The Deck Makeover Reveal! - Cass Makes Home

This deck makeover has been in the works for a little over a year, and I am so glad to be finished with it so that we can fully enjoy our backyard! I can’t wait to soak this space in this summer and make lots of memories outside together.

For a quick little reminder, here is a before photo!

The old deck was rotting pretty significantly. The stair treads were beginning to come off and the railing around the entire structure was very wobbly. Fortunately, the posts and joists were still in great shape so we were able to salvage those and save some money! We decided to use composite decking for this project for long-lasting durability. We did not want to invest time and money into this and have to work hard to upkeep it. Also we decided that while we were at it we would go ahead and extend the entire deck a bit to make it larger than before.

I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to partner with Trex for this project. They sponsored all of the decking, railing, and Rain Escape materials for us. I love the quality and function of it all. These products truly made this space a dream! #sponsored #TrexCompany

Trex

For the decking we chose the Trex Enhance Naturals in Toasted Sand. It has a beautiful warm tone with a dark and soft wood grain that makes it look very realistic. We chose the grooved edge boards and Trex Hidden Fastening System for the main deck and picture frames the deck and stairs with square edge boards for a nice finished look on the perimeter. For the railing we chose the Trex Transcend in Charcoal Black with round balusters. This railing is so nice and substantial (and also very easy to install), and gives a perfectly modern contrast with the warm decking. They truly are the perfect pair!

Before installing the materials, we extended the deck structure and had the stairs turned and moved. You can read more about that here.

Outdoor Dining Area!

The upstairs deck area is now a dining area for us. The french doors open up right off the kitchen/breakfast area so this is what made the most sense. I put down this beautiful outdoor rug for some texture and this gorgeous and modern outdoor table from Room & Board. I paired it with some wicker tub chairs. These are the same chairs that I also put downstairs on the patio.

Currently our Traeger lives up here as well. Although, we do have potential future plans for an outdoor kitchen! I added a small seating area next to that with these super comfy cabana chairs that we also have on the patio. Swapped the slings for some simple ivory ones and added some plants (lemon tree, lavender tree, and gardenia trees). My lemon tree is happy to get some sunshine!

Future Plans

I have plans to build a pergola to cover this entire upstairs space. The sun beats down on this area pretty hard and makes this pretty much unusable for a few hours of the day during the spring and summer. Having the pergola should break up the sunshine quite a bit. I will also be planting a jasmine vine to grow up onto the pergola for some additional shade and some whimsical beauty! Can’t wait for that.

It’s so refreshing to see this beautiful view out of our windows and also just hang out up there. I wish I had more before photos of the condition of the deck before…but let me tell you, it was in bad shape! And the dark red paint was not easy on the eyes. I am so glad that we upgraded to composite decking. I feel so happy knowing that we will not have to worry about maintenance long-term. Plus, it doesn’t get more beautiful than this!

Changing the stair structure was a huge impact. We just did not like how the stairs went straight down parallel to the house. Functionally, it made more sense to turn them out into the yard. Plus, I think it looks so much better! Yay for function and beauty! The patio is honestly my favorite place to hang out. I find myself ending here at multiple times during the day to just relax and have some quiet time. I’d love to add some outdoor speakers on the upstairs and patio! I am currently in the market for some right now.