Your swimming pool deck railings can be aesthetically pleasing and should be compatible with the look of your home and backyard.
But you also need to keep safety in mind.
Your railings height should be at least 3' above the decking surface. This should be high enough for the average person to lean on or rest their elbow without fear of falling over. Some railings are up to 4' high, but the height of your railing will depend on the height of your swimming pool deck.
As always, check with your local building inspector to find out what your local building codes are. Most codes will require railings for wood pool decks 3' off the ground and all stairs. But it's a good idea to have railings regardless of the height of your above ground pool deck.
Railings are a good way to show off your personal style but are also an essential part of any deck. You want to make sure that people who swim in your pool and use your deck are free from fearing for their safety so all they do is have fun... and you're free from worry.
Enjoy your pool!
Regards,
Paul Ottaviano
P.S. - With that said, you also have to build your wood pool deck and railings properly so you'll know they'll remain secure through years of use. Learn how to build an above ground swimming pool deck.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Builder Beware
My neighbors are building a new garage and remodeling their kitchen. This project started months ago before the holidays. It's not finished yet and probably won't be anytime real soon. Why? They gave the contract to a one man show and paid for the entire project up front.
Before they started the project, their first contractor - who does all the work himself for some insane reason - gave them a sob story about how hard life was for him... he was in debt and creditors were all over him... his fiance was expecting and he would have another mouth to feed... blah blah blah... so he needed the entire $5000 for the garage up front (a low ball estimate).
My neighbors are not rich and $5000 is a lot of money for them... it's a lot for most of us these days. But they're very nice people, my neighbors, and so they paid without any contract or payment schedule written up.
Months later...
After no shows for days or weeks, slow work progress, the contractors work not passing inspection, and a generally poor attitude my neighbors had no choice but to fire the contractor with the project only about half-way completed.
Not surprisingly the contractor had already spent the $5000, probably on some things unrelated to the project. So now my neighbors are filing a complaint through the state contracting board and they're hoping to get their money back through the contractors bond. But that could take awhile.
So for now they're out thousands of dollars and they've hired another contractor to finish the project - who is doing a good job - but it has basically doubled their cost. The difference they're paying with their credit cards.
How does this apply to your above ground pool deck project?
If you're going to hire a contractor to build your pool deck there are a number of things to remember prior to awarding the contract and paying any money...
1. Meet with at least several contractors
Do not be seduced by a sob story like my neighbors were. Make sure your contractor has a good track record and has been in business for awhile.
You want professionalism, which means stability and continuity. If he starts talking about how desperate his personal life is, don't give him the contract just to "help him out". That's what my neighbors did. Don't be like them.
2. Have a work contract with specifics clearly understood by you and the contractor
There might be some nuances in the contract he wants to discuss or clarify, but that's normal. However, if he disagrees with the idea of having a contract at all or a payment schedule move on to someone better.
As always, enjoy your pool!
Best regards,
Paul Ottaviano
DIY Above Ground Pool Deck
P.S. - We go into more depth on this subject in our eBook "Only Hire a Builder if You Need One". It's a free bonus to our eBook "How to Build a Pool Deck".
Before they started the project, their first contractor - who does all the work himself for some insane reason - gave them a sob story about how hard life was for him... he was in debt and creditors were all over him... his fiance was expecting and he would have another mouth to feed... blah blah blah... so he needed the entire $5000 for the garage up front (a low ball estimate).
My neighbors are not rich and $5000 is a lot of money for them... it's a lot for most of us these days. But they're very nice people, my neighbors, and so they paid without any contract or payment schedule written up.
Months later...
After no shows for days or weeks, slow work progress, the contractors work not passing inspection, and a generally poor attitude my neighbors had no choice but to fire the contractor with the project only about half-way completed.
Not surprisingly the contractor had already spent the $5000, probably on some things unrelated to the project. So now my neighbors are filing a complaint through the state contracting board and they're hoping to get their money back through the contractors bond. But that could take awhile.
So for now they're out thousands of dollars and they've hired another contractor to finish the project - who is doing a good job - but it has basically doubled their cost. The difference they're paying with their credit cards.
How does this apply to your above ground pool deck project?
If you're going to hire a contractor to build your pool deck there are a number of things to remember prior to awarding the contract and paying any money...
1. Meet with at least several contractors
Do not be seduced by a sob story like my neighbors were. Make sure your contractor has a good track record and has been in business for awhile.
You want professionalism, which means stability and continuity. If he starts talking about how desperate his personal life is, don't give him the contract just to "help him out". That's what my neighbors did. Don't be like them.
2. Have a work contract with specifics clearly understood by you and the contractor
- Include a description of the work to be completed, i.e. the specific project and where it is to be done, when, and with what materials, etc.
- Make sure the price is listed. This includes supplies, labor, and local fees or taxes.
