Built From the Footings Up
Whether the project is a view platform above the tulip flats, a waterfront deck near Similk Bay, or a straightforward replacement for a rotting builder-grade deck on a 1980s home in Burlington, the structure underneath follows the same rules.
- Engineered footings matched to Skagit soils, which range from glacial till on the hillsides to soft valley silt that swallows undersized piers
- Flashing tape over every joist, beam and rim, cutting off the trapped moisture that destroys pressure-treated framing years early
- Stainless fasteners near the saltwater, coated structural hardware inland, selected per site rather than by habit
- A ledger connection flashed into the siding correctly, protecting the house wall the deck attaches to
On the walking surface, valley humidity pushes many clients toward capped composite, which does not feed the moss and black algae that make cedar slick by midwinter here. We still build plenty of cedar decks, especially covered ones, and we finish them with penetrating oils that handle wet-dry cycling better than film-forming stains. Railings run from classic cedar to powder-coated aluminum with clear panels for owners who refuse to give up their view of the flats or the Cascades.
How a Project Starts
Everything begins with a free on-site estimate anywhere in the county. We look at drainage, sun angles, wind direction and how you actually want to use the space, then sketch a layout and deliver a firm written price with the framing specification in black and white. Comparing our bid to another becomes simple, because nothing is hidden in allowances.
The finished deck is covered by a 25-year workmanship warranty, which tells you how confidently we frame. And with more than 2,000 completed projects across northwest Washington, from island properties to farmhouse porches up the South Skagit Highway, we can nearly always show you one of our decks a short drive from your place, aged a decade or more and still dead solid underfoot.
