FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Navigating Our Online Store

How can I tell if I'm getting everything I need to finish my project?

We recommend reading through the manufacturer's installation guide for any product you are using, which can usually be found at the manufacturer's website, or in our installation guide directory. This helps explain each item's use throughout the installation process.

Read through the product description of each item you are buying. Many will say what items are included or not included, you'll just need to select those items separately according to your needs.

You can also view the recommended products that work with or coordinate with the system you are using by scrolling to the bottom of that product's page.

For the framing stage, we recommend that you have your entire deck's frame planned out with lumber, connectors, and hardware, so that you can select each part and quantities. Most items you'll need for your framing can be found here.

Each decking and fascia manufacturer recommends specific types of fasteners for their products, which you can find at the bottom of any of our decking or fascia pages.

I'm trying to place an order, and don't see any shipping options.

Be sure that you are on the checkout page (not the cart page), and have entered a valid address in both the shipping address fields and the billing address fields.

Some of our product offerings are not able to be shipped across all of North America.

Hardware, Dexerdry, Azek adhesives, boxed railing systems, railing posts, gates, most cable railing systems, and all small hardware parts can be shipped across the 50 US states. Loll furniture can only be shipped within the continental 48 states.

Large items like decking, framing, LVLs, Diamond Piers, underdecking panels, assembled railing panels, and railing parts over 8' long can only be delivered to jobsites inside our 100-mile Minneapolis, MN delivery radius.

For customers in Canada: only Dexerdry rolls and Blueclaw levers can be shipped to Canada. Please do NOT arrange shipping for other items via a forwarding service, as we do not include sufficient documentation for exporting it to you.

If this limits you in your project, local dealers for most products can be found at the manufacturer's website, or give us a call and we can help you locate one close to you.

Shipping and Deliveries

Why aren't any shipping options being shown for my order?

Some items in our product lines can't be shipped across all of North America.

Hardware, Dexerdry, Azek adhesives, boxed railing systems, railing posts, gates, and most cable railing systems can be shipped across the 50 US states. Loll furniture can only be shipped within the continental 48 states.

If this limits you in your project, dealers for any of the other items can be found at the manufacturer's website, or give us a call and we can help you locate one close to you.

If I'm in a hurry and place my order with 2nd day air shipping, will I get it 2 days later?

Not necessarily. Shipping speed does not include processing time (the time it takes to get your product and prepare it for shipment). If the item is in stock, it will usually ship out within one business day. For example, if you order an in-stock item on Friday at 12pm CST with 2nd Day Air shipping, it will likely leave our warehouse on Monday, and you would receive it that Wednesday.

I placed my order a few days ago, and I haven't received any notifications that it has shipped.

We process orders Monday through Friday, and may not always have the items in stock. We order any items not in stock for your order, check and package them, then ship them out. If the items are all in stock, items usually wouldn't ship out until the next business day.

We try to ship your entire order together so you receive it all at once. We may need to get more stock on an item, and will then ship it out. This usually takes a few days to make sure it's correct and in good condition. If you need to get going on your project, let us know that you would like items shipped "as available" and we can split up your shipment. We will ship what is available, and then ship the rest when we get it in.

Are all products available to ship nationwide?

Some items in our product lines can't be shipped across all of North America.

If this limits you in your project, dealers for any of the other items can be found at the manufacturer's website, or give us a call and we can help you locate one close to you.

Planning a deck project

Is it better to order extra materials, or order as closely as possible to what I need?

We recommend ordering as closely as possible to what you need. If you are in a time crunch, it may be worth it to order some extras in case of a mishap. Not all items are returnable, and if that's the case, there may be extra costs to get them returned. Most items can be ordered for you in small quantities, if needed.

How much Dexerdry do I need for my deck?

We recommend adding up the linear footage of all the deck boards being used on the waterproofed area (minus any cutoffs). For example, if you have 26 boards that are 12' long each, 26x12 = 312 linear feet of Dexerdry.

If you're using 5-1/2" deck boards, you can multiply the square footage of the deck by 2.2 to get the rough linear footage of what you will need.

Is Pro Deck competitive with box stores and other lumberyards?

Overall, our prices are fairly competitive. Some lumberyards that stock a certain line of decking, for example, may have lower prices than we do on that line.

Our service and understanding of decks is what makes us valuable: handling material, informing and advising homeowners on what's best for their project, and providing troubleshooting when solving unusual deck problems.

In our world, one nice, clean deck board is worth more than ten cheap scratched ones. And if that's not true for you, then a box store may be the better fit.

Products

What does Pro Deck Supply have in the way of materials for commercial projects?

Most of our railing systems are also available in 42" height, contact us for more information.

Most lines of decking and fascia can be used on commercial projects, but may have different installation requirements.

Are there products not listed online that I can order from Pro Deck?

