What if it Snows?

That is truly beautiful construction sir, and my hat is off to you. Looks great.

I balked at the cost of composite decking 18 years ago, but installed it with pressure treated framework.

You're right, uncovered - it was way too hot to walk on barefoot. We covered the deck and aded a few square feet with a cedar structure a couple of years later. Went back under and added more support to the composite decking.

If I had my time again, I would have built the support with steel, or composite, used composite for decking, and clad/covered with cedar. The cedar ages and colors, and is pest resistant, the composite has no splinters and just needs periodic cleaning.

The weakest link is pressure treated lumber. Our staircase failed miserably within a decade.

Depends on the budget, as I quoted, and how long one intends on owning the home.

Just from honesty and experience. I should have spent a lot more years ago.

 

Thanks, you’re right, the treated is the shortest surviving of all three of those products. The composite is cool looking and a great idea, I just found it wasn’t 75% better than cedar for the price being 75% more. You could check with a dock maker next time and get an aluminum frame made up for the composite. Have done that previously on small commercial projects for outdoor ground level decks

 

Moose & Squirrel

 

How high off the Ground is Ur Staircase and what "failed", the Stairhorses?

 

Aluminum maybe a better alternative(?), I though for a minute Galvanized steel - back in the day we used to have some small steel producers that could hot dip galvanized steel if pre-fabricated, (custom) built.

Probably not as accessible now these days.

Again - not crud talking any of your work , it's beautiful. Just the older I get , I gain the wisdom and pain of time and decisions.

 

Just a small short one, 6 feet wide, 3 steps, 3 feet to the top. Put composite deck board on it, but the pressure treated lumber beneath just fell apart.

 

Always be sure to use stainless steel screws with cedar, it will devour the ceramic coated ones , don’t believe what the box says

 

That's a must and often violated