- Work schedule: include the project start date and finish date. But be flexible in case of bad weather or emergency situations.
- Payment plan: It is important that you don't pay for it all up front like my neighbors did. Pay in installments upon completion of various phases of the project.
There might be some nuances in the contract he wants to discuss or clarify, but that's normal. However, if he disagrees with the idea of having a contract at all or a payment schedule move on to someone better.
As always, enjoy your pool!
Best regards,
Paul Ottaviano
DIY Above Ground Pool Deck
P.S. - We go into more depth on this subject in our eBook "Only Hire a Builder if You Need One". It's a free bonus to our eBook "How to Build a Pool Deck".
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Add More Beauty to Your Backyard with Roses
Your above ground pool and deck will be great additions to your backyard. But as you know there is a lot more to your backyard than just a swimming pool.
A lot of you probably have roses growing in the backyard or old rose bushes that look like they're beyond help and not worth the time it takes to care for them. But what if I told you that caring for your roses is actually easier than you might think?
That said, some of you might have beautiful roses already and would like to learn more about how to maintain healthy rose plants or encourage repeat blooms. But you're unsure of how to do it. And what if I told you there was a new info product available from us that showed you how to do it?
And it was simple and easy-to-understand? No rose snobbery.
Would that be something that interested you?
That's why that I'm announcing the launch of our newest home and garden themed website: "Be Happy with Your Roses".
The first thing we're going to show you is how to prune your roses so you maintain healthy roses and encourage healthier blooms year in and year out. Think of how that will compliment your above ground pool deck!
Whether it's rose plants in your soil or containers resting on your pool deck, these easy-to-understand steps will give you a lot of confidence and have you set up to grow beautiful roses when it's time for them to bloom in your climate zone each year.
And we don't plan on stopping with rose pruning! We're going to produce additional rose and flower information in the future.
Click on this link to check it out now...
When and How to Prune Your Roses
As always, enjoy your pool and backyard!
Best regards,
Paul Ottaviano
Createyourdeck.com
P.S. - Also, check out our rose care tips blog A Nose for Roses. We've been busy with the website so the last post is about a month old... but we're going to be adding a lot more to it now! So if you enjoy the pool blog and you're interested in how to take care of your roses, I think you'll like our rose blog too.
A lot of you probably have roses growing in the backyard or old rose bushes that look like they're beyond help and not worth the time it takes to care for them. But what if I told you that caring for your roses is actually easier than you might think?
That said, some of you might have beautiful roses already and would like to learn more about how to maintain healthy rose plants or encourage repeat blooms. But you're unsure of how to do it. And what if I told you there was a new info product available from us that showed you how to do it?
And it was simple and easy-to-understand? No rose snobbery.
Would that be something that interested you?
That's why that I'm announcing the launch of our newest home and garden themed website: "Be Happy with Your Roses".
The first thing we're going to show you is how to prune your roses so you maintain healthy roses and encourage healthier blooms year in and year out. Think of how that will compliment your above ground pool deck!
Whether it's rose plants in your soil or containers resting on your pool deck, these easy-to-understand steps will give you a lot of confidence and have you set up to grow beautiful roses when it's time for them to bloom in your climate zone each year.
And we don't plan on stopping with rose pruning! We're going to produce additional rose and flower information in the future.
Click on this link to check it out now...
When and How to Prune Your Roses
As always, enjoy your pool and backyard!
Best regards,
Paul Ottaviano
Createyourdeck.com
P.S. - Also, check out our rose care tips blog A Nose for Roses. We've been busy with the website so the last post is about a month old... but we're going to be adding a lot more to it now! So if you enjoy the pool blog and you're interested in how to take care of your roses, I think you'll like our rose blog too.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Upcoming Home & Garden Shows
Thanks to the deckenquirer.com newsletter for the heads up.
February 2009 Home & Garden Show Schedule
Feb 6 - 8:
Regards,
Paul Ottaviano
DIY Above Ground Pool Deck
February 2009 Home & Garden Show Schedule
Feb 6 - 8:
- Kansas City Lawn, Garden, Remodel, Redecorating Show at Kemper Arena
- 17th Annual North Florida Home Show at Leon County Civic Center, Tallahassee FL
- Home Improvement & Backyard Living Expo at South Point Events Center, Las Vegas NV
- 6th Annual Columbus Home Improvement Show at Ohio Franklin County Veterans Memorial
- Maine Home, Remodeling, & Garden Show at Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland ME
- Des Moines Home & Garden Show at Celebrity Designs Iowa Events Center
- Portland Home & Garden Show at Portland Expo Center, Portland OR
- 28th Annual Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show at DL Lawrence Convention Center
Regards,
Paul Ottaviano
DIY Above Ground Pool Deck
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Be Your Own Free Pool Deck Plan
There are a number of places on the Internet where you can search for free pool deck plans and a few that might give you some decent ideas on what's realistic in your backyard.
