foundation for the hot tub is already there.”

Hepp continued, “Any time you have short pieces of decking, oftentimes they’ll look a little jagged or they won’t line up. But if you look at our decks, you’ll notice that we have perfectly

straight lines going all the way across through the hatch. You don’t even know it’s there. With the hot tub sitting down in your deck, it’s a lot easier to get in and out, and your deck feels a lot more roomy.”

Proper planning is essential.

“A lot of folks ask me if dropping a hot tub in a deck is a good idea,” said Dave Faust, also know as Spa Guy Dave. “The big question that most people have to ask is: ‘Is it serviceable? Is there access to it?’ So, if you can achieve the access, then it’s not a bad idea, but in almost all cases builders and homeowners will find that accessing the equipment is one major challenge.”

In one project Faust responded to, the customer initially decided to go with a large access panel on the side, which he explained was fine at the time, but it grew into a big challenge.

“It became a huge issue because it only provided access to one particular pump and this master spa has three pumps,” he said. “Further down the line there’s another pump tucked all

the way to the side and there are posts blocking the way. And unfortunately, there was another pump buried deep on the right, so this spa was decked in.”

According to Faust, a situation like this meant the entire deck had to be torn out to get to the third pump. “Proper planning is key in order to achieve the right kind of access,” he said.

“Better out than in” is not always the case.

Build Updates is a regular video series by Jason “Dr. Decks” Russell. Throughout the series, Russell refers to what he calls “advanced hot tub maneuvers,” where he documents the installations of his projects that involve installing (or replacing) hot tubs in his decks. And the lessons he’s learned are invaluable.

In one video where Russell frames up a hot tub landing, he explained what he had to do when a customer wanted their hot tub higher up.

“We had to raise the hot tub 12” off its existing foundation because the clients wanted the hot

EASY ACCESS: Builders Faust and Hepp both agree that leaving proper space between the tub and the deck for access and service is key.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

27

tub a little higher up so it’s easier to get into,” Russell said.

The first thing he did was get a set of 2x12s into the large hole that would soon hold the hot tub. “Then we decked it out with some plywood to give it a nice, flat, load bearing capacity for the hot tub before dropping it right in the hole.”

But a big task, according to Russell, was actually getting the hot tub out in the first place.

“That was a huge challenge. We started out with a duck-bill jack and we stuffed it under the side of the tub and just raised it up an inch,” he explained. “Then we stuffed some blocks in there and we just kept raising it up with this duck-bill until we got about a foot-and-a-half off one side.

Next we shoved some 6x6s under and dropped the duck-bill so the tub kind of had a seesaw effect.”

That wasn’t all. Russell explained how certain sides of the tub were easier to reach than others due to an access hole that was on just one side.

“My associate Andy then took some 4x6s and used them as big cantilevers. He stuck them under the tub and pushed them down, then clamped it to the deck so they got one side up out of the hole. After he went over on the other side and did the same thing.”

By putting 4x6s under the hot tub, the tub was eventually up and out of the deck, Russell explained. “And by using long pipes, we rolled the tub off the 4x6s and onto a large piece of plywood where it sat until it was ready to go back in.”

Keep it clean.

A common question when installing a hot tub in a deck is how to manage rot and decay. After

THE PERFECT FIT: According to Dr. Decks, one of the biggest challenges was placing the heavy tub back into its hole.

PROPER MEASUREMENT is crucial when it comes to removing and placing the tub in its intended spot.

framing the 2x12 platform and placing it in the hole, Russell had to deal with this next task.

“We G-taped the side of the platform so any dirt that sluffs on in the future against the wood doesn’t rot it. Then we G-taped the top of the plywood and lapped it over the side of the 2x12s so it protects the deck from future rot and decay,” added Russell.

Save the heaviest for last.

PROVIDING a seamless transition to a serviceneeds hatch makes for a clean surface.

28

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

Once Russell had the hot tub nearly installed, there was one final (and very heavy) challenge to get through.

“We had the daunting task of lowering a corner of the hot tub. It was so heavy and there was only two of us, so what we had to do was take a jack and extend it all the way... pop it a little bit... pull out some blocks... lower it down... put the blocks back in... then reset the jack... pull it up and pull out another block... then lower it down. And we kept doing that until we got it safely down onto the hot tub platform,” he explained.

Daunting indeed. But what could have happened had he not been so meticulous?

“We could just drop the thing but then you’re risking damaging it or causing a leak and no one wants that.”

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

29

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

SHAPE OF WATER

Artistic accents set the tone for hybrid deck/dock When the design team for Holloway Company of Virginia started designing a two-level hybrid deck/dock and swim platform on a pond for a family in Loudoun County, they considered the lush greenery surrounding it. And with the help of the client, they came up with incorporating leaf-shapes into the design to represent the trees.

According to Holloway Company, headed by owner/ president Ted Holloway Tidmore, the homeowners and their two college-age sons wanted to spend leisure time, fishing, swimming and having meals by the pond.

“We designed and built the two-level, leaf-shaped dock with MoistureShield Vision featuring CoolDeck, a proprietary technology that reduces deck surface temperature by up to 35%,” said rep for Holloway. “This was very important because the dock gets direct sun most of the day and imagine that on bare feet.”

Because water levels change based on the weather, any splashovers were a concern, so they relied on MoistureShield’s ability to be submerged and get wet on a regular basis. The designers explained that when 30

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

By Maureen Murray Photos courtesy of MoistureShield

ABOVE: This deck/dock was built with MoistureShield Vision capped composite decking due to the product’s durability in wet environments. Its Solid Core manufacturing process slowly encapsulates each board’s wood fibers.

NATURE-INSPIRED dock showed such a high level of creativity and functionality, it won first place among docks in this year’s NADRA Deck+ Competition.

USING MoistureShield Vision grooved boards with their universal clip hidden fasteners, the crew made their own plugs with a plug cutter to match the decking.

they first tried mimicking the pond’s lily pads, because of their a weird shape, the drawing ended up looking like Pac-Men. So they decided to go with a traditional leaf to replicate the trees around the pond.

“We let our creativity really go on this one and it turned out to be a head-turning design,” said the rep. “It’s very different and organic for a nice blend into the scenery.”

The result was a dock/deck with a floating platform that is tethered to the dock, so it can float out in the deeper parts of the pond for swimming.

Holloway’s team of craftsman said the most challenging part of constructing the dock was setting the piers to support the whole structure into the muck and rock.

“We used a helix pier auger—which looks like a big screw to get deep into the bottom of the pond. We had to work on a floating barge and the auger would often twist, as the machine drilled into the ground from the make-shift barge,” he said. “Because we mostly build decks and this was our first dock, we didn’t have the typical large barge to drill the piers that supports it to keep it from twisting. With a lot of perseverance, we did it.”

The other consideration was this dock had an upper and lower deck with a space between that is open to the water. The homeowner wanted to put in some rocks and decorative driftwood under clear Lexan paneling to serve as a walk-on aquarium over the dock. The two leaf-shaped sections are at different levels, so you step up from one leaf to the next. The Holloway crew also constructed

built-in benches with holes cut in to support patio umbrellas to help shield the intense sun.

Using MoistureShield Vision grooved boards with their universal clip hidden fasteners and a few face fasteners around the perimeter, the Holloway crew made their own plugs with a plug cutter to match the decking. “It was very easy to cut and work with, using jigsaws to cut curves and leaf-shapes,” according the crew.

