This crazy late summer has put many of our staining projects on hold but we are catching up! We had several jobs that we were waiting for the rain to break to get a good day in for staining and we finally got all of our backed up jobs done. Of course then it started raining again so we had to postpone some newer jobs yet again. But check these photos out of some of our latest stain jobs and see how great they look!
With the coming of the sunny weather comes the requests for new decks and fences. We have been staying busy lately but are only about a week and a half booked out. So if you have been thinking about getting a new deck, fence, or just getting repairs done to your existing structures, give us a call. This is a great time to get those outdoor projects completed so you will have them to enjoy all summer long. Also, we have been getting some reviews on Angie’s list lately and so far we have the highest rating you can get! So if you are a member, log in and check it out. People have been very happy with the type of personalized service we offer and have been letting others know. And while decks are the focus of our business, fences actually compromise nearly 50% of the work we do. So maybe we should change our motto to, “Building decks and fences is our passion. Customer service is our priority.” We probably won’t do that, but either way we look forward to serving the Portland Metro area for decades to come. Call or e-mail us today and we will get started on your project right away!
At Deck Masters, LLC I strive to make the construction process as smooth and hassle free for the
customer as I can. I own a small company and almost always answer every call immediately and always return calls within the day. That is the first point to stress, I don’t have the large overhead or size of business that can cause frustrations in the building process. It’s very simple, you deal with myself, Chris Marquand. I will meet with you on site, give you your bid by e-mail within two days, and I will be on site most of the time if not all of the time that the deck is being built, doing the construction myself.
I use quality materials, quality craftsmanship, and quality employees. We take the time to get it right the first time so there are no call backs later. I truly enjoy constructing decks for people and I think it shows with the final result. There is no better feeling than walking away from a job site knowing you created a beautiful space for people to enjoy for decades to come. It is truly rewarding for myself, my staff, and my customers. So give me a call today, I look forward to building you a great deck. At Deck Masters, LLC, “Building decks is our passion. Customer service is our priority.”
At Deck Masters, LLC we take pride in the fences we build. My name is Chris Marquand and I am the owner
Chris Marquand, Owner
of Deck Masters, LLC. We are not some large company that sends out hordes of untrained crews to throw together hastily built fences. We are a small business where the owner, myself, is on every job site. I believe that quality materials, quality craftsmanship, and a focus on customer service is the way to build a better fence.
To start with, we use true 3/4″ Western red cedar for our fence boards whereas many companies only use 9/16″ or 5/8″ boards like you find at home improvement centers. The size matters because a thinner board is more likely to warp or break and the species matters because the wrong type of wood won’t last as long in the Oregon rain. We use pressure treated 4x4s for our posts and set all our posts two feet deep in concrete so that the fence will never lean. We also use pressure treated 2x4s for our fence rails.
One of the biggest fence companies in Portland actually uses standard Hem-fir rails for their fences and doesn’t even offer the option of using pressure treated rails. When I discovered this fact I called the company to ask why. The salesman I talked to told me that pressure treated rails weren’t necessary because the rails don’t contact the ground and that the standard Fir rails would last just as long. That is interesting, basically he was saying that while they use cedar for the fence boards because it lasts longer and pressure treated lumber for the posts, untreated Fir was just fine for the structural rails. If that were truly the case, why wouldn’t they just use Fir for the fence boards too? The answer is that consumers are educated enough to know that cedar is the appropriate material for fence boards but not as educated about the rest of the fence. By using standard Fir 2x4s for the rails a company can save themselves around fifty cents a foot on the cost of materials, that is the reason they do it. We only use standard untreated rails when requested, otherwise we recommend stained or pressure treated rails.
Another issue that differs between fence companies is the gates they use. We use black metal no sag gate kits that not only ensures the gate won’t sag but looks really nice. For six foot tall gates we also use
Back side of gate showing gate hardware
thumb operable latches that can be opened from either side and have a decorative look. They are also lockable. Some companies go the cheap route and use the little latches that you have to use a string or wire to open from the other side. They are awkward to use on a tall fence and should only be used on fences that can be easily reached over.
