#deckupgrade

Giving This Deck a New Life | Composite Decking Upgrade in Tobermory

We’re back on site—this time breathing new life into a backyard deck with durable composite decking. 💪 When upgrading, the prep work matters just as much as the boards themselves. From taping joists and beams to ensuring every layer is protected, it’s the small details that make a long-lasting deck possible.

Small Reno, Big Impact | Deck Upgrade with Composite & Aluminum

Not every project has to be massive to make a big impact. In this video, we’re giving an old deck new life with durable composite boards and a sleek aluminum railing. The result? A fresh look that’s low-maintenance, cost-effective, and built to last.

Sometimes the smallest renovations are the ones you’ll appreciate the most — especially when they boost comfort, style, and long-term value. 👷‍♂️🔨

It was a good day, don’t get me wrong. We grilled, the kids ran wild with bubbles, someone brought jalapeño poppers that basically disappeared in five minutes. But somewhere between yelling “Watch out for the sprinkler head!” and balancing a plate of ribs on my lap, I realized: we need an actual outdoor space.

Right now, our backyard in Bear is basically just a lawn. It’s wide and sunny, which is great — but it’s also uneven, soggy in patches, and kind of awkward to host in. There’s no real gathering zone. Just folding chairs that sink into the grass and a makeshift fire pit that only works if it hasn’t rained in 48 hours.

After that BBQ, I told my partner: “I think it’s time. Let’s look into building a deck.”

🎯 The Problem: A Backyard That Doesn’t Match Our Life

We use our backyard all the time. But it’s work. Dragging furniture out. Leveling wobbly tables with coasters. Chasing after the dog because there’s no fence or defined area.

We’ve got dreams. A big outdoor dining table. Maybe a built-in bench or bar. Some shade. A place where the kids can crash with popsicles after running through the sprinkler. Right now, that dream feels… scattered.

Our biggest concern? The yard is weird. Slight slope. Odd sun exposure. And we didn’t know if a deck would even fit with how the house is laid out.

🔍 The Find: A Deck Plan That Actually Makes Sense

While looking up local builders, I found this page from Prime Decks Delaware on deck installations in Bear. I half expected it to be generic, but wow — it actually spoke to the exact issues we’re dealing with.

They mentioned working on projects in neighborhoods like Fox Run and Lums Pond, which is super close to us, and they had ideas for all sorts of layouts — even for uneven or sloped yards. There was this one line about how they’ve helped design everything from “cozy backyard nooks” to “large-scale entertainment decks,” and I immediately thought: That’s what we want. Something in-between.

What impressed me most was their experience dealing with Bear’s climate quirks — the heat, the rain, the freeze-thaw cycle that’s wrecked more than one fence post in our yard. They seem to build with that in mind, using materials that don’t warp or splinter after one wild Delaware winter.

💡 Ideas I Didn’t Know I Needed

They really sold me on the idea of composite decking. At first I was leaning toward traditional wood (it’s what I grew up with), but reading about how composite handles humidity and doesn’t need annual sealing? I’m now fully in the “why create work for future me?” camp.

I also hadn’t thought about things like built-in lighting or railings that can double as bar tops — but now I can’t unsee it. The dream is starting to shape up as a multi-level deck: one area for lounging, one for dining, and maybe a little bump-out for a grill station.

What I appreciated is how Prime Decks seems to collaborate — they don’t just build decks, they help imagine them. I’ve seen so many contractors just slap together rectangles. But this felt more personal. More thought-out.

🛠️ What’s Next?

We’ve already started sketching. I even dragged the tape measure outside and did a very uneven layout with sticks and a hosepipe to get a sense of scale. It actually helped.

I think we’re going to reach out to get an estimate this fall. If the stars align, we’ll build in the off-season and be ready to break it in next spring — no more sinking chairs, no more soggy feet, no more “careful, that side slopes.”

Just a proper space. For grilling. For relaxing. For enjoying our Bear backyard the way we’ve always wanted to.