How to Build a DIY Composite Deck with Cozy Charm
When it came time to create an ideal outdoor space for her Utah home, DIY/home design influencer Kelly Ballard did what she does for many of her home improvement projects: watched YouTube videos, collaborated with her husband, and sought the opinions of her loyal followers. The resulting DIY deck is simple yet elegant, a cozy space that’s become a go-to gathering spot for her family of six.
Ballard began her DIY lifestyle brand shortly after turning 40. She’d set a goal to create a new project every week, and eventually realized she should track and document her work. Thus, City Girl Meets Farmboy was born. On her website and social media platforms, including Instagram, Ballard showcases her projects, ranging from home decorating ideas to building a board-and-batten wall for her home gym, with a style that is both aspirational and approachable by other DIYers.
The backyard deck is Ballard’s most ambitious project to date. Up until that point, the backyard consisted only of grass and a too-small-to-be-functional builder-grade deck off the back door. She knew she wanted to create a larger, more functional outdoor living area, but needed to stay on budget. A concrete patio was too expensive, plus didn’t provide the look she was aiming for.
Ballard’s plan was to create a simply shaped ground-level deck atop buried concrete footings. The near-rectangle abuts the corner of the house as well as the yard’s white perimeter fence, and it includes space for seating and a hot tub.
Choosing the Right Composite Decking
After reading reviews online, Ballard was impressed by Envision’s Ridge Premium collection, which offers a wood look, rich colors, and a solid 25-year limited warranty alongside a budget-friendly price point.
Ballard polled her readers to choose between the three available colors—Gunstock, Black Walnut, and Vintage Oak—eventually landing on Black Walnut, a rich brown well-suited to the home’s exterior and backdrop of big skies and distant mountains.
Like many of her projects, Ballard learned as she went, watching installation videos and working with her husband, who is an engineer by trade.
They faced some small challenges along the way, most notably the home’s existing back stairs, which her husband turned to better transition to the new deck space.
“It definitely wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be,” Ballard says. “The hardest part was making sure the base is properly prepared. It needs to be level and the concrete footers poured properly. It’s just a lot of mathematics and leveling. My husband was great at that.”
While framing out the deck, they integrated electrical wiring for the hot tub, completing the work themselves but calling on an electrician and the city to inspect and approve.
Installing the Ridge Premium composite deck boards was the easy part, Ballard says, noting that it was simple to cut and her kids pitched in to face-fasten the planks into place. (One piece of advice, she notes: Cut the decking over a tarp for easier cleanup.)
Once the DIY deck installation was finished, Ballard added rockers, an outdoor couch and chairs, an outdoor rug, and a fire table to complete the space.
“We love it. We use it every single day—my kids go out there all the time,” Ballard says. “It’s beautiful, and it’s added so much value to the backyard. Everyone who comes over compliments it. We’re so glad we did it.”
Watch a video of Ballard’s deck install on Instagram and learn more about Ridge Premium composite decking.
