Custom Deck Build in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

A Sun Prairie family came to us with a vision: an outdoor living space that could hold up to serious entertaining in the summer and Wisconsin winters in the off season. The old wood deck had seen better days and was well past replacement time. They wanted something new, something low-maintenance, and something that looked sharp doing it.

Material Selection

After discussing the options, the homeowners chose Fiberon composite decking — a product we're certified to install, and one we recommend often for families who want great looks without the annual sealing and staining that wood demands. Fiberon's boards resist fading, staining, and mold, and they come with a strong manufacturer warranty when installed by a certified contractor.

For the railings, they went with a cable rail system — a clean, modern profile that keeps the views open from the deck while still meeting code requirements for safety.

The Build

• Demo and removal of the existing wood deck
• New post footings poured to depth for Wisconsin frost line
• Pressure-treated framing on a joist-hanger system with proper drainage gap
• Fiberon composite decking in a diagonal pattern on the upper level
• Horizontal cable railing with aluminum posts
• Built-in bench seating along one side
• Stairs to grade with composite treads

What Made This One Interesting

The diagonal decking pattern on the upper level required some careful planning to ensure the substructure could support the load properly and that the border boards landed cleanly. The result is a deck surface that has a lot more visual interest than a standard parallel layout.

Cable railing tensioning also requires attention — get it wrong and the cables go slack within a season. We use proper tensioners and take time during install to ensure they stay tight.

The Result

The homeowners now have an outdoor space they actually use. Low-maintenance, structurally sound, and built to last. That's the goal on every deck we build.