Notes on building decks in Gainesville and Alachua County: what north Florida sun and the summer storm season do to a structure, what materials cost here, and how permitting works in the city and in the county.https://gainesvilledeckco.com/https://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/older-gainesville-houses-and-deck-height/https://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/older-gainesville-houses-and-deck-height/Raised floors and older wall assemblies make historic Gainesville a different deck market from the subdivisions west of town, and a more interesting one.Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTGainesville Deck Cohttps://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/pool-decks-and-what-changes/https://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/pool-decks-and-what-changes/Surface temperature, slip resistance and constant wet-dry cycling make a pool deck a different specification, even when the material looks identical.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTGainesville Deck Cohttps://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/deck-safety-check-five-minutes/https://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/deck-safety-check-five-minutes/Four places to look and one tool to use. Guards, the ledger line, post bases and stairs account for nearly every serious defect found on an older deck.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTGainesville Deck Cohttps://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/what-is-under-your-yard/https://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/what-is-under-your-yard/Florida has no frost line, so deck footing depth is decided by finding ground that carries the post. Why the depth varies across a single Gainesville lot.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTGainesville Deck Cohttps://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/wind-load-and-covered-decks-in-alachua-county/https://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/wind-load-and-covered-decks-in-alachua-county/Alachua County sets most residential design at 130 mph and is not in a wind-borne debris region. What that means for a deck, a pergola and a covered porch.Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTGainesville Deck Cohttps://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/attaching-a-deck-to-a-slab-house/https://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/attaching-a-deck-to-a-slab-house/Most newer housing around Gainesville is slab-on-grade, so there is often no band joist for a ledger. Why freestanding is usually the better structure.Sat, 18 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTGainesville Deck Cohttps://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/how-hot-does-composite-decking-get/https://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/how-hot-does-composite-decking-get/Surface temperature is where composite decking loses to wood in north Florida, and colour matters more than brand. What to expect on an unshaded lot.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTGainesville Deck Cohttps://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/building-a-deck-around-a-live-oak/https://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/building-a-deck-around-a-live-oak/Framing around an existing tree makes a better deck in a shaded Gainesville yard. How to size the opening, protect the roots, and check the tree rules first.Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTGainesville Deck Cohttps://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/wet-season-and-the-build-calendar/https://gainesvilledeckco.com/blog/wet-season-and-the-build-calendar/Afternoon thunderstorms run on a near-daily rhythm through a north Florida summer, which changes how a deck build is scheduled and when the finish goes on.Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTGainesville Deck Co