Important​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Information for Homeowners in Ramsey County, MN Before Constructing a Deck

 

Throughout the Minneapolis area, you can almost sense the point when folks start getting excited about their patios and decks again. After a long and cold winter, the first warm weekends see people coming out of their homes to tidy up their yards, prepare their grills, and stare at that old deck thinking, “Maybe this is the year we finally renovate this.”

Deck Builder in Ramsey County, MN, we have held numerous talks with homeowners who were describing their deck ideas while standing in their backyards, holding a coffee cup. Although every house is slightly different, the same questions and problems arise repeatedly. Constructing a deck here is not just like building one in places where the weather is mild all year round. Our climate, soil, and the ways neighborhoods are arranged - all these things play a role.

Therefore, if you are planning to build or rebuild a deck, below are a few things we have learned so far and which, hopefully, will assist you in making the process easier.

Why Is It That Deck Projects Around Minneapolis Are Accompanied by Some Challenges?

Being a resident of Minnesota, we enjoy the best of both worlds - nice summers and very severe winters. The two seasons contrasting so much is indeed one of the reasons that this place is special, and it also means that outdoor structures such as decks must be constructed with those extremes in mind.

How Does the Minnesota Winter Influence Deck Materials?

A long-term local resident will, of course, recognize that winter is very harsh to outdoor materials. Snow is constantly accumulating, ice is forming, and temperatures are oscillating between freezing and thawing. That continuous cycle of freezing and thawing of wood can be very damaging.

Wooden decks may soak up water during fall and winter. When the temperatures fall lower, water freezes and expands inside the wood. After some time, this process may result in wood cracking, warping, or boards getting loose.

With the current on-going debate if it is better to go for wooden decks or composite ones, the latter has become more popular in Ramsey County and its residents have even been asking for this kind of decking material lately. As a matter of fact, since composites are usually more resistant to moisture and temperature changes, it is less likely that they will need to be maintained and homeowners will have fewer surprises when the spring comes.

On the other hand, there are many reasons why wood decking is still a popular choice for decks and home owners who go for it, usually do so because they really like natural look and don’t mind doing seasonal maintenance. The main point is that each material has its own requirements and it is important to know them before choosing one.

 Soil Movement and Frost Heave

Another thing that most homeowners find quite surprising is that the ground itself moves quite a lot during the winter.

Dirt in Minnesota goes very deep when it solidifies during the winter. When the earth freezes and thaws repeatedly, it expands and contracts. This process—often called frost heave—can move deck footings if they are not installed correctly.

You may have observed the living proof of this in several decks in your neighborhood: rails that feel a little off or stairs that no longer appear quite right to your eye.

Here, setting the depth of the footings correctly matters a lot because the deck’s base has to be installed below the frost level. It’s one of those factors that people generally only remember when they experience issues related to it.

The Most Frequently Asked Questions There Are by Ramsey County Homeowners

Probably, every time we get together with individuals who are waiting to add a deck to their house or replace an old one, it turns into a brief Q&A session. Those that we hear most often are listed below.

Is a Permit Required for Building a Deck in This County?

For many residents, this question will come as the biggest surprise.

Many deck-building projects in Ramsey County and greater Minneapolis will need permits, especially it is for a deck that is raised or that is connected to the house. A permit is one of the most effective ways that the authorities ensure that the decks are secure and that the buildings are up to the standards required for our climate.

Homeowners are often surprised by how detailed the requirements can be, from railing height to stair construction. It’s not meant to make things difficult; it’s mostly about safety and long-term durability.

Therefore, if you want to construct a new deck or replace an existing one, it is highly recommended to look into local regulations at the earliest possible stage to avoid any unexpected delays in the process.

Which Decking Materials Are Best Adapted To Our Climate?

There is no one right answer here. It is generally a matter of lifestyle and maintenance preferences.

Wood decks typically come at a lower cost than other materials and have a very traditional visual appeal. However, they are highly susceptible to damages from moisture and require frequent sealing or staining.

On the contrary, composite decking is more expensive initially, but the need for maintenance and the cost over time will be minimal. This is one reason that a lot of the homeowners value the ability to avoid sanding and staining altogether or at the very least, significantly reduce their need.

We have seen a great number of examples of both types of decks in the Minneapolis area, and both have proven to be good solutions. It ultimately depends on the customer’s situation and what their key priorities are.

What Should be the Size of a Deck for the Average Sized Yard?