Once they jigged the tight curves with the MoistureShield boards, the team bent a darker border made with another material around the outer edges. MoistureShield Vision’s CoolDeck feature and extreme moisture resistance answered two of the homeowner’s concerns because of the all-day sun and the pond’s occasional rise in water.

The client was also planning to adjust his dam because of the vast spring and summer rains in Virginia. The Holloway team found the dock’s water management really came into play to make it usable full time. The family is able to use the floating portion attached to the main area with a bungee and venture out to deeper water to swim.

Since the property already had the pond when the homeowners moved in, they always dreamed about maximizing a deck/dock to relax and catch some sun. The Holloway team said they were happy to hear that the family was able to enjoy the dock in full this past summer. Holloway was able to capture the homeowner’s vision to make the design work and really blend in with the woods and pond, and having the right decking material means they get to enjoy it more often.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

31

PRODUCT DEMOS and seminars were offered all throughout the show.

DeckExpo makes a splash in Dallas The return of DeckExpo was a special moment for builders and outdoor living professionals after a year of show cancellations and chaotic demand throughout the industry.

Attendees and exhibitors alike were not disappointed.

The show kicked off at Kay Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas November 16-18 and was held in conjunction with the annual Pool |Patio|Spa Expo.

With product demonstrations and learning seminars offered throughout the event, deck builders and pool specialists were able to submerge themselves in all things outdoor living.

“I spoke to many vendors, and all seemed to be very satisfied with the turnout,” said the owner of BP Consulting & Design, Bobby Parks. “For me, DeckExpo has always been about the people.

It’s the connection with fellow contractors, vendors reps, and all that are involved in our industry that mean the most to me. The expo provides an opportunity to reunite with good friends and make new ones. It has become somewhat of a reunion for many of us and each year it’s like your family of contractor friends gets larger.”

32

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

Among the seminars offered was deck design for hot tubs and the codes related to the hot tub placement and the deck around it.

During a session on leakproof deck ledger flashing, builders saw approaches to minimize trapping debris between decking and flashing.

And for a bonus, they learned how to flash cantilevered wood joists at the face of the wall to pro-

DECKEXPO was held in conjunction with the annual Pool | Spa | Patio Expo in Dallas.

PRECISION CONSTRUCTION’S Scott Kelly (right) with Anthony Lombardo from Premier Outdoor Living.

NADRA’S Michael Beaudry delivers a presentation to members and attendees on day two of the event.

tect this vulnerable location.

Other popular sessions covered sizing and designing wood deck beams, the art of landscape, identifying new business and design trends, and small space design.

In addition to seminars and educational sessions, the trade show was robust, and featured new products like Monarch Technologies’ new Monadeck ceramic composite decking line, the CAMO ClipDRIVE, and Thermory’s Barrel Sauna.

“There’s nothing like seeing and experiencing

a product in person, at a trade show with other professionals—especially when it’s a deck board,” said builder and showgoer Jason Morales. “You can mail out PR packages all month but there’s just a different type of energy when you have everyone in a room.“ Deckorators hosted a happy hour event at its booth and introduced new products via the Ultimate Deck Podcast.

“The composite decking and railing industry has exploded since early 2020 with unseen demand and record sales. It’s the perfect time to

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

33

THERMORY showed off its newest offering—Barrell Saunas.

VIA THE ULTIMATE Deck Podcast, Deckorators announced their offerings and hosted a lively happy hour.

DURING THE SHOW, Deckorators showed a few of its top builders a night on the town—(left to right) Rian Leblanc, Nick Larr, Don Smith, Raul Torres.

LAST ISSUE’S cover stars Levi and Kevin Tippetts of TC Decks.

34

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

CAMO used the event to debut the new CAMO ClipDRIVE.

be at DeckExpo,” DeBoer said.

The owner of TC Decks, Levi Tippetts, was roaming the show floor when he stopped by Deck Specialist’s booth. “This was the first DeckExpo I have attended, and it didn’t disappoint,” said Tippetts.

“A big highlight for me was to be able to meet a lot of my fellow deck building friends. There are some awesome and creative people I truly admire in this industry. And it was so fun for me to learn about new products and vendors. All in all, it was a very positive experience for me. I will go back for sure every year.”

With builder confidence high and no sign of demand slowing down, the event was an overall success. Attendees and exhibitors agreed that although attendance was understandably low, conversations were much more meaningful.

“It’s a quality over quantity thing,” said builder Scott Kaplan. “If you’re getting solid leads and having great conversations, who cares how many people are in attendance? It’s a good investment. Large crowds don’t always mean success. It’s about what you get out of it for your business.”

Show organizers announced the annual event will be held next year in Las Vegas.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

35

The Deck Builder’s Holiday Gift Guide Looking for a last-minute present for your fellow contractor? Here are some gift ideas that are guaranteed to make the builders in your life smile this holiday season.

Speak Tough For the contractor who loves to work to their favorite tunes, a durable speaker with good sound quality is perfect for them.

Built by Klein Tools for harsh conditions, the rugged box has a powerful magnet that sticks to surfaces (or the brand’s own LED light tool bag), making it handsfree and users can connect via Bluetooth. The battery also lasts for up to 10 hours, perfect for long projects. [www.kleintools.com] Retail Price: $37.97

Magnetic Wristband BinyaTools’ Magnetic Wristband features strong magnets that hold screws, nails, drill bits and more—creating a truly hands-on (or is it on-hands?) tool box. [www.binyatools.com] Retail Price: $17.97

Give ’em the Boot Achieving the highest levels of protection while also delivering a great-looking boot was the inspiration for Muck’s Chore Farm Leather collection, perfect for stylish builders.

Not only is the Chore Farm Leather able to stand up to acidic and alkaline elements, they’re flame resistant and tested for breathability and tear resistance. [www.muckbootcompany.com] Retail Price: $17.97

36

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

Film Buffs

Sign your builder buddies up for AMC Stubs A-List this holiday season so they can catch up on all the latest feature films in any state.

Those who join AMC’s monthly movie membership can make free reservations in advance and watch movies in any format, including Dolby Cinema, IMAX, and RealD 3D. They can also indulge in the premium perks of AMC Stubs Premiere, including 10% back on food and drink purchases.

Sock It to Them

Woodsy Water Bottle

You’ll hit the nail on the head with this fun gift for all your teammates.

These unique tool graphic socks for men are comfortable and stylish, and show off a builder’s true passion.

Help keep your colleagues hydrated with the Hydro Flask Escape Limited Edition 32-oz.

Wide Mouth Water Bottle.

Whether you find yourself on the coast, in the desert, or in the mountains, the bottle is perfect for those long workdays.

[www.sockdrawer.com] Retail Price: $12.00

[www.evo.com] Retail Price: $30.00-$50.00

[www.amctheatres.com] Retail Price: $23.99/month

MOSO® Bamboo X-treme®

High density Sustainable supply Dimensionally stable in any climate Premium hardwood alternative certified

100% Fraser Decks & Patio Covers

proven

Reily Imagery

www.moso-bamboo.com/x-treme MOSO_ADV-365_half_page2021-11.indd 1

Winter 2021

|

37

18-11-2021 15:31:04

Deck Specialist

|

Brew for the Crew For contractors who love suds, this IPA brewing kit contains everything they’ll need to turn their kitchen into a craft brewery: 100% malt extract, specialty grains, high quality yeast, and, of course, aromatic Summit and Cascade hops sourced from Washington State’s Yakima Valley.

