The Deckheads Podcast

Planning a deck or backyard project and not sure where to start? You're not alone. In this episode of The Deckheads, we tackle the five questions every homeowner asks before breaking ground - from budget and materials to permits, DIY vs. hiring out, and how to find a contractor you can actually trust. Whether you're just dreaming or ready to build, this episode cuts through the confusion and gives you a clear path forward. 

00:00 - 16:59 Banter

20:27 Deck Cost Question One

23:24 Deck Cost Range Explained

24:42 Price Per Square Foot Breakdown

25:31 Online Deck Budget Tool

25:58 Composite vs Wood Choices

27:49 Railing Matters Most

29:31 Do You Need a Permit

31:08 Permit Risks and Code Changes

35:01 DIY or Hire a Contractor

36:50 Assisted DIY and Learning Resources

38:57 Picking the Right Contractor

41:06 Referrals Reviews and Red Flags

46:08 Wrap Up

Ever wonder what it actually takes to go from a blank backyard to a finished deck? In this episode of The Deckheads, we walk you through the complete deck-building process from start to finish - seven steps that cover everything from your initial plan and permits all the way through railings and finishing touches. Whether you're a homeowner trying to understand what your contractor is doing, or a DIYer ready to take it on yourself, this episode gives you the full picture so nothing catches off guard. 

Are your mitered deck joints opening up after installation? You're not alone — it's one of the #1 callback reasons for deck builders. In this episode of The Deckheads Podcast we break down everything you need to know about managing joints in composite and PVC decking.

🔧 WHAT WE COVER:

• Why composite and PVC decking expands and contracts more than you'd expect
• Mitered joints vs. butt joints — which to use and when
• The "day 1 vs. day 100" rule for choosing your jointing method
• When miters are acceptable (hint: keep it under 12 feet)
• How to use breaker boards to define "rooms" and hide expansion
• Fascia corners — why you should avoid mitering fascia, and what to do instead
• Gap Cap: a new product that solves fascia corner and picture-frame joints
• Why you must follow manufacturer gapping instructions to keep your warranty
• How to protect yourself when a homeowner insists on a risky installation

🇨🇦 GAP CAP IN CANADA: We're the official Canadian distributor for Gap Cap. Canadian stock is landing soon — we'll be able to ship anywhere in the country. Builders and dealers: reach out about wholesale pricing.

🪵 BRANDS DISCUSSED:
Deckorators Voyage • Eva-Last Apex Plus • Clubhouse PVC • Azek • Trex • Fiberon • Venture Decking

🛠️ PRODUCTS MENTIONED:
Gap Cap • Axxent End Cut Paint • Marksman Pro X1 • Camo Fasteners

Whether you're a pro builder or a serious DIYer, understanding how your decking moves with temperature is the difference between a deck that looks great on day one and one that still looks great years later.

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🛒 Shop composite and PVC decking: www.tuds.ca
📲 Follow us:
Instagram: theultimatedeckshop
Facebook: The Ultimate Deck Shop

#CompositeDeck #DeckBuilding #PVCDecking #DeckInstallation #DeckTips #MiteredJoints #BreakerBoard #GapCap #Azek #Trex #DeckPodcast

White pants. A golf course. No bathroom in sight. That's where this one starts — and somehow we still end up breaking down the 7 outdoor living trends Deck Specialist Magazine says are defining this spring's decking season.

We go through all of them: blending indoor and outdoor style, weather protection and why Zillow says an outdoor fireplace adds 2.8% to your home's sale price, the color debate, black railings, fast-install railing systems, whether cooler decking technology is real or snake oil, and wellness spaces. We agree on most of it. We push back on a few. 

Build something worth being outside for. 