That said, many of the free pool deck plans out there don't take into account your personal needs or style, your local building codes, or your budget. Many of the plans I see are for more complex designs or multilevel pool decks that require a serious amount of construction skill and are very expensive to build.
Also, the most common above ground pool deck is one with a floating foundation. So if you go with something like a floating foundation because you want to build the pool deck in time for the summer swim season then just keep it simple, and don't distract yourself with too many complex designs.
What is the best free pool deck plan? It's one that you'll do yourself and it's not difficult. Here are some basic steps to help you get started...
1. Start by taking measurements of your backyard... most importantly the distances between your pool and house, property lines, utility lines, trees, etc., and other backyard amenities.
2. Sketch your own pool deck design on a piece of paper.
This does not have to be a work of art. Just get your ideas down on paper. Also, make sure the design is compatible with the dynamics of your backyard and home, i.e. your local building codes might prohibit you from building over utility lines... this is where your measurements will help you.
It's also a good idea to visit your local building inspector before planning so you can get a better understanding of what's practical and up to code.
Since your above ground pool deck is something your family will enjoy it's a smart idea for you to show them your plans and get their feedback on it.
Eventually you'll take your sketch and draw your pool deck plan to scale on graph paper. This will essentially be the blueprint for your above ground pool deck and likely what the local building inspector will want to see prior to issuing any permits that may be required in your community.
If you're unsure about your skills in this area then you can hire a local contractor or engineer to draw the plan for you.
Deck design software is also available from various sources on the Internet. That said, most of the ones I've seen or used are not pool deck specific and their pool deck applications are not very useful in my opinion.
As always, enjoy your pool!
Regards,
Paul Ottaviano
How to Build an Above Ground Pool Deck
That said, many of the free pool deck plans out there don't take into account your personal needs or style, your local building codes, or your budget. Many of the plans I see are for more complex designs or multilevel pool decks that require a serious amount of construction skill and are very expensive to build.
Also, the most common above ground pool deck is one with a floating foundation. So if you go with something like a floating foundation because you want to build the pool deck in time for the summer swim season then just keep it simple, and don't distract yourself with too many complex designs.
What is the best free pool deck plan? It's one that you'll do yourself and it's not difficult. Here are some basic steps to help you get started...
1. Start by taking measurements of your backyard... most importantly the distances between your pool and house, property lines, utility lines, trees, etc., and other backyard amenities.
2. Sketch your own pool deck design on a piece of paper.
This does not have to be a work of art. Just get your ideas down on paper. Also, make sure the design is compatible with the dynamics of your backyard and home, i.e. your local building codes might prohibit you from building over utility lines... this is where your measurements will help you.
It's also a good idea to visit your local building inspector before planning so you can get a better understanding of what's practical and up to code.
Since your above ground pool deck is something your family will enjoy it's a smart idea for you to show them your plans and get their feedback on it.
Eventually you'll take your sketch and draw your pool deck plan to scale on graph paper. This will essentially be the blueprint for your above ground pool deck and likely what the local building inspector will want to see prior to issuing any permits that may be required in your community.
If you're unsure about your skills in this area then you can hire a local contractor or engineer to draw the plan for you.
Deck design software is also available from various sources on the Internet. That said, most of the ones I've seen or used are not pool deck specific and their pool deck applications are not very useful in my opinion.
As always, enjoy your pool!
Regards,
Paul Ottaviano
How to Build an Above Ground Pool Deck
Monday, January 5, 2009
Building Material Prices are Rising
One of my favorite newsletters is Steve Sjuggerud's Daily Wealth. It's an investment newsletter that covers a wide variety of business news and investment opportunity. Occasionally he has a guest writer for the newsletter.
On December 24th, Tom Dyson wrote a piece in Daily Wealth titled "Here's How You'll Know the Market Has Bottomed".
I think it's important to bring this to your attention because he specifically discussed the price of building materials in his article and how prices are rising. This rebound for prices occurring after they had dropped over 50% since October 2005.
According to Tom Dyson's article and the manufacturers themselves here is how much prices have risen recently:
Tom Dyson wondered if these price increases really have much to do with supply and demand.
With that said, let's look at it from the point-of-view of someone like yourself who is thinking of building an above ground pool deck and has to take material costs into consideration.
Now might be a very good time to build your pool deck or start buying some materials that can be stored during the winter... and waiting there for you when the spring or summer season comes around... at least while prices remain relatively low compared to the peak of 2005.
As you can see from the data above, prices are on the rise again. If the market has indeed bottomed and this trend of higher prices continues then it's hard to imagine pool deck building materials being any cheaper than they are now.
As always, enjoy your pool!