This is where neighborhood factors really come into play, especially here in smaller counties such as Ramsey where it is a normal practice to have smaller yards inside the residential blocks. Therefore, if you want your deck to fit well inside the limited backyard, you will have to compromise on its size. It is very possible that you will end up with a deck that takes up a very large portion of the yard and then you will not have enough room for the pastimes that you want to enjoy there, or on the contrary, you will have a very small yard and the deck will be at the right size for the use that you have in mind.

Planning your furniture is a simple strategy that we regularly suggest. If you want to make room for a table, a grill, and a seating area, you should draw those out before deciding on the size of the deck. It is going to be much less of a challenge to design something that matches what you will really be using as opposed to just trying to guess at what size the deck should be.

A Landscape Story From a Local Ramsey County Homeowner

Recently, we completed a project with a family whose backyard was, pretty much, a typical size for the locality. In fact, their deck was built almost 20 years ago and the condition of it attested to the fact that it had long past its prime.

Age, though, was not the only problem - it was the layout that caused them the most trouble.

The deck was merely a narrow boardwalk running alongside the house and there was hardly any space to seat the family and at the same time have a grill. So most of the times, the family ended up having their gatherings down in the yard instead of the deck.

The Problem They Were Trying to Solve

 Actually, the owners were not after a bigger deck—they just wanted a space that seemed usable.

They enjoyed having friends over in summer, but the set-up meant that people were always moving furniture around just so there was enough space.

The Minor Design Changes That Made a Big Difference

They could have had a deck that spanned the entire length of their house again, but instead, the decided to make a few changes in the layout, and as a result, two separate zones were created: one for dining and the other for lounging.

Just a few additional feet of width had a sizeable impact on them. All of a sudden, there was a place for a table, a grill, and a small seating area.

By the time summer came around, the deck was their most visited spot.

Very often, the biggest change may not be to build something enormous but to simply design the area in a way that is consistent with people’s actual usage.

Few of the Things We Regularly Tell Our Neighbors Who Are Planning Their First Deck

Are you picturing your new deck yet? Start by thinking about:

Think About Sun Exposure

 July and August are two months when Minnesota can surprise you with the heat. If your backyard gets the sunlight in the afternoon and faces west, the sun may be shining onto your deck rather strongly.

 This does not make your deck unusable - it simply signifies the use of shade remedies such as pergolas, umbrellas, or partial coverings will make the area much more pleasant to be at during those re the shed times of days.

Plan for Furniture and Everyday Use

The biggest mistake we often come across is that a deck may look stunning from the outside but does not function well in everyday usage.

 Think through your furniture options before finalizing the design. Will there be a grill? Dining table? Lounge chairs?

 Make sure that there is enough space for people to comfortably walk around the pieces of furniture.

Choose Materials With Maintenance in Mind

The climate in Minnesota means that over the course of a year decks are subjected to various elements: snow, rain, sun, as well as drastic temperature changes.

While some homeowners enjoy the ritual of deck maintenance, others prefer materials which require fewer executions.

Both options are acceptable—it all depends on what suits you.

Reasons Why More Homeowners in Ramsey County Are Investing in Their Outdoor Spaces

A trend that we have noticed lately is how homeowners have been upgrading their outdoor living areas.

Spending more time at home and realizing the importance of a well-functioning backyard have been major factors in this change. Decks, patios, and outdoor lounging areas have become parts of the house where people can just naturally extend themselves going-along without any obligation to a gathering.

And if you consider that, in a city like Minneapolis, people very much count their running days of warmth through the year, their desire to get the most out of those months makes perfect sense.

Wrapping Up: Advice of a Deck Builder Living in Ramsey County, MN

 A deck installed in Ramsey county means a lot more than just a few boards and rails added to the back of the house. It means a place where people can haven in, whatever the activity: morning cup of coffee, weekend barbeque, or evening gathering with friends.

 It only seems fair given the pretty short summers in Minnesota that people really make the most of their decks, patios and backyards where they can host a multitude of activities and feel that they can relax and enjoy themselves away from the stresses of everyday life.

 If there is a single most valuable advice piece we keep on giving, it would be this one:

 Why not spend a lot more time focusing on your space and how you want to utilize it?

 Intentional layout just in accordance with the use of the space combined with selection of climate-appropriate materials and knowledge of local conditions frequently differentiate between a deck that merely appears good and one that people make their favorite spot in the backyard.

And take a stroll this summer in Minneapolis and you are sure to see there is no shortage of neighbors who do just that - sitting outside, soaking in the sunshine, and living to the fullest those precious warm evenings while they ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌last.