The next factor is craftsmanship. I make sure that we take the time to do every job right by being on the job myself,
This fence built by an unlicensed contractor sagged in the first year.
how many companies do that? Not only am I on the job, I personally train every employee and make sure the work is done right. Another startling issue I discovered when researching one of the biggest fence companies in Portland is that they pay their employees per job rather than by the hour. This is a great technique for efficiency within the company, not such a great technique when it comes to quality. Think about it, if an employee is getting paid the same amount regardless of how long it takes them to do a job, they are encouraged to rush through it. If they get paid by the hour, they have the incentive to do the job right.
The final issue I stress is customer service. I provide my personal cell number so that I can be reached at any time, I check and respond to my e-mails every day, and I am generally quick to respond no matter what the issue may be. I also hire friendly approachable people so that any customer will feel comfortable approaching anyone on the crew. That’s what I call customer service.
This article may be geared towards do it your selfers more than someone looking to hire a contractor, but its good to share the knowledge nonetheless.
Before a discussion about composite decking fasteners can be started, we need to cover the characteristics of composite that make it unique. The primary difference to be considered when installing a composite deck is that composite and pure PVC decking expand and contract length wise with the change in temperatures.
This fact needs to be noted both in the design of the deck itself and the choice/ installation of fasteners. For this reason it is also highly recommended that you hire a licensed contractor if you want to have a composite deck built.
This is a picture of a composite deck that was built by an unlicensed contractor, it shows just how bad things can go wrong.
Because of this movement there is a risk that traditional through the face fastening can lead to the screws breaking over time. For this reason, stainless steel fasteners are recommended as they are the strongest type of screw. There are non-stainless screws on the market but they are less strong in the long run and we don’t recommend them.
If you are building a deck yourself, it is better to pre drill the holes for composite, although this isn’t necessary for PVC decking. Pre drilling gives the screw more space which makes it less likely to break and also leaves less mushrooming on the surface of the deck. PVC decking has a different cell structure with more “give” so to speak and just doesn’t require the same technique.
If you are buying screws at a home improvement store or even a local lumber store, we don’t recommend using any screw that has a, “V” shaped head.
These screws are more likely to mushroom the decking and are more of an eye sore than the better looking trim head type screws. These screws have a smaller head that is flat on the bottom and top with rounded edges.
We have used two different company’s composite deck screws, one is Swan Secure’s Dexxter, and the other is made by Splitstop.
We have found the Dexxter stainless steel 3″ screw to be the best bet for composite. We had issues with the Splitstop screws breaking during installation through pre drilled decking, and hardly any problem with the Dexxter.
You may be tempted to get the 2.5″ screw instead of the 3″ but don’t do it. The 3″ screw grabs more of the framing below for a more secure connection. With all of that said however, the most attractive and best structurally speaking fastener of all is Timbertech’s Concealock hidden fasteners. They are made specifically to be used with Timbertech’s grooved decking, are stainless steel, are virtually invisible, and allow for more expansion and contraction without breaking any screws.
Hopefully this has been informative for anyone looking to choose the right fastener for their deck. Here at Deck Masters, llc we recommend you give us a call if you are in the Portland metro area, but if you choose to do it yourself, good luck!
We get asked this question a lot these days. Everyone is interested in a long lasting maintenance free deck, but composites are a fairly new technology so there are still questions to be asked.
This article isn’t meant to be a complete guide to all composites, there are too many to list and new ones are coming out all the time. Rather it is just our opinion gained from our experience in installing composite decks and from the research we have done.
After checking out the prices, appearance, track record, and innovation of various composite companies, we at Deck Masters, llc have come to the conclusion that Timbertech is the best overall composite decking manufacturer. In case you are wondering, no, they don’t pay us a dime and we don’t get any special manufacturer’s discount.