00:00 Deal Site Banter

06:48 Baseball Pants Talk

10:55 Outdoor Living Trend One

14:01 AI Designs and Expectations

16:34 Realtor Demo and Budget Shock

19:03 Weather Protection Upgrades

19:45 Selling the Fire Pit

21:09 Pergolas Shade and Privacy

25:13 Modern Black Railings

26:19 Fast Install Railing Kits

28:52 Cooler Decking Myth

33:17 Wellness and Home Gardening

37:40 Wrapping Up and Banter

#DeckheadsPodcast #OutdoorLiving #DeckDesign #Decking #TheUltimateDeckShop #tuds.ca

Most people spend $3,000 on a patio set before they spend $200 on the deck it's sitting on. In this episode of The Deckheads, we walk through five deck upgrades that are all under $500, all doable in a weekend, and all the difference between a deck that looks tired in five years and one that looks (and lasts) like it costs twice as much. 

 

Some of these you'll see. Some of these you won't - and that's the point. From the $150 roll of joist tape that adds 10-15 years to your frame, to the lighting trick that changes how often you actually sit out there, to the picture-frame retrofit that makes any deck look custom-built - these are the upgrades contractors wish more homeowners knew about. 

Whether you're planning a new build, resurfacing an existing deck, or just trying to get more out of the deck you've already got, this one's for you. 

The Deckheads is brought to you by The Ultimate Deck Shop - Saskatchewan's backyard building centre, with locations in Regina and Saskatoon. We stock every product mentioned in this episode. 

 

www.tuds.ca 

 

Modern deck boards last decades. Most deck frames don't. We break down the four framing systems contractors and homeowners are choosing between in 2026, plus the wood-protection products that extend a PT frame when budget rules out an upgrade. Real costs, real warranties, real failure modes.

 

10:25 Deck Framing Topic Switch

10:53 Composite Boards Vs Framing

13:28 Cedar Redwood Framing Talk

15:01 Treated Lumber Changed

17:36 Colors And Chemicals

19:29 Tape Your Joists

22:43 Alternative Framing Options

23:55 Fortress Steel Overview

26:13 Steel Pros And Cons

28:18 Tools for Steel Framing

29:13 Big Spans and Clean Fascia

30:19 Cost Reality Check

31:37 Rust Risks and Warranty

32:49 Steel for Pergolas

33:39 QuickBuild Aluminum System

36:42 Design Tools and Materials

39:00 OC Lumber

48:22 Hybrid Framing Best Of Both

55:14 Final Takeaways and Wrap

 

Winter is brutal on decks - especially in Saskatchewan. Frost heave, ice loading, and months of freeze-thaw cycles can turn a perfectly good deck into a safety hazard before you even notice. In this episode we will walk you through a complete spring deck inspection in about 20 minutes, covering every part of your deck from the surface boards to the ledger board(the #1 cause of deck collapses). 

 

Whether you've got a wood deck, composite, or PVC, this checklist will help you spot problems early - while they're still cheap fixes - instead of finding our the hard way in the middle of the summer. 

Got questions about something you found on your deck? Send us the photos and our team will help you sort it out.

 

tuds.ca

If you're shopping composite decking in 2026, Eva-Last keeps showing up - but with three flagship lines and lots of marketing, it's easy to get lost. Today we break down Infinity IS, Apex Plus, and Pioneer: how they're built, what the warranties really cover, and who each one is actually for. 

A lot has changed in the decking industry in just the last 30 days - new acquisitions, new products, new cost pressures - and if you're planning a deck this year, whether you're a contractor quoting jobs or a homeowner getting ready to build, there's some stuff you need to know. We're going to walk you through all of it, and by the end of this episode you'll know exactly how to navigate the 2026 deck season like a pro. 

Dave and Joey — the BROLAWS behind one of Ontario's most recognized deck-building brands — pull up a chair at TUDS-X and it goes exactly where you'd expect. Zero script, zero filter.

You'll hear why some young people walk away from the trades before they ever find their footing, why the trades need better culture as much as they need more workers, and what it actually takes to build a business — not just a pile of decks.

Turns out, school teaches you how to learn. The trades teach you how to build. This episode is about doing both.