Deck Building in Portland, OR & the Metro Area

New decks in cedar or composite, framed and flashed so rain runs off instead of soaking in. Ground-level, raised and multi-level decks across Portland, Tigard, Hillsboro and surrounding communities.

A deck is a raised wood or composite floor outside, built on footings, posts, beams and joists. Ground-level decks sit just above the soil and need no railing in most cases. Raised decks come off a second floor or a sloped lot and need beams, bracing and a guardrail. Good deck building starts with how you'll use the space: where the sun falls, where the grill goes and how you'll walk out of the house.

Portland's long wet season shapes how we build. The most common deck failure we see is rot where the deck attaches to the house, because water got behind a ledger board with no flashing. We flash that joint, space the ledger off the siding where needed, tape the tops of joists and leave gaps between boards so water drains and the frame dries out. Footings sit on firm soil below the topsoil so the deck doesn't sink or heave.

For the walking surface, cedar is the traditional local choice and composite is the low-upkeep one. The frame underneath is usually pressure-treated lumber rated for ground contact where it needs to be. Attached and raised decks usually need a building permit, and we handle the drawings and paperwork for the job. Every deck building project starts with a free written estimate.