Decks & Patios in Van Nuys
Van Nuys decks built with pale capped composite boards that hold their color under hard inland sun, plus patios and ember-ready details for lots needing them.
Capped composite boards in a pale gray, with a polymer shell sealed around the whole profile, are our first pick for a Van Nuys deck. The cap resists the ultraviolet light that chalks and fades open wood, and a light color stays cooler underfoot than dark brown on an inland lot in full sun. Some capped lines are also listed for wildfire areas, which helps wherever a parcel falls inside a mapped zone.
The frame under the boards
Composite boards rest on the same kind of structure as wood, so the frame is drawn around them. Joist spacing comes from the board maker's span rating, joists that sit close to grade are rated for ground contact, and hidden fasteners leave the surface clean. Butyl tape along the top of each joist keeps water out of the screw holes. Footings are sized to the load and set into firm soil. Hangers, post bases and lateral connectors are galvanized or stainless to suit the lumber treatment.
Patio, steps and shade
A ground-level patio beside the house pairs well with a raised deck farther into the yard. Broom-finished concrete, set pavers or porcelain tile on a mortar bed each give a surface that will not burn and can be hosed off. Steps between deck and patio need even risers, plus a graspable handrail wherever the code asks for one. A shade structure over part of the deck can be framed in metal or rated material, which keeps combustible parts away from the eaves of the house.
Decks & Patios in Van Nuys: common questions
On any Van Nuys lot that falls within a mapped fire hazard area, the accepted decking is noncombustible boards, exterior fire-retardant-treated lumber, or a product tested to the state wildfire deck standard, a group that takes in some capped composites. LADBS confirms which rules apply to a given Van Nuys address, and the product type is written into the scope.
It can. A skirt of fiber cement panel, fine metal mesh or another noncombustible facing closes the space so leaves and embers cannot gather against the framing. An access door belongs in the skirt, and the enclosed area should stay clear of stored items that would burn.
It is. A hard surface against the house removes the fuel that would let a flame climb to siding, doors and low windows. A deck can still sit beyond that strip, and where its ledger meets the house wall it gets metal flashing to keep both water and embers out of the joint.
Decks & Patios in other cities
More work we do in Van Nuys
Plan your project in Van Nuys
Tell us about the house and the decks & patios work. We reply about a walk-through and a written scope.