Getting Outside

      As many of you may agree, this year Spring is long overdue. Everyone I chat with is so anxious to get outside and enjoy some sunshine and good weather.

Over the past several decades I have been fortunate to have a career that allows me to work outside, but what is it that draws me outside?

     The buzz of a saw with the scent of freshly cut lumber? The snap of a nail gun? For me this  really signifies spring is here. I also love the summer heat and rain. When it's time for the season to wind down I get to enjoy the extreme cold and snow. There is a great satisfaction for me that comes from working outside.

     I think the biggest draw for me is that getting outside is where I go to relax, unwind, breathe deep, enjoy the fresh air and daydream of what can be created. The rooms within our homes all have a specific purpose. Such as, we go to the kitchen to eat, the living room to read or watch TV ...you get the idea. Outside can become anything you want, and together we can design and create a unique space that will bring your daydreams to reality and satisfy what may be missing from your indoor spaces.

     Being able to design and construct the spaces that bring so much enjoyment to people is what really brings me outside. Whether we create a unique little arbour in the garden, a pergola for some shade, a sheltered dining structure, or a deck for entertaining. Those spaces draw us outside and allow us to relax and keep dreaming. So get outside and enjoy your outdoor space.

Todd Mounsey

Owner / Designer

Your Deck Company

http://www.yourdeck.ca/

Abaco Decking and Railing

I have been working with several different decking materials for over 25 years. I have always enjoyed working with hardwood compared to traditional cedar or pine. The end result for me has always been very satisfying to look at and I find the crisp appearance and finish of hardwood cannot be matched. If you are familiar with and enjoy Ipe or Kayu decking than you will also appreciate the qualities of Abaco decking. Abaco tropical hardwood is a stunning deck material that can be used to create a furniture quality finish to any outdoor project. Abaco is fairly new to Canada however for myself working with hardwood is nothing new.

What is Abaco?

Abaco is a tropical mahogany hardwood decking material that has a very rich appearance and texture. It has characteristics that are very close to that of Ipe. If you were wondering about the strength of the material....

• Abaco has a density of 60lbs/ft sq Ipe is 59lbs/ft sq

• Abaco has a crush strength of 11619 psi and Ipe is 9920psi

• Abaco shear strength is 2798 psi and Ipe is 2396 psi

• Janka hardness test of Abaco is 3190 lbs and Ipe is 3680 lbs

• Abaco bending strength is 29200 psi and Ipe is 22500 psi



Abaco decking is a very strong and dense material, it also naturally resists rot and has a very good abrasion and dent resistance. As well it has a very smooth feel in a warm reddish brown tone.

Why Choose Abaco?

 Hidden floor clip & Ribbed floor surface

Abaco is available with a traditional smooth surface on one face of the board and the other face has a ribbed texture. This ribbing or milling on the one face is actually a very popular European style of decking finish. It provides additional slip resistance and an interesting texture that is not very common here in Canada. Currently Abaco is only available in a few dimensional sizes for flooring, skirt and stair applications. There is a basic railing kit available as well. For me as a designer and carpenter that is a bit of a drawback. I like to have a selection of dimensional sizes that provide me with more versatility for projects I create. I am sure as the product becomes more popular the availability and selection will increase.

TimberTech Decking and Railing

TimberTech Decking and Railing


I am sitting here on this very cold Canadian winter day (-26c) thinking about some of the different projects I have worked on over the past 25 years. I started Your Deck Company back in 1986, long before anything other that Cedar and Pressure Treated lumber were used to build a deck. I have seen a great evolution of decking products over the years. The other day I met with a good friend of mine. We were looking at all of the new samples of decking and railing that have been coming into my shop the last few weeks. It truly is amazing the amount of choice there is today.

One of the products that I really do enjoy working with is TimberTech. I like the fit and finish of the product line as well as the comprehensive choice of materials. Below you will find a little information on almost all of the TimberTech line that is available today.  I have had the pleasure of touring the different manufacturing facilities of TimberTech in Ohio. The tours gave me a great insight into what really goes into creating products like these. It really is fascinating. As a side note I have also toured lumber mills and the difference really is dramatic.

What is TimberTech?

How To Clean a Composite Deck ...Step by Step

    



     Currently about 80% of the decks we install at Your Deck Company are "Low Maintenance" materials such as Trex and Timbertech. There are many different brands and kinds of materials on the market today, and not all of them will require the same amount of care or cleaning methods. Today I would like to get a little more specific and talk about how to clean a "Composite Deck".

     Composite decks are a composition of recycled plastics and recycled wood fibre. Usually around a 50/50 mix. This category of decking will perform much better than a wood deck and last much longer. What I mean is that when a composite deck is installed properly it will not rot or splinter, crack or twist like a wood deck will. Composite decks will however absorb a stain like a wood deck. The wood fiber that is exposed on the surface of the composite decking will capture a stain and hold it like a wood deck will. So if you spill red wine or drop a hamburger on your composite deck it will leave a stain. The same wood fibres can and will capture mould spores and create a spotted look on your deck. The benefit is that composite decks do not need to be sanded, stained or painted like a wood deck will require.

May is Deck Safety Month

Spring is here! As our thoughts turn to spending more time outdoors, cleaning up our backyard and garden is all part of getting ready for summer fun. Part of being ready to enjoy the summer is making sure your deck is safe.

A well built and maintained deck is a great place to spend time outdoors with friends and family. However, a poorly built or unsafe deck can mean disaster. May being Deck Safety month is a great way to help people understand the need for a regular inspection of their deck old or new.

Feel free to click on any of the following photos to enlarge them for a closer look.

There are a number of areas of your deck that need to be inspected. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, I highly recommend finding a reputable, experienced contractor in your area to come by and perform an inspection of your deck. Your Deck Company services most areas in Southern Ontario for this type of inspection. Unfortunately Decks and especially wood decks do not last forever. Commonly, the structure of a deck will last longer than the exposed parts of the deck although the structure will eventually fail as well. There are protective membranes available for new deck construction that will help to increase the life of a deck's structure although routine maintenance and inspection is still necessary.

Deck Maintenance / Mould and Mildew

This is one of the most common topics I am asked about. There is a lot of controversy over so called maintenance free decking...... Hopefully I can clear this up. There is no such thing as "maintenance free decking". However, there are materials that require less maintenance than others.

Deck Material Choices

It is simply amazing how many different choices there are today for decking. When I started back in 1986 there were very few choices and options for building a deck. Back then, it was a choice between Pressure Treated lumber and Cedar. Although there were a few different grades of cedar to choose from, the selection was still limited.
Today I find myself with too many products to review and select from. Included in the different types of materials is the original Pressure Treated and Cedar selections then moving forward there are a number of hardwood decking options such as Ipe (Brazilian walnut) , Kayu and Bamboo. After the natural wood material selections for decking there are a vast number of manufactured low maintenance products. Each and every one of these products have pros and cons. Hopefully today I can help you understand a bit more regarding the different deck materials available.