An open porch in Cumming, GA that is full of southern charm
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta recently upgraded the wooden railings that surrounded the open porch with vinyl railings. This home is located on a Cumming, GA., horse farm . The main concern for the homeowners was the upkeep and continuous maintenance of the existing wood railings. We were able to halt the revolving door of constant painting and upkeep by installing all new vinyl rail to the entire perimeter.
These homeowners are now sitting pretty with a new rail to this open porch that exudes plenty of southern charm. The upgrade will allow these Cumming homeowners to enjoy the view from their porch while watching their horses without having to worry about the railing.

By choosing to upgrade to vinyl railings, these homeowners have more time to enjoy their porch instead of painting it!
If you are concerned about the structural safety of your weathered or aging porch, we can perform a porch safety inspection for you.
Contact Archadeck of Greater Atlanta to learn more about ways we can upgrade your existing outdoor structure such as a porch, patio or even a deck with quality low maintenance materials. We are also the Atlanta areas premier outdoor living structure experts, we can design and build whatever you have in mind to fit your lifestyle as well as your budget. (770) 377 – 2900greateratlanta@archadeck.net
See more stunning porches by visiting our porches gallery located on our website.
A custom outdoor fireplace for Woodstock, GA homeowners that has it all.
No one wants to settle for less than what they want or deserve. This includes the ideal image of what your anticipated outdoor structure will look like, and also how it will function. This custom designed and built outdoor fireplace and patio surround in Woodstock is a fine specimen of what entails a totally custom solution to your outdoor endeavor.

This outdoor fireplace is full of custom features such as the eyebrow and key hearth opening and custom mantel
When these Woodstock homeowners approached us they had been in search of a patio builder that could deliver a quality built outdoor structure that complimented their home and landscape, provided functionality and beauty. Together, with the input of the homeowner, we were able to come up with a magnificent well-rounded design of a custom outdoor fireplace built from superior Belgard stack stone, as well as a custom paver patio surround that flanks the fireplace. The entire structure has custom characteristics, from the unique shape of the fireplace to the custom mantel. The use of the patio surround creates the feel of an “outdoor living room” and invites you to cozy up around the fire in much the same way a comfy, relaxed family room on the interior of the home does.
When you make the decision to use Archadeck of Greater Atlanta to design and construct any facet of their outdoor oasis, you can rest assured the silver lining comes with owning a quality built, well planned, structurally above average, and above all truly custom outdoor living structure.
To learn more about all of our custom outdoor structures, including outdoor fireplaces, fire pits and patio designs contact Archadeck of Greater Atlanta today. Call us at (770) 377 – 2900 or email us at greateratlanta@archadeck.net
To see more stunning patio designs please visit our patio and hardscapes gallery located on our website. Check out our outdoor fireplace and fire pit designs, by visiting our outdoor fireplace and fire pit gallery also located on our website.
Atlanta area patios sure have changed
Often times the thought of a paver patio brings to mind the paver patios of old with uneven surfaces and grass sprouting out of it. We might get visions of pooled water and chipped paver blocks because they were sticking up. Today’s patios are completely different. Different materials are used. The range of available materials is dizzying. Different construction is used. Today’s paver patio is stronger than a concrete driveway. A typical concrete driveway to can withstand 3,000 pounds per square inch (PSI) of pressure. Our paver patios are build to withstand at least 7,000 PSI. There are two reasons why we employ such high building standards for our patios. First, we adhere to ICPI specifications for interlocking pavement. But secondly, our standards are higher because Archadeck maintains its own standards which always exceed the local codes.
On top of construction differences, patio designs ideas and possibilities have exploded. Today pavers are just one of the materials available for patios. We are using a variety of natural stones including flagstone. Paver patios offer design flexibility and also growth flexibility. Patios can be expanded and individual areas within the patio can be replaced. For many design ideas, please view our patios and hardscape photo gallery on our Archadeck of Atlanta website.
For a completely free consultation, give us a ring at (770) 377 – 2900 or send us an email at greateratlanta@archadeck.net.
Dog friendly deck gates prove that man’s best friend can also benefit from outdoor living enjoyment