Transformed through the simple techniques and included equipment, the finished ale brandishes a delightfully complex hop profile with citrus, floral, and spicy notes. The kit makes one gallon or 10 12-oz. bottles.

All-Weather Writing Your fellow deck builder friends will appreciate the Fisher Matte Black Bullet Space Pen, a waterproof, all-weather pen.

A viable option for construction sites that get often battered by the elements, the pen can write under water and has even been tested in outer space. [www.spacepen.com] Retail Price: $25.50

[www.uncommongoods.com] Retail Price: $20.00-$45.00

Carnivore Collection

Cup of Joe for a Pro Gift your colleagues with this clever 14-oz.

“Caution, Builder at Work” mug, perfect for those early mornings.

Featuring a unique power drill-shaped handled, the quality printed mug from Home-X is made out of premium ceramic. [www.amazon.com] Retail Price: $12.00

38

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

Contractors who have a knack for cooking will appreciate a kit from Omaha Steaks. The kits feature everything needed for a delicious steakhouse dinner right from home.

Choose from 14 different options to customize a box that include bacon-wrapped pork chops, scalloped potatoes, and chocolate molten lava cakes for dessert.

On top of the Steakhouse DIY box, other choices include The Ultimate Holiday gift package and the Carnivore Collection. [www.omahasteaks.com] Retail Price: $99.99-$159.00

STRUCTURAL

STAIN & FADE

REMOVAL & REPLACEMENT

STRUCTURAL

LIGHTWEIGHT

STRUCTURAL

GET THIS LOOK Voyage Decking in Sedona paired with ALX Contemporary Pre-assembled Railing in Textured Black with solar post caps

STAIN & FADE

REMOVAL & REPLACEMENT LIGHTWEIGHT

LIGHTWEIGHT

UNMATCHED BEAUTY SEDONA

KHAYA

COSTA

MESA

TUNDRA

SIERRA

Introducing Sedona - the new color to join our Voyage decking line for 2022

Learn more at

Deckorators.com/2022

NEW

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

39

STAIN & FADE

R

ON THE HOUSE THE CAREY BROS.

Farewell.

After 35 years of hosting On the House with the Carey Bros., we will hang up our headphones for good on December 31. Our final radio program will be aired on Saturday December 25 and our last Tip of the Day will air on December 31. Additionally, this will be our final offering for Deck Specialist.

Heartfelt thanks to our audience for welcoming us into their homes week in and week out for over 1,800 episodes and 5,000 hours of our program. Thanks to Deck Specialist for creating a forum for us to share our experience and passion with you.

We began our career in local radio in San Francisco. In short order that led to local TV and print. It wasn’t long before all went national, which led to several books and appearances from coast-to-coast and border-to-border. We even landed in the Oval Office with a remote broadcast from the White House!

Our most satisfying memory is knowing that we were an available resource for consumers and their home improvement woes. Lending a hand to seniors, widows, and young first-time homeowners brought us particular gratification.

We are equally grateful that we could offer sage advice and share our experience to pros—new and old—in the hopes that our offerings would be of benefit personally and professionally.

We have never taken ourselves too seriously and did our best to dole out advice in a clear and entertaining fashion. We will miss our brotherly banter with our audience—both consumer and pro—and the wealth of information and tips, which they so generously shared.

It’s been a great run, but it’s time to sweep up the sawdust in the studio and workshop one last time; pack up our tools; and take a house full 40

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

of memories with us. We will now turn our full attention to our design/build home remodeling company in the San Francisco Bay Area where we have helped to make home improvement dreams come true for over four decades.

Business is booming and requires full attention from these two “senior citizens.” We have a great team and we are certain, as the sun will eventually set on this chapter of our lives, that what we have worked so hard to build will be perpetuated.

We leave our consumer audience in good hands as our good friend Danny Lipford with Today’s Homeowner Radio steps in to be their one-stop resource for help with their homes commencing on January 1.

We’ve known Danny for many years and consider him to be one of the best in the business. He’s an accomplished builder and a natural on-air. He has a warm, friendly style and easy-to-listen-to delivery. We are confident that Danny will take good care of the folks that have come to depend on us to help them care for their piece of the Great American Dream. We can’t think of anyone to whom we would rather pass on the torch.

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. We wish you and your family peace, joy, good health, and all the best now and in the future.

The Carey Bros.—James and Morris—are nationally known experts on home renovation and hosts of a weekly radio program and syndicated newspaper column, both titled On the House (onthehouse.com).

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

41

PARKS AND DECK CREATION BOBBY PARKS

Are you providing the right intel for potential customers?

From the time a customer begins looking for a contractor to the point they finalize a decision with a builder, a number of qualifying and sales processes have occurred. Some are occurring on the customers side and some on yours. But for this process to even begin requires they find and contact you, which usually involves a referral or that they obtain intel on your company through other means.

You have to be identified and vetted by potential prospects. Past customers may know how good you are from personal experience, but new prospects know nothing about you. Referrals are great but mean you are relying on chance and that the phone will always ring. This approach works until it doesn’t.

Having a simple program in place that assists with leads and customer connections provides stability in the long run.

How you appear when a potential customer begins to seek out a contractor directly impacts the odds of whether you’ll be contacted or passed by. Most homeowners do their due diligence online with web searches. They are on a reconnaissance mission searching out intel to find out who can deliver the type of project they want.

Most will cull out contractors using two qualifying requirements which are websites and reviews. For example, when someone searches for a “deck builder near me,” a map will appear with three or four contractors shown underneath. Once they click on “View All,” a longer list appears.

42

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

Although the order in this specific listing matters, what is even more important is how you appear on the list because the culling process has begun.

The potential customer begins to compile a list of those who provide the simple intel required to deserve further consideration. A name alone tells them very little and you are likely skipped over if its not accompanied by links to other information.

I often do the same type of search but for different reasons. Some of my travels include searching out outdoor living contractors in various markets and visiting with them. I am looking for operators that might be open to using a product I represent.

Similar to a customer searching for an outdoor living contractor or deck builder that can deliver the kind of project they desire, I’m searching online to see who offers the type of projects that include higher end options. I can spot and cull candidates quickly. I’ll scroll through and see who has websites. The ones that don’t I skip over.

It’s not that they might not be the best craftsman, but I can’t tell because there is no intel to go by. With a website I can get a read of what a particular company is about and what type of jobs they deliver within 30 seconds of landing on a site.

Right now leads and jobs are plentiful with an abundance of potential customers. But at some point the economy will slip back to a more normal time where business fundamentals come back into play. And even though many contractors have gotten by or done well with referrals, future

IF YOU Google “deck builders near me,” a map will appear with three or four contractors shown underneath. Once you hit, “view all,”a longer list appears. How you appear on the list is so important.

contractors with progressive mindsets will likely fare better in both sales and profit stability.

To not invest and adopt simple aspects beyond counting on referrals could make the difference for pricing and profit. For some (not all), “referrals only” generally means that you’re selling at average profit margins due to limited quote opportunities compared to a mix of web and

referral leads. So having the right structure and approach assist with consistency even when demand is down.

Some of the best craftsmen I know don’t have websites. But all of the successful companies that I know do. Do a local search yourself just to see how contractors appear. For anyone to have interest in you, you’ll need to provide the simple intel required.

It begins with showing a website and reviews.

Without these two aspects there’s no intel on you that a prospect can review so they move on to others that do. What the website looks like, the photos you show, and what’s said in reviews will keep you in contention or bump you off the list.

