Nancy Cranston with the Parr Lumber Company recently installed a new deck at her beach house near Gearhart, Oregon. Before beginning the project, Nancy and her husband had to decide on a material — wood or composite. Because the primary criteria were durability and low maintenance, finding material that could withstand the harsh weather conditions on the Oregon Coast became paramount. After an initial quote for wood decking involved a higher cost and more maintenance than Nancy was willing to invest, she began speaking with our decking professionals at Parr Lumber Company in order to hear their recommendations.
Without exception, everyone Nancy spoke to recommended a composite deck, made of a mixture of recycled wood pulp and plastic components. Unlike a wood deck, composite decks do not need to be re-stained and re-finished every two years, and the yearly cleaning process is much simpler than the process of cleaning a wood deck. In addition to being low-maintenance, a composite deck is one of the most durable decking options available. Nancy selected a model made by TimberTech, one of Parr Lumber’s decking vendors. The model she chose has a thin PVC coating around each composite plank, which increases the deck’s resistance to the damaging effects of coastal weather conditions. The coating also prevents scratches on the surface of the deck, which was perfect for Nancy’s dogs.
Our decking professionals also referred Nancy and her husband to professional contractors for installation, who helped them solve a particular problem related to their location. In the Gearhart area, many houses have septic systems, and the extensive gravel area where the deck was being built covered two large septic tanks. In order to have the tanks remain accessible for maintenance, the contractors designed two removable portions of the deck. When in place, these sections remain flush with the deck and Nancy says they are practically indiscernible.
The best part of the project for Nancy was the opportunity to work with our staff members here at Parr Lumber and our contractors. She was surprised to find how informative and helpful our decking professionals were during the initial design and consultation process. And when our team from Parr Lumber delivered the materials (punctually, Nancy was pleased to note) to the location, they offered her the same style of customer service we give to every client — friendly, professional, and creative.
