Decks and outdoor living
Deck builder in Loveland and Northern Colorado
Composite and cedar decks, pergolas, privacy screens and built-in seating, built by a carpenter and his own crew. Decks are the biggest part of what Max builds, and the work below is all his own.
The order of work
How a deck goes up, from bare ground to the last rail
Scroll it through. Four stages, in the order Max builds them, and it is why the rail and the finish work at the end have something square to sit on.
A computer generated illustration of the method, not one of Max's jobs. Every photograph on this site is his own work, taken on site.
Piers and post bases
Posts land on galvanised standoff bases above the concrete rather than in it, so the end grain never sits in water.
- 01 Footings
- 02 Frame
- 03 Decking
- 04 Rail and finish
What lasts
What makes a deck last in Northern Colorado?
Sun and movement. At this altitude the UV is hard on timber and finishes, and the freeze and thaw either side of winter works at every fixing. The parts that fail first are the ones nobody sees: the framing, the fixings, and the flashing where the deck meets the house.
That is the argument for having a carpenter build it. The boards are the easy part. Getting the structure right underneath them is what decides whether you are still happy with it in ten years.
Permits and HOA approval are usually part of a deck project here. We will tell you what yours is likely to need before anything is ordered.
Composite or wood
Which decking should you choose?
We build both, and the honest answer depends on how much maintenance you actually want to do rather than how much you think you will do. Composite holds its color and needs no sealing. Cedar is warmer underfoot and better looking to most eyes, and it will silver if you let it.
Selected work
Recent decks across Northern Colorado
Photographed on site as the jobs finished, not styled for a brochure.
The order of work
What order does a deck actually go together in?
Stringers, posts and framing first. Everything you will actually look at depends on what happens at this stage, which is why it is worth seeing.
The photographs here are his own jobs, stage by stage. The moving sequence below them is an illustration of the build order, not one of his projects.
Stringers, posts and framing
Posts land on galvanised standoff bases above the concrete rather than in it, so the end grain never sits in water. A built up beam runs across the post tops, and the joists sit on the beam rather than hanging off it.
The parts that fail first are the ones nobody sees.
Boards and border
Composite or cedar, laid to a picture frame border where the design calls for it. The border covers the cut ends and keeps the edge straight.
The boards are the easy part. The framing underneath decides the next ten years.
Rail, stairs, done
Black metal balusters on a timber top rail, a stair flight on cut stringers, and the ground left clean.
Screens and built-in seating
Slat privacy screens and built-in benches, set out by hand so the spacing stays even.
What it is like to have us on site
Max did a great job building out custom lockers. On time, on budget, and extremely knowledgeable.
They showed up on time every day, kept me informed, and stayed on schedule from start to finish.
5.0 from 9 Google reviews owner on site one crew from framing to final trim
The things people ask first
How much does a deck cost in Loveland?
Every deck is priced after Max has seen it, because a deck on a flat lot and a deck on a slope are not the same deck. What moves the number is size, height off the ground, material, how much has to come out first, and whether the ground needs work.
Composite or cedar, which should I choose?
Composite holds its color, needs no annual sealing and takes the Colorado sun without checking. Cedar is warmer underfoot and better looking to most eyes, but it wants sealing and it will silver if you let it. Elevated Carpentry builds both.
How long does a deck take to build?
Most decks run one to three weeks on site once materials are in, depending on size, height and whether an old deck has to come off first. Max tells you the sequence before anything is ordered.
Do I need a permit for a deck in Northern Colorado?
Usually yes, and an HOA may need to approve it as well. Max will tell you what your deck is likely to need before anything is ordered.
Do you build pergolas and covered patios too?
Yes. Pergolas, privacy screens, built-in bench seating and covered outdoor living space are a large part of what Elevated Carpentry builds across Loveland and Northern Colorado.
Which towns do you build decks in?
Loveland and Fort Collins mostly, and across Northern Colorado around them.
A deck is often part of a bigger job. Max also builds finish carpentry and custom trim inside the house, and you can see the full record of the work on recent projects across Northern Colorado.
Next step
Send a photo of the space.
A picture of the back of the house and a rough idea of how you want to use it is enough for Max to tell you what is realistic.
Updated August 2026.