Without these elements you are just an unknown name on a list of many.

Bobby Parks is a nationally known contractor who has delivered over $40 million of outdoor living projects. He is founder and former owner of Peachtree Decks & Porches LLC and current president of BP Consulting & Design LLC.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

43

SET THE STANDARD BRENDAN CASEY

Controlling the uncontrollable Who would have dreamed these last two years would have turned out this way? We have experienced a myriad of industry transformations over the past 24 months, whether it’s supply, personnel, health, pricing, mergers, buyouts, new or discontinued products, inability to acquire necessary materials, back orders, canceled orders or forces majeure—it seems like we’ve heard it all.

However, the crazy thing is that between skyrocketing prices and empty shelves, the lumber yards, suppliers, distributors, manufacturers and best of all, contractors, have been reporting record sales numbers. It’s astonishing how we have not only managed to tread water but ride a Bonsai pipeline-like wave to the shores of success.

If you can adapt to an ever-changing market environment and overcome the challenges that are seemingly beyond our control, this is a great time in history to be a Deck Specialist. Many of the challenges can be reined in and less frustrating if we follow the adage of “fortune favors the prepared.”

We can sit back and wait for the bad things to happen to us and complain to everyone about it, or we can grab the bull by the horns and make success happen. The contractors who found a greater level of accomplishment this year are the ones who quickly adapted to the early issues of 2020, strengthened their positions for 2021, and are now poised to strike hard leading into 2022.

My personal research has shown that count44

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

less forward-thinking builders have pre-ordered and pre-purchased an abundance of incidental products and supplies during the off season to be ahead of the game when the busy season hits. In turn, this has allowed them to keep their employees working while other crews are sitting home, complaining, and waiting on supplies.

Another major aspect of controlling the uncontrollable pertains to the permit, submission, review, and inspection phases of a project. You could have the greatest sales team and closing ratios in the industry and a tremendous catalog of projects, but if you are unable to obtain a permit or inspection approvals, you have done nothing but waste valuable time, money, assets, and opportunities that could have been better served on other efforts.

Again, you are trading minutes, hours, and days for dollars, and you can’t afford to waste any of it on unproductive, unprofitable enterprises.

Since the start of COVID, most permit offices have curtailed their walk-in traffic. The days of sitting down with a plan reviewer and discussing a project face-to-face have come to an end for a good deal of us. It’s a bummer. How often did you just have a five-minute conversation with the reviewer, clarify any questions and walk out with a permit? Not too often anymore.

Now, many of these offices have experienced a colossal amount of turnover with reviewers and inspectors that no longer know you from the man on the moon. No more benefit of the doubt. More

and more we are hearing from plan reviewers and inspectors, “if it’s not in the book, we can’t approve it,” when in reality, what you are presenting is above and beyond “the book.”

This is another instance where getting an engineer stamp will help alleviate the headaches.

Lately I’ve had conversations with contractors all over the country and beyond that have had a tumultuous time navigating the permit process.

As leaders of the industry in our communities, you have a certain responsibility to help the government officials along the way. You will find that being more proactive, scheduling meetings with the heads of these departments and presenting to them the new products, design features, techniques, and materials we foresee using in the upcoming year.

Provide them with the ICC/ ESR reports on new products and any additional info they may require. Or if you have devised some new twists or techniques on install methods as so many of you have, it would be advisable to get engineer-stamped drawings ahead of time. This way, when you present it to the code enforcement officials, you are in essence telling them this is already approved. Most of the time they will

WE ARE seeing ornate rail panels, lattice sections, built in walls, etc. that are beautiful but will need engineer-stamped drawings in order to be installed in a lot of areas.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

45

BUILDERS are mixing in stone decking, fireplaces and bars that overload the span and load requirements.

thank you, accept it, and allow you to move on.

If you’re going to do anything out of the ordinary, it’s imperative that you check with your permit office and gain approval on the concept before selling a project that you will become contractually obligated to complete.

There isn’t much worse in this industry than to sell the job and then get denied. I have read about this horror story on social media too often to mention. These contractors have just given away irrecuperable time and money. Painful.

By going to the permit office ahead of time you would have been able to receive guidance from the official, allow them to be involved with the process, ask for their advice and tweak the design a little. People love to be empowered. It usually makes them more receptive to your new ideas.

Just work with them.

Today’s craftsmen have raised the bar to levels we never thought possible even a decade ago. The new blood in our industry has injected it with creativity, concepts, design ideas, combinations of materials, textures and mediums that has turned the landscape of outdoor artistry upside down. It’s almost scary what’s being put on display these days. Clients are pulling photos off social media and asking for similar products that have your eyes spinning in an almost hypnotic state.

Just look at the caliber of entries in the last few NADRA (North American Deck and Railing Association) awards contests; they are fantastic. Don’t forget to get your incredible projects entered, the deadline for this year’s contest is fast approaching and I’m guessing it will be one of the best ever. But the point is just because you see something on one project, it doesn’t mean it will automatically be allowed in your jurisdiction.

Please, please, make sure you get it approved ahead of time.

46

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

We are seeing some beautifully ornate rail panels, lattice sections, built in walls, barriers, etc. that are extraordinary looking but will need engineer-stamped drawings in order to be installed in a lot of areas. Those administrative fees can cost you the entirety of your profits if you didn’t properly pre-plan for it.

For another look at how far our industry has come, look back at the Deck Specialists of the Year award winners and you will be inspired by where this industry is going. The only drawback is that the local permit offices and inspectors are finding themselves in unfamiliar territory.

We need to remember that codes are written several years before they are released, adopted, accepted, and then implemented. It can be like a computer that’s practically out of date the day you bought it. We now have frameless glass railings and steel framing that can even be curved.

Companies are mixing steel components with specially treated lumber. They are utilizing custom treated glulam beams for greater spans, water walls and waterfalls, privacy and semiprivate rail products that weren’t necessarily designed for that application, and inlays that alter the framing and elevations that exceed code.

We are mixing in stone decking, fireplaces, bars, kitchens, and outdoor theaters, and overloading the span and load requirements. These need to be accounted for when gaining permit approval and not just added after the fact. The list could go on for pages and this is leaving plan reviewers and inspectors completely baffled and bewildered—ultimately putting them in over their heads.

This brings us back to the point of being proactive, providing them with as much info as possible, including compliance reports, engineer stamped drawings and data necessary to keep the jobs rolling. Otherwise, the next best of the best overall, national award-winning masterpiece could end up being shot down or become too costly on the administrative end because you failed to run it past code enforcement ahead of time and ending up in the trash.

Deck Specialists don’t sit around and wait to fail. They come prepared to succeed. Let’s go make ‘22 an even better year.

With 35+ years experience in construction, Brendan Casey, with his wife Dianna, launched Casey Fence & Deck, Frederick, MD., fulfilling a growing need in the outdoor living market for an innovative and creative custom builder.

THE NEXT GENERATION IN VIRTUAL EVENTS

Forget “normal,” create something better.

The future of events is both live and digital.

Let’s create something better together.

“The best digital event I’ve attended since the pandemic began.”