These Atlanta homeowners chose to install a dog gate to gain more control over their pets surroundings.
Dogs by nature are companion animals. Throughout history dogs have been touted as “man’s best friend”. Dogs play a crucial role in our lives, and are considered to be part of the family unit. At Archadeck, we are seeing a trend with our owners asking for customized dog gates for their outdoor living areas such as decks, porches and patios. The dog gate serves a dual purpose for Fido and dog owners.
Dog deck gates can give you and your dog all the benefits of enjoying the outdoors, while having complete control over their surroundings. Let’s say for example your family and the neighbors family are enjoying a day by your backyard pool. The only dilemma is that the dog keeps jumping in the pool. In an effort to appease your guests, and to make everyone happy you opt to enclose your dog inside the house for the afternoon. This means that Fido will miss the exercise, fresh air and camaraderie of being part of the family. With a custom installed dog deck gate, you can opt to keep Fido in the backyard but away from the pool deck area, or keep him in close proximity to the action within the deck. The choice is yours.
Dog gates offer safety, security and the convenience of having the freedom to spend more time with your pampered pooch. Our dog gates can be custom built alongside your deck’s railing system, so they offer functionality as well as aesthetic appeal. Not only do the gates offer a safe haven for your dog to take in the wonder of the great outdoors, many of our gates have become a choice for homeowners with small children as well. The gates can keep your toddler from straying away from the security of the backyard deck while you are busy cooking those hot dogs on the grill. This feature offers homeowners peace of mind, and more family-time for outdoor living enjoyment. It’s a win, win situation.
Archadeck of Greater Atlanta can custom design a dog-friendly deck gate best suited for your needs and individual taste. Contact us today to learn more about our innovative and functional outdoor living designs. (770) 377 – 2900
greateratlanta@archadeck.net
Poorly built sunroom ready to fall off house in Marietta GA
Last week we were called by Marietta homeowners because their front porch was sinking in the middle. While we were there, we also went around back to look at their sunroom which they were thinking about replacing in the near future. We were astonished to find it was nearly ready to fall off the house! It was built on jacks which were wobbly and near collapse.
What was worse is that several other contractors had come out to the property to bid on the new porch and sunroom and none of the other contractors realized that the sunroom was about to fall off the house.
We were not particularly surprised to find these issues because we find poorly built structures all the time in this area – especially in older homes.
One of the biggest reasons we find structures poorly built by other contractors is because most GA builders are not licensed. In addition, Georgia is one of two states that still require only a 40lbs PSF live load. At Archadeck of Greater Atlanta, we build everything to a 60 lb PSF live load. We wrote about this last week. Click here to read more about shoddy building requirements and unlicensed builders in Atlanta and throughout the state of GA.
What is live load and why is it important? Live load is any variable, movable load (weight) to which a structure may be subjected, including furniture, people, supplies, etc. Across the country, the standard live load is 60 lbs PSF. Because Georgia’s requirement is much lower, most Georgia contractors will only build to the minimum requirement.
Instead of just repairing the front porch, we decided we needed to repair the front porch and the sunroom at the same time. Fortunately this came in time to ensure their family and guests did not use the sunroom during the holidays.
We offer deck inspections to those considering projects for $99. Because of so many unlicensed builders and the low building requirements your deck sunroom or porch could be unstable or unsafe. Call us now – (770) 377 – 2900. Or visit our Atlanta deck builder website to learn more about Atlanta area deck inspections.
Archadeck featured in Extreme Home Makeover and HGTV’d
Archadeck offices around the country are making the news with their work featured in national television shows.
Most recently Archadeck worked with Extreme Home Makeover Home Edition on rebuilding a home for a family in need building a TimberTech roof-top deck over the family’s garage complete with a custom pergola.
Earlier this year Archadeck was featured on HGTV’d building a beautiful custom zen-style deck complete with custom benches and other custom design features. This 1,000 square foot deck included a custom fire pit, a custom pergola-style shade structure, custom planters, a children’s play area, a hot tub, and a patio. The deck was built using Fiberon Horizon.
Archadeck is a symbol of quality bearing the highest standards of design, construction and craftsmanship. Archadeck of Greater Atlanta is thrilled to be part of the Archadeck system.
For a free consultation on your next outdoor project call us at (770) 377 – 2900, send us an email at greateratlanta@archadeck.net or visit our Archadeck of Greater Atlanta website.
To see more photos of our work, click on one of the links below:
Atlanta patio and hardscape photo gallery
Is your Atlanta area deck safe for family and friends? Would you pay $99 to find out?

