The Advantages of Building Your Deck During Winter

In Rockford, Michigan, and the surrounding communities, the first time the weather warms up, we get a flood of calls and emails from residents looking to spruce up their backyard. Our schedule quickly fills up, and many are left disappointed that they may not get to enjoy their new deck until July or August. By scheduling your project during the winter, you bypass this seasonal rush entirely.

Other steps many don’t consider are obtaining the required permits, completing zoning reviews, and getting structural plans approved by your local municipality. During the winter, the offices that review and approve your project are significantly less busy, meaning your project can begin much sooner. This can be the most time-consuming and frustrating step of your project, so it pays to plan ahead. The good news is Walden Design will work with the city or town on your behalf to make sure your project stays on track. 

In Rockford, Michigan, and the surrounding communities, the first time the weather warms up, we get a flood of calls and emails from residents looking to spruce up their backyard. Our schedule quickly fills up, and many are left disappointed that they may not get to enjoy their new deck until July or August. By scheduling your project during the winter, you bypass this seasonal rush entirely.

Other steps many don’t consider are obtaining the required permits, completing zoning reviews, and getting structural plans approved by your local municipality. During the winter, the offices that review and approve your project are significantly less busy, meaning your project can begin much sooner. This can be the most time-consuming and frustrating step of your project, so it pays to plan ahead. The good news is Walden Design will work with the city or town on your behalf to make sure your project stays on track. 

A typical deck construction project requires moving heavy structural lumber, concrete, and framing equipment across your yard. Doing so during the rainy West Michigan spring can turn your nice, green lawn into a torn-up, muddy swamp. You may end up spending hundreds of extra dollars in May just to reseed your grass and repair your landscaping.

Winter presents an opportunity to sidestep this issue entirely. Frozen soil acts as a natural protective shield against heavy foot traffic, wheelbarrows, and heavy equipment. That means no deep ruts or damaged sod, so everything looks as it should in the spring.

With classic pressure-treated wood, the weather during construction matters a great deal. Summer heat and intense, direct sunlight will cause wet, newly-treated lumber to dry out far too quickly. When this happens, internal stresses in the wood from uneven drying will lead to warping, twisting, splitting, and cupping.

The Rockford area’s winter air is cold and retains much less ambient humidity, which allows natural lumber to acclimate and cure at a slow, uniform pace. By the time the summer sun beats down on your structure, the wood has already stabilized, granting a much straighter, structurally sound deck for years to come.

Note: There are products and techniques we can use to mitigate this issue if we build during hot, humid weather, but it does add more steps to your project and may require some follow-up adjustments to your structure.

With classic pressure-treated wood, the weather during construction matters a great deal. Summer heat and intense, direct sunlight will cause wet, newly-treated lumber to dry out far too quickly. When this happens, internal stresses in the wood from uneven drying will lead to warping, twisting, splitting, and cupping.

The Rockford area’s winter air is cold and retains much less ambient humidity, which allows natural lumber to acclimate and cure at a slow, uniform pace. By the time the summer sun beats down on your structure, the wood has already stabilized, granting a much straighter, structurally sound deck for years to come.

Note: There are products and techniques we can use to mitigate this issue if we build during hot, humid weather, but it does add more steps to your project and may require some follow-up adjustments to your structure.

You may be surprised to know we can still dig proper deck footings when the ground is frozen.  We use specialized powered equipment to dig through the topsoil and set the footings with the same precision and expertise as when the ground is soft.

Once we dig beneath the initial surface frost, meeting strict local structural requirements is completely manageable. Usually, permanent exterior structures must have footings extending a minimum of 42 inches below finished grade to stay safely underneath the regional frost line. This is a very important step. Pouring deep, code-compliant footings protects your deck from frost heaving: a natural process that causes the structure to shift or pull away from your home’s foundation.

Depending on when you schedule, Walden can often secure materials like lumber, screws, and other hardware needed for the project before manufacturers and distributors raise prices in the late winter. 

Winter is also Walden Design’s “off season,” meaning we’re less busy with projects, so we’ll be able to offer discounts and more flexible scheduling for your project.

Depending on when you schedule, Walden can often secure materials like lumber, screws, and other hardware needed for the project before manufacturers and distributors raise prices in the late winter. 

Winter is also Walden Design’s “off season,” meaning we’re less busy with projects, so we’ll be able to offer discounts and more flexible scheduling for your project.

The main reason West Michiganders invest in their backyard are to enjoy peace and relaxation during the warmer months. Scheduling your decking project during this time can be disruptive to both aspects, rather than during winter when your backyard isn’t being used much if at all.

It’s no secret that our weather patterns can be fickle. Rather than trying to guess when the Rockford area will have its first “really nice day” of the spring season, doing everything during winter means you can throw your first cookout of the season without missing a beat.