- KURT WESTURLUND

Tradeshows National Sales Meetings New Product Launches Open Houses VIP Customer Events

LEA R N M OR E www.526.events

C ONT AC T Padams@526mediagroup.com

PRODUCT REVIEWS MARV JOHNSON

Makita GT200D 40V MAX XGT Brushless Drill & Driver Kit www.makita.com Retail Price: $449.00

Makita XGT Drill/Driver Life is funny. Our perception of ourselves is the one constant in our lives. I still perceive myself as the same person I was at any point along my life’s timeline. Even when we get an “outside” glimpse of ourselves, what we see is somehow distorted. Remember the first time you heard a recording of your own voice? You were most likely surprised. Some people are so put off, they refuse to listen to their recorded voice.

This translates to our ability to see the outward changes that surround us, recognizing some and missing others. For example, we clearly see our kids become adults, adults become seniors, seniors become elderly. With “things” or “stuff,” the change is more difficult to see. Like your “new” truck that was purchased 10 years ago. Or the top-of-the-line iPhone7 that the 20-year-old “Genius” at the Apple Store giggles at, before suggesting an upgrade to the iPhone 13. Huh? What about iPhones 8 through 12? Did I miss all of those?

Tools are no different. I have a Hitachi NR83A Framing Nailer that I purchased after starting my business in 1996. I still use this gun today, and the same nailer, unchanged (sans one driver replacement) even after all this time. I have a first-run Stiletto titanium framing hammer I recently retired. After years of riding around in my tool pouch, its hickory handle was worn part48

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

way through, the wood abraded by constant rubbing on my leather bags. Dramatic changes can occur incrementally, going unnoticed. The lesson is that sometimes it takes a focused effort to see great change over a given period of time.

No industry has seen as much change over time as the cordless power tool manufacturers.

No tool has changed or improved more than the humble cordless drill/driver. Recently, as I was getting ready to test the new Makita GT200D 40V Max XGT Brushless Drill/Driver Kit, I took a minute to compare the included GPH01 40V Cordless Hammer Drill/Driver and my own personal early ’90s Makita 6041D 4.8V Cordless Drill. Wow! It’s hard to believe that both these tools were designed by Makita and intended to perform the same tasks: drilling and driving.

Look a bit closer and you see changes everywhere. Clunky, energy sparse Nickel Cadmium batteries have given way to energy dense Lithium Ion Polymer batteries with 10 times the voltage and half the weight (4.8 volts versus 40 volts).

More power equals more speed. The maximum of 450 RPM from my 6041D pales in comparison to 2600 RPM for the GPH01, along with the capacity to drill into wood, masonry and metal.

Cordless tool technology has evolved exponentially over the course of my career. Spurred by improvements in battery chemistry, new cells

are able to achieve greater power density, while advances in motor technology has resulted in new, powerful and hyper-efficient brushless electric motors. This combination of advancements has resulted in the development of hundreds of tools that would have been unimaginable previously. It is safe to say that the GPH01 is orders of magnitude better than the 6041D. Now, let’s take a closer look at the GT200D.

XGT, LXT, LXT X2, DIY, LOL...

One thing’s for sure, the acronym is king when it comes to cordless tool marketing. Makita seems to be leading the way. The company introduced its current high-performance 18-volt tool ecosystem in 2005. Still in use today, the 18V LXT platform now powers more cordless tools than any other.

As of today’s date, there are in excess of 275 individual tools powered with the LXT battery. So if one battery is good, two batteries should be twice as good. That was the ideology that developed the LXT X2 platform. Launching a line of 36-volt tools driven by two 18-volt LXT batteries.

The 18V LXT X2 was touted as the answer to the “cordless jobsite” of the future. Turns out, it was not. Sadly, the addition of a second battery

provided only a modest performance improvement and a huge weight penalty. This increased weight had a huge negative impact on tool balance. The LXT X2 tools were expensive, bulky, overweight and awkward during use. After some initial hype, the platform foundered, before slipping into relative obscurity.

Then in 2020 Makita announced the launch of an entirely new discrete battery ecosystem and the 40V XGT Battery Platform was born. Roughly

Protection to Safeguard your Customer’s Wooden Deck Structure

INSTALLS ON LEDGER BOARDS • JOIST TOPS • JOIST ENDS • POSTS

Stocking DeckWrap PowerBond® gives you additional sales opportunities when selling decking materials. This self-adhering waterproofing membrane is suitable for use with treated, untreated and synthetic woods. Start realizing new sales today by calling 800-882-7663.

Winter 2021

|

mfmbp.com

Deck Specialist

|

49

equal in size and weight, both the 40V and 18V use the same size, voltage and quantity of individual cells. The final voltage of the assembled battery is then determined by how the cells are wired together. When wired in series, each cell’s voltage is additive to the next, with a summed voltage close to 40 volts = XGT. When wired in parallel, as two banks of five cells each, the pack voltage is 18.5 volts = LXT. Makita decided the two platforms would be independent, discrete systems, each designed for separate, but complementary markets—the LXT for the professional tradesperson/craftsman and the XGT for the extreme-duty, heavy industrial user.

While built out independently, they made the XGT charger capable of charging the LXT batteries as well. Not only will the DC40RA Rapid Optimum Charger charge both 18V LXT and 40V XGT batteries, but it charges them fast. For the included BL 4025 batteries, the charge time is listed at 25 minutes. Ours charged in just over 20 minutes when tested in the field. Ironically, the 18V LXT batteries charge even faster.

Unboxing the GT200D XGT Kit

The kit is comprised of the GPH01 40V Brushless Cordless 1/2” Hammer Drill/Driver and the GDT01 40V Brushless 4-Speed Impact Driver.

Also included are two BL4025 XGT 40V, 2.5 Ah, 90Wh XGT Li-ion batteries and the DC40RA 40V XGT Battery Charger with ADP 10 LXT Battery Charge Adapter. Finally, Makita includes a medium sized Cordura nylon “tool bag.” Readers familiar with me know I am not a fan.

It used to be that when you purchased a professional-grade tool, it always came in a high-quality, locking, painted steel case. Inside, it was designed to securely support and protect the tool housed within it. The fitted cradles and foam blocks matched to the tool perfectly. Additionally, there was space provided to securely and safely store accessories for the tool. From there we began to see a similar design but generally blow-molded from polyethylene. These plastic versions of the tool case were less durable with plastic latches and hinges that would fail from use fatigue. They also sealed poorly, allowing water to wick its way in and then get trapped inside of the blow-molded inner and outer cases.

From there, tool manufacturers realized that they needed a cheaper alternative still. So they developed the Cordura bag. Purely a cost-cutting measure, these soft-sided “carriers” are next to worthless. In short order they become a disorganized catch-all, housing a jumbled mess of tools and accessories. Many pros will do what I did—repurpose the bag as a reusable grocery bag

50

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

(for which it works well) and order the Makita #197211-7 medium-size stacking and latching box plus the Kaizen foam insert for fitting to the tools themselves. The box plus insert will set you back about $62. While not cheap, it really is money well spent. Seems sort of cheap or chintzy to not include this with the tool purchase.

For reasons unbeknownst to me, Makita tools purchased in Australia, New Zealand or Tasmania include the old-school painted steel cases, similar to what I describe above. Just one more good reason to move to Australia or New Zealand.

GPH01 1/2” Brushless Hammer Drill/Driver The GPH01 Hammer Drill/Driver’s specs are very impressive. Powered by a Makita-built brushless motor, it delivers a maximum torque of 1250 inch-lbs., handily out-powering other driver/ drills in heavy load applications.

It is equipped with a mechanical two-speed (high/low) gearbox and rotating mode selector (drill, drive, hammer) and an electronic torque control set via a thumbwheel and small display at the base of the tool. In low speed mode (1) there are 41 adjustment levels and in high-speed mode (2) there are 21 adjustment levels.

