Decks & Outdoor Living
A deck is the room with no roof and the hardest weather in the house. It should be framed like structure, because it is structure.
Ontario decks live through snow load, freeze-thaw, and four months of hard use, and the difference between a deck that lasts and one that sags shows up underneath: footing depth below frost, ledger connections done to code, joist spacing that respects the decking it carries.
On waterfront properties the deck is often the whole point of the place: shoreline platforms, stairs down granite, dock-side lounging space, and railings that hold the view instead of blocking it. Glass, cable, or wood, chosen for the sightline and the wind the site actually gets.
We build decks as part of larger projects and as standalone work, in town and at the lake.
What this covers
- New decks and deck rebuilds
- Shoreline decks, platforms, and stairs
- Glass, cable, and wood railing systems
- Covered porches and entry decks
- Footings, framing, and structural repair
- Cedar, hardwood, and composite surfaces
Not sure your project fits a category? Describe it to us anyway; the categories are for the website, not for you.
Start this conversationDecks & Outdoor Living: what people ask.
Something we did not cover? Call (416) 333-6753 and ask Emilio directly.
Do decks need a permit?
In most Ontario municipalities a deck above a modest height off grade needs a building permit, and shoreline decks and stairs can also answer to setback and shoreline rules. We confirm what applies to your lot before the design is set.
Wood, composite or something else?
Cedar, hardwood and composite each have a place: cedar for the classic lake look, hardwood for density and longevity, composite for low maintenance. Railings follow the sightline and the wind the site gets: glass, cable or wood.
Can you build a deck as part of a bigger project?
Yes, and often that is the best time, because footings, structure and drainage are planned with the house instead of after it. We also build decks and shoreline platforms as standalone work.
Why does deck framing matter so much?
Because a deck is structure with the hardest weather in the house: snow load, freeze-thaw and four months of hard use. Footing depth below frost, ledger connections done to code and joist spacing that respects the decking are what separate a deck that lasts from one that sags.
Where we do this
The rest of what we do
Talk to us about decks and outdoor living.
A first conversation costs nothing and settles a lot: whether the site can do it, whether the budget and the brief belong together, and what happens next.