We like their product for a variety of reasons. First, they have a few levels of different price ranges and appearances to their decking products. The entry level is the Valueplank, it comes in the three colors of Cedar and Grey, cannot be used with their hidden fasteners and runs approximately $2.10 a foot as of 12/26/2009. Next up is the Twin Finish board, it comes in the same two colors as well as Redwood but can be used with the hidden fasteners and runs about $2.65 a foot. The next level is the Earthwood series, it is the most realistic looking and beautiful composite and comes in Rosewood, Walnut, and Teak. There are intentional color variations in this series that make the boards look like exotic hardwoods. These can use the hidden fasteners and they run about $3.38 a linear foot. The other main category we will cover here is their pure PVC decking which they refer to as their XLM series.
While PVC decking is not a true composite because it has no actual wood fiber content, it is included here because it is a great product and is often used in place of composite material.
So why use PVC instead of a composite board?
That’s a good question. In the early days of composite manufacturing there were mistakes that were made and lessons learned. One problem was that boards would “delaminate” or come apart after being used for a few years. This was caused by problems in the manufacturing process such as unequal moisture contents in the wood being used, the wrong types or amounts of plastics being used, or inconsistent ingredients in general.
Fortunately those days seem to be a thing of the past. Some companies went out of business and some had to replace some people’s decks, but now everyone seems to have their manufacturing process down and problems like those are much less likely. One of the responses to those early problems however was to go with an all PVC board so that there is no chance of it coming apart.
PVC decking tends to look more like plastic and less like wood so that is a drawback for some customers, but it is the most long lasting, stain resistant, and scratch resistant of any decking material other than something like stone or metal.
Azek PVC vs. Timbertech PVC
Besides being a great product by itself, Timbertech went the extra mile when developing its XLM series by giving it an extra thick outer layer of plastic. When you look at a cross section of PVC decking from any company, you will notice the inside is softer than the shell. If you look at the shell you will notice that Timbertech’s PVC decking is about 1/16th of an inch vs. competitors who only make theirs about 1/32nd of an inch, so the XLM decking will last longer and is more scratch resistant. Depending on which color you go with, the XLM series will run about $3.12 to $4.00 a linear foot. The newest decking to hit the market is usually the most expensive and right now it is the Desert Bronze XLM decking. They have combined the color variation of the Earthwood series with the technology of the XLM series and made the most realistic looking PVC board out there.
Back to our discussion on true composites though, there is still the issue of inconsistent moisture or wood content in the composite deck boards being made. You hear a lot about using recycled materials in composite and how this is good for the environment. We agree that recycling is an important part of the solution for taking care of the planet, but what we choose to make out of the recycled materials is another question altogether.
In other words, given the issues that plagued some composite companies early on, does it really make sense to use recycled plastic in an outdoor building product instead of virgin plastic that is more consistent? We agree with Timbertech and the answer is, in general, no. All Timbertech products are made with virgin plastic because it makes a better more long lasting product. It might feel good to install a recycled material deck, but if it has to be replaced in ten years neither the homeowner nor the Earth benefits from the added materials and resources being used. A deck board gets more abuse than any other part of a home. It gets walked on, rained on, blasted with sun, and even frozen, so this isn’t the best place for using a potentially inconsistent product.
This brings up another point as well, what about the wood fibers used in the manufacturing of the boards? Again, many companies advertise and use recycled wood for their composite decking. This is another potential mistake because the content of the recycled wood is less consistent and therefore more prone to problems. Timbertech gets around this by using the end cuts from hardwood furniture manufacturers so that they can monitor exactly the type of wood being used and the moisture content of that wood. This is wood that was headed for the recycling plant anyway, they just get it before it gets co-mingled with everything else. As a result of taking these measures in their manufacturing process, Timbertech is able to offer a 25 year warantee on all its decking products. No one has a longer warranty in the industry and this is one of the reasons we feel confident using their product. One more thing to note is that there are two other categories of decking made by Timbertech, one is the Docksider board which is extra thick for docks and the other is the Floorizon board. We don’t recommend the Floorizon board for use in this area but the Docksider board is great if you need a dock.
