Research, Research...Student of Life!

I research the heck out of everything before I do or buy! Decking has been what I've researched for the past 2 months. I've talked to tons of people, homeowners, installers, construction workers, sale people, and even put my question out on the web for anyone to respond to! I'm homeownerrookie. See here: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/porch/msg04132320311.html?24057



I like to hear first hand from someone that has been there done that, but I also read a lot online about decking. After all that, next week will be be putting up a cedar deck with metal baulsters. This was our best option, because we don't have to go through the work of staining baulsters. People say that's a pain!

Staining the floor, steps, and top railing shouldn't be too bad. I know a Bismarck homeowner that has ripped down their maintenance free deck and replaced it with cedar. The responses that I got on the web were very negative toward maintenance free too. I've seen maintenance free decks that look great, but I've also see them discolored, bowed, and wrapped. It was just a risk we weren’t willing to take.


Research doesn't stop after college, because we are students' of life!