To protect the operator from torque-related injuries (ie., kickback), the tool is equipped with Active Feedback Sensing Technology, forcibly stopping the tool in the event the rotation of the chuck is stalled. An accelerometer senses the chuck stall and electronically brakes the motor, thus preventing a potentially injurious kickback event. In all modes and at all torque levels a silky

smooth variable speed trigger provides the final speed control precisely. The tool is designed to drill up to a 13/16” hole in steel or masonry materials and up to a 6” hole in wood. It will drive a 3/8”x3-1/2” wood screw, and up to a 1/4” machine screw accordingly.

The weight of the tool, battery and auxiliary handle (side grip) is approximately 6 lbs.; it feels like a substantial and heavy duty tool in hand and during use. Right out of the gate, the crew used it to drill 60 countersink recesses, each to a precise depth of 1-1/4”. We followed with 60 1/2”x6” holes in a 30-year-old concrete slab. The GPH01 was then configured for driving 60 1/2”x6” Simpson Titen HD fasteners, snugging the posts securely to the concrete. It performed all of these tasks with no appreciable loss of power or excessive heat from the motor’s cooling vents.

Wanting to push it a little harder, I then chucked up a new Makita 3”self-feeding drill bit and proceeded to auger out another 15 holes, drilling completely through a 4x4 PT DF piece of falloff scrap. I stopped only after running out of 4x4s to drill. The GPH01 was happy to keep going.

Afterward, a quick check of the LED battery gauge showed a 50% charge remaining. Swapping the battery out and placing it on the charger, it was topped up to 100% in under 15 minutes. I was particularly impressed with how quickly, cleanly and with the level of authority it produced those enormous 3” holes. Awesome.

GDT01 Brushless Impact Driver

The other tool in the GT200D kit is an equally heavy-duty, industrial unit. The Makita GDT01 40V Impact Driver, featuring a brushless, Makita built motor, is capable of delivering a maximum torque of 1950 inch-lbs., spins 3700 RPM at max speed and 4400 IPM (impacts per minute) for expedient fastener driving. So with the understanding that the LXT and XGT batteries have the same watt/hour output (90 Wh), we were curious about the equivalence in power output.

For comparison, we grabbed the 18V LXT XDT16, which is considered Makita’s LXT series flagship impact driver. Tools and charged batteries in hand, we set out to see how quickly we could drive a series of 12” structural screws into a section of LVL header. The XDT16 drove the structural screws in, with an average time of 8.67 seconds.

Next, I grabbed the GDT01. It drove the fasteners in, with an average time of 7.97 seconds. So while both batteries have the same watt/hour output rating, the 40 V XGT GDT01 proved to be faster.

I was still surprised by how closely the two models performed. I guess I’d expected the high-

er voltage GDT01 to be much faster and more powerful (figuring more voltage = more power).

In order to determine the actual torque being produced at the collet, I realized I would have to measure it. In order to check manufacturers published specs vs what the tool was actually producing during typical use. To do this I designed and constructed a digital torque test measurement rig. With it I am able to closely measure true RPM, breakaway torque and maximum sustained torque. Below are the actual test values.

18V LXT XDT16

SPECIFIED MEASURED Top Speed 3600 RPM 3534 RPM Impact Rate 3800 IPM ————— Max Torque

1600 in.-lbs.

1577 in.-lbs.

Breakaway Torque ————— 3300 in.-lbs.

40V MAX XGT GDT01

SPECIFIED MEASURED Top Speed 3700 RPM 3622 RPM Impact Rate 3800 IPM ————— Max Torque 1950 in.-lbs.

1812 in.-lbs.

————— 4000 in.-lbs.

Breakaway Torque

Final Thoughts

After using both platforms side by side, I’ve come to the following conclusions: The XGT platform is more powerful and considerably more heavy duty, with an industrial robustness—but for the industrial user who is less concerned with weight and willing to trade it for power and durability. The XGT line also has advanced features like kickback protection and advanced internal electronics, providing feedback and communication between the user, battery, tool and charger.

They are notable features for sure, but for a user whose needs more closely mirror my own, the benefits are not compelling enough to switch from LXT to XGT. With just slightly less speed/power, we would choose the LXT series.

At this point there just aren’t enough features or performance enhancements to offset the additional weight and expense. The GT200D tool combo is an excellent package for the industrial, extreme-duty user. It has an impressive threeyear warranty on the tools, batteries and charger.

Marv Johnson is the principal of Deck Envy LLC, Gig Harbor, WA. Send comments and suggestions for product reviews to emjaybuilding@mac.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

51

NEW NEW PRODUCTS PRODUCTS

The CAMO ClipDrive is designed for fastening CAMO Universal Deck Clips. The ergonomic, lightweight tool attaches to any drill and allows you to stand comfortably while fastening any type of grooved deck board.

The ClipDRIVE features a heightadjustable handle and weighted nose so you can quickly swing the tool from joist to joist and easily target the exposed screw head. With a simple design and reliable performance, you don’t need an instruction manual to get to work with ClipDRIVE. The heavy-duty contractor-grade tool is simple to put together and comes with a T-15 bit that’s easy to install. [camofasteners.com]

Deckorators has added a new color to its Voyage composite decking line—Sedona.

The color has an attractive vertical-grain variegation and comes in 12’ length in groovededge only, as well as 16’ and 20’ lengths for solid- and grooved-edge.

The hue pairs well with Deckorators’ ALX preassembled railing in textured black. [deckorators.com]

Spyder Products has expanded its line of Tarantula Circular Saw Blades, offering seven new options to tackle a wider variety of tough construction, demolition and specialty cutting jobs.

The new blades include a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) blade that quickly carves through fiber cement board. Spyder’s 6-1/2”, 7-1/4”, 10” and 12” blades have gained additional tooth counts and configurations and an 8-1/4” Tarantula blade is available for the first time. [spyderproducts.com]

52

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

Nova USA Wood Products has added South Pacific redwood, also known as manilkara, to its exotic hardwood decking line.

Known for its strength, durability and lustrous dark brown or reddish-brown color tones, manilkara is ideal for beautifying outdoor spaces with decking that will last for decades even under the most dramatic seasonal and climatic weather conditions.

Imported from Southeast Asia, the heavy, strong hardwood offers superior resistance to fungal and insect attacks and a high-density rating of 900—1150 kg/m3 at 12% moisture content. In addition to being kiln-dried to minimize shrinkage and warping, it is Lacey Act approved and comes with a V-Legal Document license.

With a 25-year warranty, it comes in 1x4, 1x6 and 5/4x6 S4SEE boards. [novausawood.com] Simpson Strong-Tie has introduced a new bottle opener kit, a 4x lumber gable plate, and a series of gazebo ties to its popular line of Outdoor Accents decorative hardware.

The bottle opener comes as a three-piece kit that installs easily on any wood post, including metal bottle opener, UV-protected composite plastic backplate, and removable catch cup to collect bottle caps.

The Avant 4x steel gable plate provides reinforcement for a connection between a wood beam and three angled wood braces, and has angled braces at 45° for 4x lumber.

Also finished with ZMAX galvanization and black powder coat, gazebo ties add strength and rigidity to six-sided gazebo connections. [strongtie.com/outdooraccents]

A new hidden clip and fastener system from Versatex Building Products speeds up and simplifies installation of PVC 3/4” trim profiles, while keeping boards firmly in place even at wind loads in excess of 125 mph.