Archadeck decks are built to a 60 lb live load - that's 50% stronger than the requirement. This Sandy Springs GA. deck with double pergolas built by Archadeck of Greater Atlanta offers beauty and safety
Decks can collapse if they’re built the wrong way by the wrong builder. You may remember the deck crash in Marietta last year. At least five people were injured by the deck pulling away from the wall, falling backwards toward the home, and then landing atop them.

Our decks are so structurally sound you can have the whole neighborhood on your deck with not a care in the world.
Is your deck safe?. Unfortunately, you may be right to worry. Georgia is one of only two states left that require only a 40 lb PSF live load. In other states, the requirement is a 60 lb PSF live load. And to add insult to injury, most builders are not GA licensed builders. Some that are licensed don’t have the means to evaluate what live load levels they’re building to which means they are going by what city inspectors will allow them to build as their gauge.

All of our outdoor structures are constructed of the highest quality materials and expert workmanship which exceeds standard building codes in the area.
How can you find out if your deck is safe? The answer is simple.
Have a certified professional come evaluate your deck. Archadeck of Greater Atlanta provides comprehensive deck inspections for only $99. If you build with us then we will put the $99 toward your project. Our safety standards are superior to other builders in our area because we have engineering tables and have to make sure our decks are certified at 60lb live load, which is 50% higher than the requirement. Our decks last longer since there’s no movement because they’re built so well. Our quality standards ensure your enjoyment as well as your peace of mind. The bottom line is if you wants your deck to last twice as long, look twice as good and be able to confidently get twice the number of people using it at once, use Archadeck of Greater Atlanta.
To learn more about our beautiful quality-built decks then contact Archadeck of Greater Atlanta to schedule a comprehensive deck inspection at your home. You will be glad you did. Call us at (770) 377 – 2900 or email us at greateratlanta@archadeck.net
See more photos of our other stunning deck designs by visiting our decks photo galleries located on our website.
A new multi-level Buckhead deck by Archadeck of Greater Atlanta
When our clients in Buckhead called us, we knew they had a beautiful Monte Hewitt home with an small, very elevated deck they wished to make larger. The existing deck was 16′ above grade and was only 10′ out. It was really too small to allow for a relaxed eating area or for relaxed congregating. In addition, the elevated deck had no access to the back yard and the very high posts made an eyesore for those in the backyard.
There was access to the back yard from the master bedroom as you see in the right side of this picture but again, there was no area to sit, relax, enjoy morning coffee and the great Atlanta outdoors.
Their goal was to expand and replace the upper level deck, to create a deck off the mid level deck and to seamlessly connect the two spaces into one outdoor living area. The new upper deck will remain at the 16 ft elevation and the mid level deck is designed to hide the look of the high posts and make the deck beautiful from all angles. A well designed deck should look beautiful from inside the house, while enjoying the deck area, and from the back yard.
The family will now have easy access to the back yard and a nice level to watch the kids play. Another trend that’s very big now is to have multi-level or multi-area outdoor living “environments” built. Often one area is for eating and another is for congregating. This provides a spacious area for your outdoor furniture, a nice amount of walking space or traffic space and allows for multiple groups or people to do different things in the space. Just as the rooms in your home allow for relaxing in one room, eating in another, and multimedia in yet another, a multi-area deck can be like adding a vacation hideaway or outdoor oasis to your home.
To complement the beautifully wooded back yard, we are using cedar for the deck and Fortress railing. Fortress railing is a premier metal railing that is also very popular right now. Metal railing allows for a tremendous amount of visibility into the back yard as compared to the traditional wood pickets which significantly reduce visibility. Metal railings are also very low maintenance. In addition we implement an Aurora deck lighting system for maximum enjoyment from the day into the evening.
While building, we met up with Monte Hewitt along with his daughter and wife who loved the deck and railing.
The project is almost complete and we will post pictures of it very soon. If you are considering building a deck, screen porch, sunroom, pergola covered porch or other outdoor structure, give us a call for a free consultation at (770) 377 – 2900
or email us at greateratlanta@archadeck.net.
You can see more pictures of our work on our Archadeck of Greater Atlanta website.
- View our Atlanta wood decks photo gallery
- View our Greater Atlanta Patios and hardscapes picture gallery
- Or view our Atlanta covered porches photo gallery































