Deck Builders in Littleton, CO

Our work as deck builders in Littleton leans toward the second deck a house gets, not the first. Littleton incorporated as a town on March 13, 1890, and today it is the seat of Arapahoe County, with a housing stock Wikipedia describes as mostly detached single-family homes and apartment buildings. Many yards here already have a deck. The question we hear most is whether the old one can be saved, or whether it is time to tear it out and frame a new one properly.

Repair or replace: how we decide

We start under the deck, not on top of it. Boards are the easy part. What decides the job is the structure: the ledger where the deck meets the house, the posts, the footings and the hardware that holds it all together. Current prescriptive guidance from the American Wood Council calls for posts of at least nominal 6x6, a flashed ledger fastened with half-inch lag screws, and lateral hold-down devices near the deck edge. Older decks often predate that thinking. If the frame is sound, a new surface and railing may be all you need. If the ledger is soft or the posts are undersized, we will tell you plainly that resurfacing would be putting new boards on an old problem.

Snow is the bigger load here

Littleton averages about 65.7 inches of snow a year, according to Western Regional Climate Center figures cited on Wikipedia, with December, November and March each bringing close to a foot. That is more than many people expect this close to Denver. Snow that sits on a deck for days adds weight to joists, beams and footings, and repeated melting and refreezing works water into end grain and fastener holes. We size framing for the loads your building department requires and detail board ends, joist tops and the ledger so meltwater drains instead of soaking in.

Stairs and rails for people who plan to stay

Census estimates put 20.1% of Littleton residents at 65 or older, and households average 2.16 people. A deck that worked when the kids were small can be awkward a couple of decades later. We often rebuild stairs with wider treads, add a landing to break up a long run, and install graspable handrails at a steady height. Guidance from the American Wood Council calls for a handrail on any stair with four or more risers, set between 34 and 38 inches, plus a light at the top landing. A ground-level deck that steps straight out from the kitchen door is another option worth pricing if steps have become a chore.

What we build and fix in Littleton

• Full tear-out and rebuild of worn wood decks, in wood or composite
• New railings and stair systems, including handrails on both sides
• Joist, beam and ledger repair when the frame is worth saving
• Pergolas and covered sections that shade a west-facing deck
• Staining and sealing to protect wood that is still sound

Near the river and the gulches

Most of Littleton sits on the east side of the South Platte, and Big Dry Creek, Lee Gulch, Slaughterhouse Gulch and Dad Clark Gulch all run through the city. Lots that slope toward one of these drainages often call for taller posts on the low side, deeper attention to where downspouts empty, and a careful look at setbacks before we draw anything. We review your site plan and any easements early so the design fits the lot before you pay for drawings.

Getting a quote

Call (720) 604-3036 or send a few photos of the existing deck, including the underside if you can reach it. We will visit, inspect the frame, and give you a written estimate that separates repair items from a full replacement so you can compare them side by side.

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