Happy New Year,
Paul Ottaviano
How to Build a Deck Around Your Pool
On December 24th, Tom Dyson wrote a piece in Daily Wealth titled "Here's How You'll Know the Market Has Bottomed".
I think it's important to bring this to your attention because he specifically discussed the price of building materials in his article and how prices are rising. This rebound for prices occurring after they had dropped over 50% since October 2005.
According to Tom Dyson's article and the manufacturers themselves here is how much prices have risen recently:
- Plywood is up 9.9%
- Pine lumber is up 5.8% to 15.7%
- Most metal connectors are up 5% to 20%
- Truss prices fell only 2.9%, but the strength in pine is expected to push prices up in January
- Roll foundation plastic dropped 6.7%
- Rebar -3.4%
- Spruce lumber -15%
- Studs -10%
- Drywall products dropped between 6.7% and 9%
Tom Dyson wondered if these price increases really have much to do with supply and demand.
With that said, let's look at it from the point-of-view of someone like yourself who is thinking of building an above ground pool deck and has to take material costs into consideration.
Now might be a very good time to build your pool deck or start buying some materials that can be stored during the winter... and waiting there for you when the spring or summer season comes around... at least while prices remain relatively low compared to the peak of 2005.
As you can see from the data above, prices are on the rise again. If the market has indeed bottomed and this trend of higher prices continues then it's hard to imagine pool deck building materials being any cheaper than they are now.
As always, enjoy your pool!
Happy New Year,
Paul Ottaviano
How to Build a Deck Around Your Pool
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Pool Deck Care: Moss and Mildew
I'm up in Oregon again for the holidays and I'm experiencing some of the weather the area is famous for this time of year.
This weekend the forecast calls for very cold temperatures, slushy rain, and snow tomorrow. Also, this is happening when a contractor has gone to work adding new footings to our units foundation.
This process requires the contractor to get under our deck here and remove some of it for a new pier.
Since the deck has been taken apart in some sections - and since the weather has been very wet lately - I decided to look underneath some of the 2x4's.
Since the decking lumber is treated it looks OK now. The biggest concern, of course, is wet or dry rot. At the moment I haven't noticed any obvious problems with rot.
Another possible problem that you should be on the look out for is moss or mildew.
Moss is very common around here, especially this time of year because of the rain and lack of sunlight. It grows out of the pavement here!
So far I haven't noticed any on my deck. But that does not mean it cannot become a problem later on... winter is still in the early going.
This weekend the forecast calls for very cold temperatures, slushy rain, and snow tomorrow. Also, this is happening when a contractor has gone to work adding new footings to our units foundation.
This process requires the contractor to get under our deck here and remove some of it for a new pier.
Since the deck has been taken apart in some sections - and since the weather has been very wet lately - I decided to look underneath some of the 2x4's.
Since the decking lumber is treated it looks OK now. The biggest concern, of course, is wet or dry rot. At the moment I haven't noticed any obvious problems with rot.
Another possible problem that you should be on the look out for is moss or mildew.
Moss is very common around here, especially this time of year because of the rain and lack of sunlight. It grows out of the pavement here!
So far I haven't noticed any on my deck. But that does not mean it cannot become a problem later on... winter is still in the early going.
Should You Be Alarmed If You Discover Mildew on Your Pool Deck?
I don't think you should be panicked by mildew. If you see the black slime commonly associated with mildew it likely won't cause any structural risk like rot does.
But mildew does look ugly and can smell bad. Similar to mildew in your bathtub, breathing this stuff can aggravate your respiratory system or allergies.
So it's always a good idea to clean the mildew off you above ground pool deck.
You can do this easily with bleach. Also, sweep you pool deck regularly so sunlight can be a natural drier.
But mildew does look ugly and can smell bad. Similar to mildew in your bathtub, breathing this stuff can aggravate your respiratory system or allergies.
So it's always a good idea to clean the mildew off you above ground pool deck.
You can do this easily with bleach. Also, sweep you pool deck regularly so sunlight can be a natural drier.
What About Moss?
Moss isn't the emergency that rot is. But, like mildew, it's a good idea to remove it from your pool deck at your earliest opportunity.
The chemical solution used to remove moss is a very complex one, compared to the mildew solution. I suggest asking your local home and garden store for assistance on this one.
Or, consider hiring a deck cleaning service. Spending a little on a qualified service will definitely save you time and keep you from having to do a little dirty work, unless you really want to.
As always, enjoy your pool!
Regards,
Paul Ottaviano
How to Build an Above Ground Pool Deck
The chemical solution used to remove moss is a very complex one, compared to the mildew solution. I suggest asking your local home and garden store for assistance on this one.
Or, consider hiring a deck cleaning service. Spending a little on a qualified service will definitely save you time and keep you from having to do a little dirty work, unless you really want to.
As always, enjoy your pool!
Regards,
Paul Ottaviano
How to Build an Above Ground Pool Deck
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