The VZClip is compatible with Versatex Canvas Series and reversible WP4/Nickel Gap trimboards, reducing installation time while ensuring the board is properly secured to the framing member.

The system also eliminates running fasteners through the face of the board, preserving the smooth curb appeal of unmarred PVC or film-laminated color surfaces. No more nail holes or screw holes to touch up, and no plugs to install. [versatex.com] Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

53

Benjamin Obdyke has completely redesigned its Batten UV furring strips with improved compression resistance well-suited to open-joint cladding systems.

The new Batten UV strips are designed to maintain a 3/8” space even with the screw-fastening required for composite decking, which is often used to create trendy open-joint cladding systems. The compression resistance mimics that of a wood furring strip, but with the added benefits of air flow and moisture resistance. ai158344394969_SplitStop_3.25x4.875_Comp.pdf

[benjaminobdyke.com]

1

3/5/20

Deck Railing Panels from Fence Quarter offer a beautiful, easy-to-install solution for homes of all sizes and styles.

Their patent-pending Fail Not hardware system reportedly produces the strongest insert on the market, exceeding building code requirements by over 11 times. It is made using carbon fiber and designed to withstand temperatures in excess of 120°F. Once installed, the only component of the system that can be seen are the stainless-steel security screws. [fencequarter.com]

3:32 PM

C

M

Crescent Tools is introducing 18 new members to its lineup of industrial plyers: eight VDE insulated pliers, four mini pliers, three plastic-cutting pliers, two long-nose pliers and a wire stripper.

The new VDE Insulated Pliers include lineman’s (available in 6”, 7”, and 8” options), longnose (6” and 8”), diagonal (6” and 7”), and a 7” insulated wire stripper. Each is designed for use in high-voltage areas with protection up to 1,000 volts, VDE certified and built to meet IEC/EN standards.

Laser-hardened cutting edges provide precise cutting capability and the durability needed to do it over and over. Ergonomic anti-slip handles make for comfortable use while providing increased grip strength.

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

[crescenttool.com]

54

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

DeWalt’s new 60V MAX Brushless Cordless 7” FlexVolt Grinder with Kickback Brake and Brushless 3” cut off tool is designed to power through heavy-duty grinding jobs with ease.

The grinder delivers 30% more torque than the 60V MAX FlexVolt Grinder and up to 2,300 max watts output. [dewalt.com]

Milwaukee M12 Cable Stapler is designed to consistently sink the Milwaukee 1” Insulated Staples to the depth electricians need when fastening NM-B cable in stick-framed wiring.

The tool delivers unmatched stapling performance in the most compact battery-powered solution leading to a faster, more efficient roughin process.

Its compact, lightweight design provides users with access to tight stud bays and improved ergonomics when stapling overhead or during difficult-to-reach situations. Movable cable guides ensure proper alignment, and the coilspring mechanism consistently sinks the staples to the appropriate depth. [milwaukeetool.com]

TimberTech has announced a new lineup of products that will be available in January. The offerings include two on-trend composite deck-board colors, French White Oak and Dark Cocoa, and a hidden fastener system to reduce installation time.

The Landmark Collection–part of the TimberTech high performance capped polymer decking line–uses innovative technology to mimic the look of natural, reclaimed wood without harming the environment. New to the collection is French White Oak, a unique, lighttone board with subtly blended shades of natural oak, warm gray, and tannin. Softer tones have become a sought-after trend in indoor flooring, and French White Oak seamlessly extends those trends to the outdoor living space. [timbertech.com] Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

55

Werner’s LeanSafe X5 fully integrated, 5-in-1, multi-position ladder is ideal for professionals who require flexibility, stability and durability.

It features a one-handed lock adjustment for seamless transitions through all five ladder positions: step ladder, stairway ladder, leaning ladder, twin ladder, and extension ladder. At 6 ft. tall—with a maximum reach height of 14 ft.—it’s easy to store and transport.

A magnetic tool bin holds tools, parts and paint trays for easy access and is safe to lean on flat walls, corners and studs. The fiberglass model supports 375 lbs. and the aluminum model supports 300 lbs. [wernerco.com/leansafe]

56

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

The Brass Knuckle Red Warrior SmartFlex gloves provide excellent, spongelike slip resistance with a proprietary polyurethane foam coating process. Plus, they’re 20% thinner than comparable 15-gauge coated gloves, yet thick on comfort and flexibility.

Red Warrior gets its eye-catching red color from a seamless nylon knit material for maximum flex and tactile sensitivity, with an uncoated back and wrist that helps improve ventilation. The seamless and stretchable full knit wrist provides a snug fit and prevents dirt, debris, and cold from getting inside the glove.

The softer feeling, high-quality polyurethane coating covers full fingers and palm in black, in contrast to the red knit, creating a cool-looking glove that workers will want to wear.

The gloves deliver excellent grip without being sticky and even perform against oils, fats, and greases, making them an ideal choice for both dry and light-oil applications. Polyurethane coatings improve tactile sensitivity, slip resistance, and breathability. [brassknuckleprotection.com]

INDUSTRY NEWS

PREMIUM DECKING line from Europe is about to make its debut in the U.S.

Unique British Decking Coming to US

Outlive LLC, St. Paul, MN., has been named as authorized distributor in the U.S. by the premium British decking manufacturer Millboard, to introduce its unique line of materials in the States.

Every piece of Millboard is molded, with molds formed from real timber giving a finish virtually indistinguishable from real wood. It contains a high-performance resin mineral core with added fiberglass, a material widely recognized for its strength and durability across many industries.

The boards are unlike real wood or composite equivalents, eliminating the inevitable rotting, warping and deterioration of alternative materials.

The material requires simple maintenance, is extremely slip resistant with a high grip surface even when wet, and is engineered to resist stains from food, drink, and moisture.

The re-brand reflects the company’s passion for delivering high performance and realizing potential, both for its customers and within its own operations.

The name Arxada derives from arx and arcis, Latin for citadel and fortress. Just as a citadel protects, Arxada’s solutions strengthen the performance of its customers and their products, and protect people, places and the planet.

AZEK Decking Wins Sustainability Award

was designed with recycling at end of life in mind,” said Jay Thomas, executive director of the council. “This is a perfect example of design for reuse that is necessary to increase the recycling rate of vinyl building products.”

The award recognizes vinyl products purposely designed for disassembly, recycling or reuse at the product’s end of life.

NADRA Sets Celebration

The Vinyl Sustainability Council presented its inaugural 2021 Design for Reuse Award to TimberTech AZEK Landmark Collection decking.

“TimberTech AZEK’s new Landmark Collection decking

The North American Deck & Railing Association will honor outstanding successes in the industry at an industry awards presentation March 24-25 in Clearwater Beach, FL. Tickets include entry to the awards dinner, networking event, and farewell luncheon.

LSI Rebrands as Arxada

Specialty chemicals company LSI has rebranded as Arxada, effective Oct. 21. The new name follows the firm’s recent launch as an independent business, after the completion of Lonza Group’s sale of Lonza Specialty Ingredients.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

57

INDUSTRY NEWS Key-Link Dreams Up Railing Visualizer

Aluminum railing manufacturer Key-Link Fencing & Railing is utilizing Chameleon Power’s visualization platform to help customers with outdoor railing design.

The platform provides a photo-realistic view of the Key-Link railing products within actual outdoor scenes, assisting users with type and color decisions.

