Now for the fun part – installing the main composite decking!

Having completed the first seven steps of our new deck project: preparing the building site, installing the footings, laying porcelain tile on top of the original concrete stoop, building the main deck frame, installing a critter guard, hanging the joists, and installing a picture frame perimeter, Chris Blue, the contractor we hired was ready to install the Trex Transcend Havana Gold decking. But, as shown in the previous video, upon opening the wrapped decking, we discovered that there were two different colors of Havana Gold, more than half of the boards were a darker, duller tea color compared to the rich gold color of the sample. As a result, construction was delayed for five days as we waited for replacement decking. Fortunately, Chris adjusted his busy schedule to accommodate this change.

Here’s some background information about this project:
By removing the old cedar deck with rotting frame and posts at the front entrance to our house, the original concrete porch and steps were revealed. Although in very good condition, the small 3’ x 4’ porch was barely large enough for opening and closing the glass storm door, especially when carrying something large like a suitcase or bag of groceries. And we missed having a deck where we could sit outdoors and appreciate the amazing view of the Olympic Mountains while enjoying a glass of wine. So, we decided we wanted to have a new, larger deck installed using composite decking that won’t rot or need to be resealed every year. The remaining question was what to do about the concrete porch and steps? Should we cover it over with decking like the old cedar deck, bust it up using a jackhammer, or lay tile over it and frame the deck around the entrance porch. After getting several estimates and studying these options, we eliminated laying composite decking on top of the concrete because the thicker boards would make the deck too high for opening the door. Removing the porch with a jackhammer would have to be done by myself (no way!) or by a different contractor, which would extend the time in getting the project done. Laying tile on the porch myself and hiring a contractor to frame the deck around it was the most feasible, and aesthetically appealing option. After all, I had installed luxury vinyl tile indoors several times myself (check out my videos). Laying porcelain tile on a small 3’ x 4’ concrete porch couldn’t be all that difficult. Or could it? Although I am pleased with the results, it was a lot more work and hassle than I ever imagined, especially reducing the slope using a thicker layer of mortar at the far end while keeping the tiles level.