Most of our products are listed online, but if you're looking for a different item from a brand that we carry, chances are that we can get those items for you.

I have a project with railing or decking that I don't recognize. Would you be able to get a match for it?

Send us a photo, and we will do our best to identify it. As technology and styles change over the years, many decking colors and lines have been discontinued and can't be sourced anymore. You can also stop into our showroom and compare it with our 100+ deck colors and 30+ railing lines to see what would coordinate best with it.

Ordering Materials

Can I just show up and pick up materials without placing an order?

For smaller in-stock items, yes. (See quick pickup items here). For larger items, we will need you to place an order ahead of time so that we have time to order, pull, check, and package it for you. We operate on a first-come, first-served order system, so we may not be able to get to every order immediately.

What are normal lead times like?

For decking, railing, framing, and full deck packages: generally 5-10 business days, from time of payment to sitting on your jobsite.

For railing-only jobs: generally 4-8 business days.

For an extra board or two: generally 3-6 business days, depending on the item.

For LVLs: Stock profiles and lengths are usually 2-4 days to cut and prep if in stock. Non-stock sizes may be 1-2 weeks, depending on the size. Custom size LVLs are not returnable.

For bulk orders or special-order items: Lead time can range from one week to ten weeks, depending on the product.

Can I order curved deck boards or curved railing from Pro Deck?

We cannot do curved deck boards, but have other ways of helping you build a deck that has curved sections, if that's your style.

We can order curved Westbury railing for your project, but it is special order and not returnable. We have also found that using straight railing sections on a curved deck is more cost-effective and can look just as nice as curved panels.

Picking Up Orders

Can I place orders for pickup?

Yes, orders can be picked up at our Minneapolis, MN location, if you choose "pickup" at checkout. We will notify you once your items are ready for pickup. If you order it and immediately come b to pick it up, we may or may not have it ready.

If I order a decking or framing load for pickup, can Pro Deck load it onto my trailer or truck for me?

No. If you have decking or framing that you need loaded, you will need to hand load it onto your vehicle. This ensures that materials and vehicles don't get damaged, and that materials are loaded in the way you prefer. We aren't liable for any damage done to your materials or vehicles while loading.

Can I arrange for a trucking or courier company to pick up my materials for me?

If you have small boxes of hardware or railing kits, those can be arranged to have a courier pick up. Just make sure they have your order number (a 4 or 5 digit number) and your name.

We usually prefer not to ship larger loads via LTL freight carriers, because our standards for material handling are higher than most freight companies, and we want you to get your materials in good condition. If you'd like your order to be shipped using a method other than our standard delivery options, we'd be glad to discuss alternatives, so that we can correctly package and configure your loads so that damage and costs are minimized. Typically, we don't ship loads of decking or fascia, because of the challenges of shipping long pallets in enclosed trailers.

Order Changes, Returns, and Exchanges

Can I change my order after it has been placed?

Email us with your order number and details of what changes you'd like, and we can pause the order until we can confirm the changes with you, if possible.

Depending on what stage the order is at, we may be able to make changes to it. If it has not been special-ordered, packaged, or shipped, we should be able to make changes with minimal or no restocking fees.

If it is ready to ship or has already shipped, we will have to do an exchange on the order, which will likely involve some restocking fees. Restock fees cover the cost of the work we have already done to put your order together, as well as the cost of returning nonstock items.

SPECIAL ORDER ITEMS: If the items are special-order, once we have placed the special-order with our supplier, it cannot be modified, canceled or refunded.

What's the difference between a "non-stock item" and a "special order item"?

Nonstock items are products we do not keep in our warehouse, but can get in fairly quickly and can usually be returned, minus a restock fee. Special order items are products that usually have a longer lead time and cannot be returned, since they were ordered from the manufacturer in quantities or styles specifically for you.

Installation

Where can I find more information on how to install specific products?

Every manufacturer has installation guides and videos, usually found on their website or Youtube channel. We also have a directory to many of these resources, which you can view here.

I'm halfway through my deck project and don't have the time or energy to finish it this year. What now?

Having a skilled friend work on it with you, or finding a handyman or contractor finish it for you are two ways to get your deck finished. If you can't finish it now but will be able to later, find a good place to store the remaining materials. Ideally, keep your painted fascia, railing, hardware, and other boxed items packaged, and dry if possible. Non-wood decking, fascia, and underdecking can be left outside, and if you can store it on chocks or slats, it will stay cleaner and will be easier to work with. Treated framing is best to install right away, because though it is treated, it may change shape or warp if it's left in the sun or let dry for too long.

Contractors

Does Pro Deck Supply have special pricing or programs for contractors?

Yes, we do offer a contractor program. This includes a project portal for submitting materials lists and managing your projects and deliveries, as well as communicating with us about your needs, accessible by you 24/7.

