Deck Builders in Tacoma, WA

As deck builders in Tacoma, we spend most of our time solving one problem: water. The city averages 40.81 inches of precipitation a year and about 155 days with measurable rain, based on 1991 to 2020 climate normals, and November alone averages 6.50 inches. A deck here sits wet for months at a stretch, so the framing, fasteners, flashing and decking we choose all start from that fact. Tacoma is home base, from North End view lots to South Tacoma bungalows.

What months of drizzle do to a deck

Rot in the Northwest rarely starts on the surface. It starts where water gets trapped: at the ledger board against the house, at the tops of posts, between doubled joists and under deck boards laid too tight. Moss and green algae then take over shaded boards, which turns a north-facing deck slick by late fall. When we build or repair a deck in Tacoma, we pay attention to the hidden spots first:

• Flashing and spacing at the ledger so water drains away from the house wall
• Joist tape on the tops of framing members to shed water from fastener holes
• Board gaps that let needles and leaves fall through instead of piling up
• Post bases that keep wood off concrete and out of standing water
• Decking choices for shade: composite or capped boards where moss has been a fight

Six services, one crew mindset

• Composite deck building for homeowners who want to stop scrubbing and restaining every couple of years
• Wood deck building in cedar or pressure-treated lumber, framed for drainage and airflow
• Deck repair and replacement, from a few soft boards to a full tear-off down to the footings
• Covered decks and pergolas so the deck gets used in October, not just July
• Deck railings and stairs built to the guard and stair dimensions the city reviews
• Deck staining and sealing for wood decks that need protection before the rains return

How Tacoma decides whether you need a permit

The city's Planning and Development Services tip sheets are blunt about it: most porches and decks require building permits. The exemption is narrow. Under the residential code list Tacoma publishes, a deck can skip a permit only if it is 200 square feet or less, no more than 30 inches above grade at any point, not attached to the house and not serving the required exit door. An attached deck off a kitchen slider does not qualify, no matter how small. For permitted decks, the city asks for a site plan, a floor framing plan with joist and beam sizes and spacing, elevations, and a cross section showing the house connection, footings, guards and stairs. We prepare those drawings as part of the job, and we check land use setbacks before a single hole is dug.

Guards, stairs and the numbers inspectors check

Tacoma's porch and deck tip sheet spells out the dimensions we design to. Guards are required on open sides more than 30 inches above the grade below and must be at least 36 inches high, with openings small enough to stop a 4-inch sphere. Stairs top out at a 7-3/4 inch rise with at least a 10-inch tread and a 36-inch width, and stairs with four or more steps need a handrail between 34 and 38 inches high. On a steep North Slope or Narrows lot, where the low side of a deck can be well above grade, those rules shape the whole design.

Earthquake country, under the deck

The Tacoma Fault runs just north of the city and is considered capable of at least a magnitude 7 earthquake; geologists date its last large rupture to roughly 1,000 years ago. That is one reason the city's tip sheet calls for lateral load connections: where they are used, tension ties go in at no fewer than two locations per deck, each rated for loads up to 1,500 pounds. We treat the connection between deck and house as a structural detail, not an afterthought, and we would rather replace a tired ledger than bolt new framing to it.

View lots and historic blocks

Large parts of Tacoma look out at Mount Rainier, Commencement Bay or the Narrows, and many of those homes sit on slopes. Elevated decks on tall posts, multi-level decks that step down a hillside and glass or cable railings that keep the view open are common requests. If your home is in one of the city's historic overlay zones, plan for an extra review step on exterior changes; Tacoma's preservation program covers 165 city landmarks and more than 1,000 historic properties. We can help you assemble what the reviewers will want to see.

Getting a written estimate

Call (253) 525-5245 or send photos of your yard and the side of the house where the deck will go. We visit, measure, look at the slope and the condition of any existing deck, and give you a written quote that lists the materials, the scope and what the permit will involve.

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