Seattle Custom Home builder - cantilever decks

Whether you are a Seattle custom home builder or a Seattle home owner, cantilever deck construction is like anything else.  It can be done correctly and be trouble free for years with periodic maintenance.  When a cantilever deck is built with shoddy construction practices the problems can become significant due to the structure extending inside the living space.  There are three problems this Seattle custom home builder runs into a lot in repairing cantilever decks that are in a state of failure.  Lack of maintenance , poor waterproofing, undersized joists and too little back span.
All buildings require maintenance to keep them functional.  Cantilever decks are no exception and should be inspected and cared for often as any problems that arise can work their way inside the building multiplying the cost and inconvenience of repair. Garden debris (leaves, pine needles, etc) should never be allowed to build up on the deck surface.  Allowing organic debris to build up invites, dry rot and pests that can compromise the structure.  Caulk joints, flashings, and membranes that are used to separate the exterior portion of the deck from the interior structure should be inspected and maintained regularly.  Builders with experience working in the wet Seattle climate generally have the experience to limit maintenance needs.
Probably the most damage we Seattle custom home builders see arise from poor waterproofing in cantilever deck construction is lack of slope away from the building.  With a waterproof walking surface on a deck the deck should slope away from the building at least 1/8″ per foot and ideally 1/4″ per foot.  With an open joint decking the slope is less important but the joist should still slope away from the building somewhat.  Lack of proper metal flashing elements is another big contributor to failure in a cantilever deck construction.  Since the joists of the deck are integral to the ceiling and floor of the building, protecting the area where the joists exit the building with proper waterproofing techniques is important.  Any Seattle custom home builder should be paying close attention to this.
Another problem I have seen in repairing cantilever deck construction is the under sizing of the joists and too little back span.  Having undersized joist leads to a soft and squishy deck that will move to much when in use.  Having the structure move and bounce works on the joints and creates construction problems over time.  Even when the lumber is sized correctly the system will not function correctly without the right back span.  The rule of thumb is the back span should be 2.5 x the length of the over hanging deck surface.  For example a 4 ft deck would need a 10 foot back span which would require 14′ joists.
If construction defects are present in your cantilever deck construction, taking measures to repair the deck sooner rather than later will avoid may more potential headaches.  In some of the repair projects the damage was so severe that the cantilever system was completely removed and post and beam deck structures installed.

Seattle Remodeling - Paints and Coatings

I don’t want to get into colors.  We’ll leave that up to the designers.  Paints and coatings in most home remodeling and quality custom home construction is a fairly simple affair.  The most important thing to consider when talking paints and coatings is surface preparation.  Surface prep typically consists of cleaning, sanding, caulking, filling and priming.  The best Seattle remodeling contractors will take the time to make sure surfaces that are to receive coatings are kept clean and undamaged during construction.  Priming is not always necessary for the finish coat you might be considering.  However if the surface is not primed when that is a requirement for the finish coat, problems will certainly arise.  Some new paint products out have the primer built into the finish for a single coat application.  At this time I have not heard if durability is an issue.  Personally I would let someone else be the guinea pig on the new paint products and if after 5 or 10 years of home remodeling contractors using the product if the product is still on the market and making people happy, then try it out.  More and more home remodeling contractors and quality custom home builders are using pre primed material for elements that are slated for painting.  Not only does this save a step in the paint process but it also protects the unfinished material from the elements during construction.  Not everything can be bought pre primed but for exterior elements it makes sense to pre prime or even pre finish when you can here in Seattle.  More on paints and coatings next week.

Walls and ceilings are usually part of a Seattle remodeling project of any size.  Both walls and ceilings have the potential to have, finish trim, electrical devices and plumbing fixtures so choosing the appropriate finish materials for the room is important when planning your Seattle remodeling project.  In other words, having painted drywall walls and painted drywall ceiling with wood box beams in a shower isn’t a good idea and if your Seattle remodeling contractor suggests otherwise, it’s time to re-evaluate.  I’ll go over drywall finishes first.

Seattle Remodeling Contractors – Drywall finish levels.

There are 6 levels of drywall finish.  Out of levels 0-5, only 2-5 really get used in practice.  Level 2 is what most remodeling contractors call “fire taped”.  The drywall is basically unfinished but has been taped at all it joints and fasteners have been covered.  This level is usually used in remodeling a garage, mechanical room or where the fire rating of the wall needs the assembly but the drywall will not be the visible finished material.  Level 3 is us textured drywall.  The drywall is finished to a level where there are still imperfections that are visible.  Then the drywall is then textured which hides the imperfections.  Level 4 and 5 finishes are both for smooth wall applications.  Level 4 is a fairly flawless finish but does not treat the entire surface of the drywall where level 5 coats the entire surface of the drywall making it more appropriate for high sheen paints or other finishes.  Level 4 is the most common when looking at a smooth drywall finish in a home.   Most Seattle remodeling contractors will match the existing drywall finish unless it’s all new or will all be demolished.  So the wall or ceiling paint or coating determines the level of drywall finish and the level of drywall finish affects the cost.  Thus it is helpful to let your Seattle remodeling contractor know the finished look for each room to be able to get real pricing.  More on walls and ceilings next week.

Seattle Remodeling and New Home Building - Finishes

I'm not going to stick to this list exclusively because I'll be including items that are not in the CSI list  like cabinetry, counter tops, plumbing, and electrical finishes.

I've decided to start a series of weblog articles dealing with interior finishes. What are finishes in a home remodeling or addition project? Well according to CSI or the "Construction Specification Institute" finishes are as follows:

Metal Support Assemblies	Plaster and Gypsum Board
Tile	Terazzo
Ceilings	Flooring
Wall Finishes	Acoustical Treatment
Paints and Coatings

 
The reason I have decided to start this series is because these things are what you see and feel when you start to live in your new custom builder home or newly done quality remodel. There's a ton of choices within each finish item and trying to balance function, with cost and maintain a coherent design aesthetic can be overwhelming. It was one time that when a person got architectural designs for a home remodeling project most, if not all, of the finish selections were planned in advance with the help of the architect interior designer. For whatever reason, this is not the norm anymore. Increasingly people are getting bare bones "permit drawings" without any specifications and taking on the daunting task of making the most important selections with regards to the done look of your home remodeling project. Not to mention the finishes make up a large part of the general home remodeling or new custom home builder construction budget. So stay tuned for every week updates on this topic.