Why Our Decks Are Built Differently

Believe it or not, many deck companies in Western PA hire out a lot of the work for your project. The framing crew comes from one company. The railing installer comes from another. The electrician for your lighting shows up two weeks later. You know how it goes. Each handoff is another chance for delays, miscommunication, and quality that shifts from one trade to the next.

Showman works differently. The same skilled team that pours your footings also frames your deck, installs your railings, runs your electrical, and walks you through the final inspection. That single-crew approach delivers four real benefits to homeowners:

• One team, one standard. The professionals who start your project are the ones who finish it. Quality stays consistent from the first shovel to the last screw.
• No subcontractor delays. Your timeline is ours to control. We do not wait on outside crews or work around competing schedules.
• Integrated electrical from day one. With a licensed electrician leading the team, deck lighting, outlets, and low-voltage runs are designed into the build — not bolted on as an afterthought.
• One number to call. If you ever have a question, a concern, or a future project, you call Showman. Not a string of subcontractors who have moved on to other jobs.

Deck Materials: A Conversation, Not a Sales Pitch

There is no single “best” decking material. The right choice for your project depends on four things: your budget, how much maintenance you are willing to do, how long you want the deck to last, and the look you want when it is finished. Jeff walks every homeowner through these tradeoffs before any material is ordered.

Here are the three options most Western PA homeowners consider:

Pressure-Treated (PT) Wood

Pressure-treated lumber is the most common decking material in our region, and for good reason. It is strong, widely available, and the most affordable option upfront. PT wood is chemically treated to resist rot, termites, and fungal decay, which makes it well suited for outdoor use.

The tradeoff is maintenance. Western Pennsylvania’s freeze-thaw cycles, summer humidity, and winter snow are hard on any wood surface. To keep a PT deck from warping, cracking, or graying out, you should plan to clean and reseal it every two to three years. Done right, a properly maintained PT deck can serve a family for 15 to 20 years.

Best for: homeowners who want a strong, traditional wood deck at the lowest upfront cost and do not mind regular upkeep.

Composite Decking

Composite boards are made from a blend of recycled plastic and wood fibers, engineered specifically for outdoor use. Composite has become the most popular premium option in Western PA because it solves most of the problems that come with traditional wood. It does not warp, splinter, rot, or fade the way wood does. It does not need staining or sealing. A simple wash with soap and water once or twice a year is usually all the maintenance it needs.

The tradeoff is cost. Composite decking carries a higher upfront price than pressure-treated wood. For many homeowners, that higher initial investment is offset by 25 to 30 years of low-maintenance service and a finished look that holds up year after year.

Best for: homeowners who want a long-lasting deck with minimal upkeep and a clean, polished appearance.

Cedar and Redwood

Cedar and redwood are the premium natural-wood options. Both are naturally resistant to rot and insects without chemical treatment, and both deliver a warm, distinctive look that is hard to match with any other material. The grain, color, and texture of a cedar or redwood deck have a character that many homeowners specifically want.

The tradeoff is care. Without routine staining or sealing, both materials will weather to a soft gray over time. Some homeowners actually prefer that aged look. Others want to preserve the original color, which means committing to a refinishing schedule similar to pressure-treated wood.

Best for: homeowners who want the natural beauty of real wood and appreciate a material with a distinctive character.

How Jeff Helps You Choose

When Jeff visits your property for the initial consultation, material selection is part of the conversation. He walks you through how you plan to use the deck, what your budget looks like, how much time you want to spend on upkeep, and how the deck should look against your home. Then he helps you pick the material that fits all four. No upselling. No commission-driven brand pushing. Just straightforward advice from someone who has been building decks in this region for nearly thirty years.

Deck Styles and Configurations We Build

No two homes are alike, and no two families use their outdoor space the same way. Showman works with you to design and build a deck that fits your home, your lifestyle, and the way you want to live outdoors — while adding lasting value to your property.

Multi-Level Decks

Multi-level decks create distinct zones for dining, lounging, and entertaining, all connected as one outdoor living space. Adding stairs, landings, and built-in seating walls separate the cooking area from the conversation area, the sun from the shade, and the adults from the kids’ space. The result is a deck that lives larger than its footprint and gives your family more ways to enjoy it

Elevated Decks Off Kitchens, Bedrooms, and Living Spaces

An elevated deck extends your home’s most-used rooms directly into the outdoors. Step out of your kitchen onto a dining deck. Walk from your bedroom onto a private morning retreat. Open the living room sliders onto a space built for entertaining. This can add hundreds of square feet to your living space and even boost the value of your home! We engineer the structural support, install code-compliant railings, and build safe, well-designed stair access where needed.

Attached and Freestanding Decks

Attached decks provide seamless indoor-outdoor flow from a kitchen or living room. Freestanding designs work well for pool areas, shaded retreats away from the house, or destination spaces within larger landscape plans. Both options integrate with pergolas, outdoor kitchens, and other outdoor construction features.

Wrap-Around and Multi-Zone Decks

Larger decks can be designed to flow around two or more sides of your home, creating distinct spaces for different uses. A dining zone outside the kitchen door, a quiet sitting area off the bedroom, a sun-soaked corner for lounging — all on one connected deck.

Built for Western Pennsylvania Conditions

Building a deck in Western PA is not the same as building one in Florida or Texas.

Our weather, our soil, and our terrain all create specific challenges, and Showman engineers every project to handle them.

Frost-Line Footings

Pennsylvania’s building code requires deck footings to extend at least 36 inches below grade. That’s deep enough to sit beneath the frost line. Skip this step or shortcut the depth, and frost heave will eventually push your footings up, twist your framing, and pull your deck out of level. Showman pours every footing to code, on undisturbed soil, with proper bearing for the loads above.

Freeze-Thaw Durability

Our region cycles through freezing and thawing dozens of times each winter. That movement is hard on fasteners, framing, and finish materials. We use corrosion-resistant hardware, properly graded lumber, and installation methods designed to absorb seasonal movement without loosening or splitting.

Built to Add Property Value

A well-built deck is one of the highest-return improvements a Western PA homeowner can make. It expands your usable living space, makes your home more attractive to future buyers, and a Shwoman keeps performing for decades. Every deck we build is constructed to code, built to last, and built to add real, lasting value to the property it sits on.

Permits, Codes, and Inspections

Pennsylvania follows the Uniform Construction Code. That covers footing depth, ledger board attachment, guardrail height (minimum 36 inches on any deck more than 30 inches above grade), baluster spacing (no gap that allows a 4-inch sphere to pass through), stair geometry, and load capacity (40 pounds per square foot live load plus 10 pounds dead load). Showman handles permit applications, schedules inspections, and coordinates with your local building department so you do not have to navigate any of it on your own.