Deck Builders in Salt Lake City, UT

Deck builders in Salt Lake City have to plan for two hard seasons. The city averages about 60 inches of snow a year and sees freezing temperatures on roughly 127 days, then turns hot and dry, with about 56 days at 90 degrees or more and around 3,000 hours of sunshine. A deck here has to carry snow, survive repeated freezing and thawing, and stand up to strong sun at an average elevation of about 4,300 feet. We design and build decks with those conditions in mind, from the footings to the finish.

Footings below the frost line

Salt Lake City Building Services lists a frost depth of 30 inches. Soil above that line can freeze, expand and lift a footing that sits too shallow, which shows up later as a sagging corner, a step that pulls away from the deck or a railing post that leans. We set deck footings below that depth and size them for the soil, using the city's published default bearing value unless a soils report says otherwise. On a sloped lot, the footing on the downhill side can carry a tall post, so we check bracing and post size at the same time.

Framing for snow and seismic loads

The city's design criteria set a minimum ground snow load of 28 pounds per square foot for sites at or below 4,239 feet. Much of Salt Lake City sits higher than that, especially the Avenues, the East Bench and the foothill neighborhoods, and those sites follow the Utah Snow Load Study instead, which can mean a higher number. Snow that slides off a roof can also pile up on a deck below the eaves. We size joists, beams and any deck roof for the load at your address. Residential work in the city is also in Seismic Design Category D2, so the connection between the deck and the house gets real attention: a properly flashed and fastened ledger, hardware at posts and beams, and lateral connections where the plan calls for them.

Sun, UV and material choice

The EPA notes that UV exposure rises about 2 percent for every 1,000 feet of elevation, and Salt Lake City's air is dry, with July daytime humidity around 22 percent. That combination is hard on wood. Untreated or poorly finished boards gray, check and split faster than they would at sea level. Composite and PVC boards hold their color far better, though dark colors can get hot underfoot in July. If you want wood, we plan for a stain schedule from the start. We walk through these trade-offs at the estimate instead of pushing one material.

Building on the benches

The valley's old Lake Bonneville shorelines left terraces, called benches, along the foothills, and many homes sit on yards that drop toward the valley. A deck off the main floor of a house with a walkout basement can be eight or ten feet off the ground on the low side. That changes the job: taller posts, more bracing, required guards, longer stairs and often a landing. It also opens options, like a covered patio under the deck or a two-level design that steps down the slope.

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Permits in Salt Lake City

A deck that attaches to the house, sits more than 30 inches above grade or has a roof generally needs a building permit in Salt Lake City, and the city's building services office is the place to confirm what your project needs. Permits are applied for through the city's Citizen Access Portal, with plans submitted for review and inspections scheduled after the permit is issued. We prepare the drawings and handle the application when a permit is required. If your home is in a local historic district, such as parts of the Avenues, exterior work generally needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, and the city asks owners to contact the Planning Counter first.

What a typical deck project includes

• An on-site visit to measure, check slope and look at the house wall
• A design and material choice that fits how you will use the space
• A written, itemized quote
• Permit drawings and application when required
• Footings dug below the 30-inch frost line and inspected when required
• Framing, flashing, decking, railings and stairs
• Cleanup and a walk-through when the work is done

Salt Lake City is home base, from the Avenues, Federal Heights and the East Bench to Sugar House, Rose Park and Glendale. We also work across the Salt Lake Valley in South Salt Lake, Millcreek, Holladay, Murray, Midvale, Cottonwood Heights, Sandy, Draper, Taylorsville, West Valley City, Kearns, Magna, West Jordan, South Jordan, Riverton and Herriman; north in Davis County in Bountiful, Centerville, Farmington and Layton; and beyond the valley in Lehi, Alpine and Park City. Conditions change from place to place: bench and foothill homes sit higher, with steeper yards and heavier snow, while homes on the valley floor tend to have flatter lots. Each city has its own permit office and its own rules, and each area page covers what applies there.