The final reason we think Timbertech is the best composite board out there is their hidden fastener system. Most companies require you to use a third party hidden fastener system in order to fasten their boards, Timbertech is the only company that designed their own Concealock fastener to be used exclusively with their own product and it is the best made hands down. It is stainless steel, powder coated brown or black to make it virtually invisible, and installs quickly and securely. In short, Timbertech is a great innovative company that makes some of the best composite and PVC decking on the market.
With that said however, we still get a lot of people saying, “I’d really like a composite deck, but Timbertech is just too expensive, do you have anything cheaper?”.
The only other composite we recommend and this is for economy only, is the Elements decking by Tamko. It comes in three colors, Cape Cod Grey, Weathered wood, and Redwood and runs about $1.85 a linear foot. So it is $.25 cheaper by the foot than Timbertech’s Valueplank and about $.20 cents a foot more expensive than tight knot cedar depending on the current prices. So if price is the main factor, give Tamko’s Elements decking a shot, you can see a completed deck in our gallery to get an idea of what it looks like.
We hope this has been informative and will help anyone who reads it understand some of the qualities to look for when choosing a composite decking material.
Outdoor construction typically goes down in the winter, but this is particularly so in the Portland area. People just don’t think about their decks, fences, and outdoor living areas when they aren’t enjoying them. There is also the issue of people having the misconceived notion that contractors don’t work in the rain, not true. We at Deck Masters, llc work year round whenever there is work to be done. Just yesterday we finished a second story cedar deck and had to work right through the rain until it was completed. We set up a temporary tent for a dry cut station, wear appropriate rain gear, and basically make due. What we want people to understand is that there really is no better time to get work done on your deck, fence, or other outdoor structure than during the winter months. The reason for this is that when there is less demand, prices drop both on materials and labor. Also, when there is less work you get better customer service because we have more time on our hands to give it to you. Invariably every year that first burst of nice weather comes sometime in late spring or early summer and everyone starts calling us at once. It goes from us barely having work in the winter, to getting booked a month or more out. If those same people would have just called in January, Febuary, or March, we would have had almost immediate availability to attend to their needs. So our words about construction in the winter are: Yes, give us a call, we are here to do your building!
We are pleased to announce that Timbertech has recognized us as an elite contractor by awarding us with a 2009 Spotlight award for the western United States. You can see us on their web site by following this link.
This means that they have sent representatives of their company out to see the quality of our work and were impressed. They want to support quality contractors who use their product and we made the list, thanks for the recognition Timbertech!
Welcome to our new web site! We have just launched a new version of Deckmastersnw.com that we are very excited about. Now we will be able to update our photos and blog on a daily basis and the new format will easier to navigate. We are still putting the final touches on the site as I type but we are live and will be indexed by Google shortly. In the future you can look for articles on deck maintenance, repair, construction, as well as tons of other topics and you can link to our RSS feed if you are so interested. I have to give much thanks to our web site builder Andy of NWNETFX, he does amazing work and we highly recommend him for any of your web site needs.
Deck Masters is a general contractor that has several years of experience offering decking, fencing, remodeling and handyman services.
We are a locally owned and operated business started right here in Portland Oregon. We are an independently run company that takes pride in our work and takes the time to do it right.
The beauty and warmth of a professionally installed deck and railing system is unsurpassed. Decks can give your home an extension of added living space as well as increase your home’s value.
Deck Masters can help you with all phases of your deck, fencing, or other outdoor structure project.
We take the greatest care in helping you design your custom fence or deck creation. We can make your dreams of quality decks, fences, and outdoor structures a reality.
We like their product for a variety of reasons. First, they have a few levels of different price ranges and appearances to their decking products. The entry level is the 
With that said however, we still get a lot of people saying, “I’d really like a composite deck, but Timbertech is just too expensive, do you have anything cheaper?”.
We are pleased to announce that Timbertech has recognized us as an elite contractor by awarding us with a 2009 Spotlight award for the western United States. You can see us on their web site by following this 
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