Why Precision?

Why Precision Decks builds a better product

Since the inception of Precision Decks in 1996, owners Bob Januik and Matt Norden had one vision in mind, to become industry leaders in the custom deck and porch industry.

Today Precision Decks is at the forefront of this industry with a strong focus on custom craftsmanship, creative vision, and innovative design in the Twin Cities marketplace. Precision Decks’ commitment in exceeding the highest levels of expectations and satisfaction for its clients has played a large role in the company’s growth and success.

With the ever evolving world of building codes, materials options, and safety issues Precision Decks has raced to the forefront by maintaining the core values of an ethical and responsible company. With innovation and collaboration, Precision Decks is producing some of the finest and most unique projects in the Twin Cities.

Footing Options

Footings are the structural foundation, and one of the most important aspects of a deck or porch project. Precision Decks offers three footing options:

A Concrete Footings

The size of a conventional concrete footing will vary depending on the size of the structural load it will be supporting. Every concrete footing installed by Precision Decks bells at the bottom to help prevent against frost heave and all footings are poured at least 48” to 52” below grade.

B Diamond Pier Footings

A Diamond Pier footing combines pin pile technology with high strength concrete. The inclined pin pile design disburses loads over a greater bearing area than conventional concrete footings. In addition the uplift and lateral resistance is increased dramatically to help prevent against frost heave.

C Helical Pier Footings

A Helical Pier footing is by far the best option available to support a deck or porch structure. The corkscrew like system is drilled down to stable soils and measured by a pressurized method to ensure it is set at the correct depth. All Helical Pier footings carry a 10 year warranty against frost heave.

Framing Lumber

KDAT Lumber Precision Decks uses nothing but the best for deck and porch framing. In fact it’s one of the only companies in the Twin Cities that uses #1 grade green pressure treated lumber that is KDAT (Kiln Dried After Treatment). KDAT is a process that removes excess moisture from lumber, minimizing the natural characteristics of wood to shrink, cup, and warp.

Engineered Lumber The use of engineered beams allows Precision Decks to build a stronger more solid deck or porch structure with larger spans, which means less footings and support posts. This is especially important to the overall design of an outdoor living space.

Framing Details

Block Framing To help ensure the joist framing stays as one uniform structure, Precision Decks installs perpendicular and diagonal joist block framing. This also helps keep the entire frame from racking.

Plane Framing In order to correct any imperfections in the joist framing, Precision Decks will detect any high spots and plane them down with a power hand planer.

Tape Framing Pressure treated lumber is rot-resistant, not rot-proof. Installing weather tape over all seams will add years of life to your deck framing. When preserving an existing structural frame to install new decking and railing, Precision Decks will install weather tape over the top of the entire existing structure.

Ledger Installation A ledger board can be a common source of water infiltration, and can be years before you discover the damage it caused. The process on the right may seem a little excessive, but the extra time Precision Decks spends will save thousands of dollars in repairs.

Stair Framing To help reduce the potential for a staircase to sag over time and eliminate a bounce like effect while traveling up and down it, Precision Decks uses more stringers than standard methods for stair framing. In addition, 2×4 bracing is added to any stair run over 7 treads.

Splice Board

Decking material comes in 12ft, 16ft, and 20ft lengths. If your deck or porch is longer than 20’ we don’t install random length boards and butt-joint them together. Instead we install a splice board which is not only aesthetically more pleasing, it is structurally more sound.

Decking Border

The ends of manufactured deck boards are ugly. There are a couple ways to create a finished edge. The easiest solution is to cover the exposed edge with a fascia board; however, since the boards are 11 1⁄4” wide they will not fully cover both deck boards and 2×12 framing. Another way to create a finished edge is to install a single or double border. This method can really dress up your deck, especially if you choose an accent color for the border.

Fastening

Precision Decks offers 3 options for installing decking material:

Face Screwing Screwing through the face of the board is by far the most structurally sound method of fastening decking material.

Hidden Fasteners Boards with grooves on the sides can be held down with hidden fasteners, perfect for a clean fastener-free look.

Cortex Plugs Counter sinking screws and installing Cortex plugs made of the exact same material as the decking offers both the most structurally sound method of fastening decking material and the clean fastener-free look.