Does Pro Deck offer a project estimating service?

Yes and no. Every contractor's preferences and every deck's design vary by project. We'll be glad to go over your materials list with you, or talk you through the materials needed for unfamiliar product lines, but guessing at what you might need for a project usually results in issues on the jobsite, like incorrect items or incorrect quantities, which means more work and cost that's not needed.

I'm located outside your normal delivery radius, but I'm interested in bulk orders of product from you (Diamond Piers, Ultralox panels, IG railing, etc.) Can we work something out?

If you have a warehouse with a forklift, as well as truck access, we can usually arrange freight for items that will fit on smaller pallets. Shipping longer items like LVLs and decking is also an option, but are prone to damaged material and are not cost-effective to ship.

Can I get a price list for your products?

We use our online store as an searchable, easy-access, live-update price sheet that you can reference for quoting your projects.

DIYers

If I'm a DIYer or a homeowner working on my own deck, will I be able to buy from Pro Deck?

Yes, we can work with you and deliver materials to your home for your deck build. We recommend that if you are building your deck and a permit is required, that you understand your city's requirements before ordering anything. Typically, it's best to figure out your deck design and material selection, then get your permit plan approved, then make your purchase and arrange delivery. If you have an HOA, we recommend discussing any requirements they may have for decks before choosing materials.

Will Pro Deck Supply bid out my project for me?

We offer two options to help with this. The first is a paid consultation where we discuss your project with you: the frame construction, the decking layout, and railing assembly, and potentially lighting and underdecking layouts. You will walk away with a quote and a general understanding of how your deck should be built, and will know what each part on your quote is used for.

The other option is for you to educate yourself on the construction of a low-maintenance deck, so that you can come up with a materials list for your deck, and get a price on your project either from the pricing in our online store, or at our showroom from one of our salespeople.

Being educated on how your deck will be built ensures that you know what each part on your materials load is going to be used on, and that you don't incorrectly use any of the parts in the wrong areas of your deck.

General Information

Dexerdry

If you're hoping to install Dexerdry on your project, we recommend reviewing our product page for Dexerdry as well as watching the videos posted there. This ensures that you know what sort of work and materials will be needed for your deck, and if Dexerdry is a good fit for your project.

Once you've decided if you want to add Dexerdry to your project, the next step is to make sure that there is a profile of Dexerdry compatible with the decking brand/collection you want to install. Each brand of decking has a unique groove and edge profile, and each profile of Dexerdry was designed specifically for its complimentary deck plank. Most lines of decking from Timbertech, Azek, Trex, Fiberon, Wolf, and Deckorators will have a Dexerdry profile that fits with it. You can view each profile's compatible decking lines on our Dexerdry page.

We do not recommend grooving wood deck boards to work with a Dexerdry profile, because wood is not truly waterproof, and expands and contracts much more than alternative decking.

To estimate how much Dexerdry you will need for your project, we recommend adding up the linear footage of all the deck boards being used on the waterproofed area (minus any cutoffs). For example, if you have 26 boards for your maind deck area that are 12' long each, 26x12 = 312 linear feet of Dexerdry.

If you're using 5-1/2" deck boards, you can get a rough estimate by multiplying the square footage of the deck by 2.2 (each square foot usually uses 2.2 linear feet of decking, because 1 foot of deck board is slightly less than half of a square foot).

Your frieze board for waterproofing at the house (which is typically a piece of 5/4 PVC trim) ideally would be ordered with your deck boards. Making a matching frieze board is why we recommend a brand-specific router bit, since the bit is needed to make a correctly sized groove for the first strip of Dexerdry to slip into.

The Blueclaw tool is our recommendation as the best tool to compress and seal the Dexerdry while fastening the deck boards. Other board levers or wrenches can be used, but will likely result in boards flipping up or sliding while fastening, board damage, and even tool breakage.

Lexel is one of the two recommended sealants to use with Dexerdry, because of its adhesion to Dexerdry, decking, and because it can be applied in less-than-optimal weather conditions.

Re-decking Over Existing Framing

Removing your existing decking and railing, and re-using your old framing can be an easier way to make your deck look like brand new, especially if you're working on it yourself.

However, if the frame wasn't built right the first time, or if your framing is rotting and not structurally sound, it's probably better to build a new frame than to risk ending up with a collapsed deck. The sight of a broken-down deck is especially painful if you've just spent thousands of dollars on new decking and railing, only to have to throw it away.

Because existing framing may have begun to rot, or may have weak spots due to standing water, we always recommend joist tape on re-deck projects. The top of each joist is where water tends to soak in, especially if it's in a seam or gap between deck boards. Adding joist tape greatly slows down this process, and helps keep your joists good as long as possible.