In a few clicks, consumers, contractors, and distributors can select and view Key-Link railings within selected scenes.

“We knew that strong visuals were incredibly powerful, even before the pandemic. Now they are even more important.

With the focus on outdoor living space or connecting with nature, the visualizer lets people dream about and see how their space can be,” said Heather Bowman, director of marketing.

Key-Link noticed a strong trend of homeowners wanting hands-on participation in deck

NEW VISUALIZER provides a photo-realistic view of Key-Link railings within actual outdoor settings.

design, and wanted to give them the ability to visualize what unique railing could add

Careybrospros.com Podcast

A podcast for pros with advice from professionals on marketing, business and products to improve the bottom line. Spotlighting interesting guests that will help you bring it all together.

58

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

to their outdoor living area.

“When homeowners see how Key-Link railing can enhance a space, they are going to reach out to their contractor or dealer and ask for this product specifically,” said Bowman. “That makes the visualizer a tool that benefits our entire channel.”

The solution is a new Chameleon visualizer that makes it easy to envision KeyLink railings as part of an outdoor living space.

The new technology also takes the experience a step further with a unique feature to independently change the scenic background. Now users can select a scene and railings, and then switch the background to options like a beach or a landscape to best reflect the project environment.

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

59

DATE PLANNER Southwest Pool & Spa Show

Home & Outdoor Living Spring Show

When: Jan. 19-22 Where: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX. What: The 2022 Southwest Pool & Spa Show will showcase a growing exhibit hall as well as an expanded schedule of industry certifications and educational classes for all aspects of your business and for every level of your team from the owner to the techs.

More info: swpsshow.com

When: Feb. 11-13 Where: Grand Park Events Center, Westfield, IN. What: Show that aims to connect area homeowners with home improvement businesses.

More info: suburbanindyshows.com

International Builders Show When: Feb. 8-10 Where: Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. What: The NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS)—the premier, once-a-year event that connects, educates and improves the residential construction industry—is a hub for new product launches, construction demos, industry thought leader sessions, workshops, panel discussions, and more.

More info: buildersshow.com

Mid-Atlantic Home & Outdoor Living Show When: Feb. 12-13 Where: Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA. What: At the Coastal Virginia Building Industry Association’s 37th annual, pros and suppliers will showcase the latest in style, technology and decor to refresh homes and outdoor living spaces.

More info: suburbanindyshows.com

FenceTech When: Feb. 15-18 Where: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA. What: FenceTech is back! This year’s American Fence Association expo will again feature an outdoor-living-focused DeckTech Pavilion.

More info: americanfenceassociation.com

Buildex When: Feb. 16-17 Where: Vancouver Convention Centre West, Vancouver, B.C. What: Forum connecting decision-makers from all levels and regions of the building industry.

More info: buildexvancouver.com

The OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show When: March 25-27 Where: OKC Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City, OK. What: Thousands of homeowners will spend three days meeting with 265 exhibitors and experts to discuss their projects.

More info: homeshowokc.com

North American Deck & Railing Association – Awards Dinner & Networking Event When: March 25-26 Where: Sheraton Sand Key Resort, Clearwater Beach, FL. What: NADRA will honor the year’s best decks at a prestigious awards presenation. Other activities include workshops, 2nd annual Beach Olympics, and farewell luncheon on the beach.

More info: nadra.org

60

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

AD INDEX Page 47

526 Events

www.526.events

29

Absolute Distribution Inc.

35

Nichigo G-Tape

www.absolutedist.com

www.gtape.com

34

Atlantis Rail Systems

50

On the House Media

www.atlantisrail.com

www.onthehousemedia.com

5

Arxada Wood Protection

Cover II-3

Pacific Woodtech Corp.

www.wolmanizedwood.com

www.pacificwoodtech.com

Cover IV

Avon Plastics

9

RailFX

www.armadillodeck.com

www.railfx.net

Cover III

Coastal Forest Products

21

Sakrete

www.ironwoods.com

www.sakrete.com

Deck Specialist

17

Simpson Strong Tie

www.deck-specialist.com

www.strongtie.com

59

60

DESIGNED FOR BEAUTY, MADE FOR LIFE.

ARMADILLODECK.COM

37

MOSO North America

www.moso-bamboo.com

Deck2Wall

45

www.deck2wallspacer.com

SpecRail www.specrail.com

39

Deckorators

54

Titan Metal Werks

www.deckorators.com

www.splitstop.com

25

DeckWise

43

TIVA Building Products

www.deckwise.com

www.tivabp.com

55

Digger Specialties

56

Wahoo Decks

www.diggerspecialties.com

www.wahoodecks.com

7

FastenMaster

11

Woodbrid

www.fastenmaster.com

www.woodbrid.com

57

FootingPad

13

Yellawood

www.footingpad.com

www.yellawood.com

13

Great Southern Wood

www.yellawood.com

41

Humboldt Sawmill

www.mendoco.com

Cover III

Iron Woods

www.ironwoods.com

49

MFM Building Products Corp.

www.mfmbp.com

Welcome Aboard!

Deck Specialist is excited to introduce readers to first-time advertiser Woodbrid, supplier of innovative hybrid composite decking, railings and siding.

See their ad on page 11, and keep them in mind when you are looking for such products!

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

61

IDEA BOOK

LA Paradise Being in show business, fashion photographer Robert Deutschman and his wife, film designer/stylist Sybile Kohn-Deutschmanhad, immediately recognized that their newly purchased ranch had beautiful natural light and the makings of a great film location. If perfected, they might be able to rent the property out to film and television productions.

The Rum Punch House is a 5,000-sq. ft., ranch-style, two-story property on a half-acre in Woodland Hills, CA. The new owners wanted a unique, stylish deck that reflected a strong Caribbean aesthetic and paired well with the vibrant colors. But the journey to a successful build would be an uphill battle.

The homeowners had a very specific layout they wanted to adhere to and the existing pool that came with the property was cracked and damaged. This presented a major challenge.

The owners had to do a total repair to the outdoor area by pushing out one end of the pool, adding coping, and resurfacing it a dark blue to give it a pond-like feel.

They then wanted to wrap a 600-sq. ft. deck around the pool. The idea to use Kebony modified wood as paths around the pool came from the beautifully aged dove-grey boardwalks in the dunes of the East Coast; inspiration for the deck hanging over the pool came from a hotel in Greece.

The couple also wanted to add two buildings outside: the smaller colorful building is a prayer and meditation room, and the pool house is an amalgamation of all their favorite Caribbean beach bars.

“We did not want decking that would retain its original color,” he said. “We were looking for a product that would age beautifully to a weathered grey, and Kebony is giving us exactly that.”

62

|

Deck Specialist

|

Winter 2021

UPPER: Two additional buildings outside reflect the couple’s hobbies and interests. One building is a prayer and meditation room, and the pool house is an amalgamation of their favorite Caribbean beach bars.

MIDDLE: The deck is designed to reflect the owners’ strong Caribbean aesthetic and pairs well with its vibrant colors.

LOWER: To accommodate the build, one end of the pool was pushed out and the entire pool was resurfaced to a dark blue to give it a pond-like feel.

Photos by Kebony

Submit photos of your latest and greatest project to sornelas@ 526mediagroup.com

Winter 2021

|

Deck Specialist

|

63

DECK

SPECIALIST 151 Kalmus Dr. Ste. E200 Costa Mesa, CA 92626-5959

Change Service Requested