Deck Replacement, Expansion Demonstrate the Power of DIY
When we last checked in with DIYer extraordinaire Astra Spanbauer, she’d fully renovated the deteriorating second-floor balcony of her red brick American farmhouse. The project replaced rotting wood planks with composite decking, transforming the space in both form and function while helping Spanbauer realize just how much she’s truly capable of. (Read about the balcony project in our previous article here.)
The following year, Spanbauer, who chronicles the remodel of her house on the “At Home With Astra” blog and social channels, took that experience to another level by replacing and expanding the ground-level deck. Like the balcony, the existing deck, which wrapped around the side and back of the house, had been left unused due to safety concerns.
“Everything was wood, and probably original from 1979 because you would walk out and literally almost fall through the deck,” Spanbauer recalls. “We never came out here because it really just wasn’t safe [along with] being an eyesore.”
Building a DIY Deck With Long-Lasting Materials
As the leaves began to turn last fall, Spanbauer began the process of ripping out the existing wood deck boards and railing while laying out a plan to add a second, connected deck on the other side of the yard. Finding the original substructure sound, she opted to maintain the existing footprint, topping the joists with Ridge Premium capped composite decking, in Vintage Oak, from Envision Outdoor Living Products.
Ridge Premium combines a budget-friendly price point with Envision’s proprietary Compress Technology™, which uses tremendous heat and pressure to squeeze out air pockets, physically bonding the cap and EverGrain Core™ together, and press its signature non-repeating grain into the cap.
Along with the long-term durability of the composite material, “I really love the way that the grain doesn’t repeat on each board—that’s probably my favorite thing. It makes it look more natural, more realistic,” Spanbauer says. “And the value—you have several different options to choose from as far as your budget is concerned.”
Spanbauer installed the boards using Envision hidden fasteners, which provide for a seamless look on the deck surface. The DIYer says she chose the Vintage Oak plank color because of how it stands out against the house’s brick while melding perfectly with its surroundings. “I love the variation in the color, and I felt like it goes with the oak trees … I love the way it flows with everything that’s already existing out here in nature,” she says.
Spanbauer also turned to composite for the railings, selecting Designer Composite Railing from Envision’s Fairway Railing Collection. “I was very drawn to the composite number one because of the durability,” she says. “If I’m replacing everything, it needs to last through my lifetime, and I knew with the composite option that it would.”
The railings’ black hue provides a pop of color while tying in with other black accents she’s added elsewhere, including interior stair banisters and painted exterior doors, while horizontal balusters add a bit of her desired modern farmhouse vibe to the home’s more traditional vernacular.
The railings come in kits for easy assembly. Spanbauer was able to keep the original railing posts, which she covered with an Envision post sleeve with decorative bases and caps. At the top of the small stairway to the yard, she used the railings to craft a gate for her dogs.
With two sides, the existing deck footprint offers several seating areas, including a new covered section where Spanbauer later framed out a fireplace with a mantel and television above.
Following completion of the existing deck renovation, Spanbauer laid out and framed the substructure for a 30-foot walkway and a second 375-square-foot deck, each also made with Ridge Premium in Vintage Oak. On the second deck, she built an outdoor kitchen from scratch, incorporating a gas grill, a Blackstone grill, countertop prep area, and built-in bar seating. She framed the kitchen with 2x4s then covered them with stone veneer for a built-in look, topping it off with poured-concrete countertops. A dining area completes the space.
“I’m very excited about how my family is going to use the outdoor space. We have so many plans,” Spanbauer says. “With the outdoor kitchen, we’re already grilling and sitting outside having dinners together.”
Can You Build Your Own Deck?
In her videos, Spanbauer doesn’t sugar-coat the hard days of do-it-yourself—but simultaneously proves how ingenuity, dedication, and a lot of research can lead to great things.
“I think for most people projects on this scale are scary, but if you can get past the fear, and really just jump in, do your research, and get started,” she says. “Really just getting past the fear and not being afraid to tackle something this big is my number one piece of advice. And then do a lot of research so that you do know what you’re doing. But it’s definitely doable.”