You may have heard of old-growth and new-growth lumber, which refers to both the tightness of the grain and the structural strength of the wood. Old-growth wood was harvested from forests where the trees grew close together, and the wood didn't grow as fast, so it ended up with growth rings that are closer together, denser, and therefore stronger.

Modern lumber is harvested where only a few trees from a given area are harvested, which leaves more area around each tree. This extra sunlight that each tree gets means it grows faster, and the growth rings are further apart and less dense, resulting in lumber that has less strentgh than old-growth lumber.

To make a long story short, if you have old-growth lumber, it is less prone to rot because of its density, and you may be able to reuse it on your next deck.

If your ledger is rotten at all, or if the tops of your joists aren't clean and flat, you may want to consider replacing those parts, or the entire deck frame.

Preventing The "Flex" Effect On Low-Maintenance Decking

PVC, wood-plastic composite, and mineral-based decking formulations are all tested and perform to national standards for decking. They are usually as resilient as wood, but are usually not as stiff. This means that if they aren't installed over strong, well-braced joists, they may give your deck a bouncy feel.

To avoid this, using 2x10 joists or even 2x12 joists on longer spans helps a great deal. We recommend "midspan blocking" between the joists to tie the joists to each other. This helps spread the load on one joist to the adjacent joists, giving more strength to the area where a person is standing. Midspan blocking also helps keep the joists from twisting and spreading apart.

When decking bends between two joists, the ends of the boards past the supporting joists want to pull upwards. Once a deck is completed, those ends of the boards are help down with fasteners, and therefore won't allow for the board to bend between the joists.

Freestanding Decks

If it's not feasible to get a solid waterproof ledger connection at the house wall, or if you want to avoid getting a permit, building a freestanding deck may be an option worth considering.

Freestanding decks are decks that are built with footings at all the corners or around the perimeter of the deck frame, so that it doesn't have to be attached to a wall on one side. Because it's not attached to a wall, extra care should be taken to stabilize the posts so that the deck won't twist or move laterally. This may mean mounting the joists directly to the footings, or digging the footings down into the ground more to brace the posts laterally, adding diagonal bracing, or all the above.

When Is Railing Required

If a deck is more than a foot off the ground, railing is usually a good idea. Though many cities' permitting office don't require a railing if the deck surface is less than 30" off the ground, it may be a good idea to add some sort of guard. Falling or stepping off the edge of a taller deck can be hazardous, especially if you're not expecting it.

If you prefer to not have a railing but are still concerned about safety, there are other creative ways to solve this. Adding a bench around the edge of the deck is a nice way to add a useful feature to your deck that will make it harder to accidentally fall off.

If your deck is a uniform elevation all the way around the perimeter, building a cascading stairway that follows the perimeter of the deck will ease the drop off, and makes the deck accessible from all sides.

If you just want a visual warning of where the edge of the deck is, sometimes a contrasting deck border board is a good way to subconsciously know where the deck stops, and a potentially dangerous edge is.

Decks Not Requiring A Permit

We recommend doing research on a deck permit before purchasing any materials. This ensures that your framing parts and plan meets the city's requirements, and also that you have all the required documents and details that the inspector will ask for during your permit submission and final inspection.

When planning a deck, it's always best to check with your city's building official to see if you need a permit. If the deck will be under a certain square footage amount, or will not be attached to the house, there is a chance that you will not need to pull a permit.

Even if your city won't require a permit for your deck design, they will often have packets with helpful information about building a deck, which helps ensure that your deck is sturdy, capable of withstanding your area's weather and soil conditions, and built for safety and longevity.

If your neighborhood has an HOA, it's best to figure out deck design details that meet the requirements of the HOA. This is much easier to do at the planning stage than when you have a crew ready to build your deck, and you're only then finding out that you'll need to return your materials and pick a different color or style.

Rooftop Decks

Building a deck over a EPDM or membrane roof is a great way to make a rooftop area more durable and attractive. Laying deck boards down on the floor without any framing or fastening is not a good idea, since they will move around, and not drain water well.

Because there is some expansion and contraction with low-maintenance decking, it's good to make sure your structure will not be affected by the thermal movement of the boards. If the joists are not secured at the correct spacing, the decking may spread them apart of the boards thermally expand. This will result in an uneven board pattern, and eventually the joists will wear through the rubber membrane.

If you don't have the vertical space to add 2x6 or 2x8 sleeper framing (or even if you do) we recommend installing the Deckorators Sleeper system, along with Deckorators Voyage or Vault decking collection. Because the Surestone lines are a fully waterproof material that has almost no thermal movement, you will be able to install a low-profile frame with decking, without needing as robust of a framing layout.

When it comes to railing on a rooftop deck, it's usually easier to use a fascia-mount or outside mount railing post system so that you won't need to mount the railing over the rubber membrane. Ultralox aluminum railing and RailFX cable railing are our two most popular railing systems that can be purchased with fascia-mount posts.