Since one of the best parts of the Flagstaff Rental Cabin is the back of the cabin it was an easy decision to make a major upgrade when replacing the deck. The old deck, while having a certain old school charm, was worn out, not up to code, and a bit on the small side.
Rather than just replace the deck, I decided to completely redesign it with unique angles to maximize the usable space and actually build it between the existing Ponderosa Pine trees. It now reaches out into the forest so that a beautiful hammock hangs between the trees on the edge of the deck.
For the materials, I chose to “go green” and use Trex decking, which is made from recycled plastic bags. In fact there are about 150,000 in my deck alone as Trex is one of the largest recycler of plastic bags in the USA. Trex provides a great long lasting surface, with no splinters and no painting required. No trees were harmed in the building of this deck! Ok, well a few were for the framing 🙂 The fencing is made from “hog wire” panels that allow for a see through look but are very safe at the same time.
To add a log cabin feel to the deck, I also used locally sourced and salvaged peeled Ponderosa Pine logs from AP Sawmill for the support poles for the balcony. The master bedroom balcony was also enlarged to provide plenty of permanent shade on the deck below.
What would a deck be without a BBQ grill? Â Of course, I couldn’t keep the BBQ from being upgraded either. Instead of the old propane grill, I went with a new Natural Gas grill. Now you never have to worry about the propane tank running out of gas!
A new dining table for 6-8 was also added. I also used the left over pine logs to create more bench seating for anywhere on the deck or balcony.
For the lighting, the string lights add a festive and warm feel to the deck. They are the new eco-friendly LED lights that only use a couple of watts each!
I hope you will enjoy the new deck as much as I do, as a lot of thought, time and money went into it.
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