The good news: Archadeck of Austin harmed no trees in the creation of this charming deck-and-pergola combination in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Austin, TX. The bad news? There is no bad news here! Archadeck of Austin made these homeowners’ outdoor living dream come true. We replaced their tiny concrete stair landing and small stone patio with a deck proportionate to the home—and a uniquely beautiful pergola overhead.
Deck Builders in Austin, TX, Protect Heritage Trees
When Austin’s Heritage Tree ordinance went into effect in 2010, quite a few trees within Austin’s city limits breathed a sigh of relief. Archadeck of Austin does whatever it takes to allow this city’s urban forest to thrive. Heritage trees add beauty to our surroundings and remove carbon dioxide from the air—just two of their contributions to the quality of life here.
— Before we began the project.
Designing the Hyde Park deck you’re viewing today brought us close to two heritage trees in the clients’ back yard. It was our job to make sure we set the deck piers outside the trees’ critical root zone. And we did.
Low-Maintenance AZEK Deck with Cedar Posts
The homeowners chose AZEK low-maintenance synthetic decking in slate gray with white AZEK stair risers for contrast. We designed a custom deck railing using cedar support posts inset with horizontal cable rail instead of traditional balusters. Cable rail is an excellent choice for this deck—sleek, modern, and virtually see-through, providing a clear view of the yard from the deck.
The new deck is sweetly proportionate to the home—not too big, not too small. It extends beyond the footprint of the tiny stone patio it replaced and gives the homeowners room to move around. The patio they had was barely large enough for a table and four chairs. Also, as a design element, the attractive gray-and-white stairs erase any memory of the original concrete steps and tiny walk-out landing at the back door.
This pergola is unique! Like all of the deck components, we custom designed this oversized pergola specifically for this Hyde Park home, based on the clients’ needs and preferences. We were able to tie the pergola in to the home underneath the existing soffits. We used 8”x8” cedar posts to support the front of the pergola and built the rest of it with 4”x12” cedar beams. Instead of traditional rafters and purlins, this pergola casts shade with an overhead grid of beams forming a pattern of squares. Definitely unique!
The clients wanted an all-white pergola and deck railing to match the trim on their home. We used a chemical treatment process that pulled all of the acid and the red coloring out of the wood before applying the solid white stain. The chemical treatment will prevent the cedar coloring from bleeding through the stain as is common with cedar because of its acidity.
— Before and after, WOW!
These Hyde Park homeowners are thrilled with the custom deck and pergola we designed and built for their Austin home. We predict they will be spending a lot more time outdoors from now on.
Are you ready for a new deck and pergola combination? We can schedule a “virtual consultation” using video-conferencing technology. Whatever your outdoor living dreams are made of, call Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 886-8367 to schedule your free design consultation.
Jim Schallon, Lead Designer at Archadeck of Austin.
