Category: Homeowner Resources

Just like your home, it’s important to make sure your deck is built right. Most experts agree that the average life expectancy of a wood deck is 10 to 15 years. It is estimated that millions of decks in the United States are beyond their useful life and may be unsafe. The good news is deck collapses are preventable.

If you’re building a deck or have an existing deck, you should know how to evaluate its construction to make sure it’s structurally sound and safe. Using the proper structural connectors and fasteners (like nails and screws) as well as regular maintenance are the keys to a safe, strong deck. It’s a good idea to inspect your deck annually to make sure all your connections are strong. We invite you to learn more about how to make your deck safe.

Outdoor Accents® Avant Collection™ — a New Look for Backyards

One of the ways many homeowners increase the enjoyment (and monetary) value of their property is by adding a well-designed deck, pergola or other outdoor structure to their backyard. Whether it’s for entertaining or just chilling with a good read and a bracing beverage, a beautiful outdoor living space makes any backyard activity more desirable. Perhaps that’s why, in a 2017 survey, 25% of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) remodelers reported adding a deck as one of their most common projects, and the figure was nearly identical for new home construction.

Continue reading “Outdoor Accents® Avant Collection™ — a New Look for Backyards”

Dream, Design, Win: The Deck Planner Software™ Design Your Dream Deck Contest

We want to help you make the deck of your dreams a reality. This week we’re launching the Deck Planner Software™ Design Your Dream Deck contest. 

Open to everyone, from homeowners to pros, the Simpson Strong-Tie® Deck Planner Software Design Your Dream Deck contest is easy to enter. Entrants just need to design a deck using our free, web-based Deck Planner Software. The winner will receive up to $500 of Simpson Strong-Tie products, as specified in the winning design, to build their dream deck during the 2020 deck season.  

Continue reading “Dream, Design, Win: The Deck Planner Software™ Design Your Dream Deck Contest”

He Shoots, He Scores! See the Winning Projects from Our Outdoor Accents DIY Contest

This summer we asked you to participate in our second annual “Give Us Your Best Shot” contest. If you were building a project with our Outdoor Accents® line of decorative hardware, we wanted to see it. More than 40 customers sent in photos of pergolas, hammocks, arbors and other outdoor living projects. Of those projects we had the enjoyable challenge of selecting two winners, one for a large project and one for a smaller project.

Continue reading “He Shoots, He Scores! See the Winning Projects from Our Outdoor Accents DIY Contest”

Announcing: Give It Your Best Shot 2019! Simpson Strong-Tie® Outdoor Accents® Photo Contest

Simpson Strong-Tie’s “Give It Your Best Shot” photo contest is returning for the summer of 2019. Last year, we received dozens of beautiful shots of pergolas that were built using our Outdoor Accents connectors and fasteners. It was tough to choose a winner, but eventually we settled on Chris Lewis from Chula Vista, California.
Continue reading “Announcing: Give It Your Best Shot 2019! Simpson Strong-Tie® Outdoor Accents® Photo Contest”

All Decked Out: How to Attach a Deck to a House Through Brick Veneer

As winter turns to spring and the days get warmer and longer, homeowners gear up for backyard barbecues and fun in the sun. That means brisk business for the deck-building industry, which has been enjoying rapid growth in tandem with the increased popularity of outdoor living and entertaining. After all, what homeowner doesn’t want a nice outdoor deck?
Continue reading “All Decked Out: How to Attach a Deck to a House Through Brick Veneer”

Five FRP Advantages for Contractors and Structure Owners

FRP fiber-reinforced polymer provides a number of advantages over traditional concrete-strengthening materials and methods. Strengthening concrete structures by means of this composite has benefits for contractors and property owners alike.

While FRP is not feasible for all applications, there are demonstrable FRP advantages for many structural rehabilitation projects.
Continue reading “Five FRP Advantages for Contractors and Structure Owners”

Announcing: Give It Your Best Shot! Outdoor Accents Photo Contest

Have you built a pergola or backyard furniture using Simpson Strong-Tie® Outdoor Accents® decorative hardware? If so, this message is for you. We’re excited to announce the Outdoor Accents photo contest. If your project used any Outdoor Accents products, you’re encouraged to put your best photo forward.
Continue reading “Announcing: Give It Your Best Shot! Outdoor Accents Photo Contest”

Simpson Strong-Tie Connectors and Fasteners Make the Strongest Partners

Parts, however solid and sturdy they are, won’t hold themselves up. They have to be fastened in place. That’s why we offer a complete line of fasteners that are designed and tested specifically for use with our connectors. However, not every fastener can be used with every connector. Here’s how to identify the right fastener-connector combination for your next project.
Continue reading “Simpson Strong-Tie Connectors and Fasteners Make the Strongest Partners”

Staying Put, Riding Out the Storm and Surviving the Odds by Sheltering in Place

Disaster strikes. It’s inevitable, given enough time. Regardless of where you live, there are natural disasters waiting to happen, be they earthquakes, floods, tornadoes or hurricanes.  Meteorologists and emergency service providers can often provide advance notice of weather-related disasters like hurricanes, but seismic events, tornadoes and flash floods can often occur with little or no warning.

In the wake of recent catastrophic events such as Superstorm Sandy (233 deaths, $75 billion in damages), the 2011 Joplin tornado (158 deaths, $2.8 billion in damages), and Hurricane Katrina (1,245 deaths, $108 billion in damages), emergency management experts are increasingly evaluating the benefits of sheltering in place as opposed to evacuation. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), sheltering in place is generally advisable when it may be dangerous to leave your home or place of employment.
Continue reading “Staying Put, Riding Out the Storm and Surviving the Odds by Sheltering in Place”

Your DIY Pergola Makes Everything Even Cooler: Part 2

This week’s post was written by Jen Woodhouse from The House of Wood.

Hi friends! I’m excited to be back to share how we built this gorgeous DIY pergola with Simpson Strong-Tie’s new Outdoor Accents® line. If you’d like to read about how we built the floating deck, click here.

If you recall, we built the floating deck and pergola for our neighbors, who also happen to be a fellow military family. The deck and pergola are our welcome home gift to their deployed soldier. Aren’t they amazing? I’m so thrilled that we were able to work with Simpson Strong-Tie and give our neighbors a beautiful new outdoor space that they can enjoy for years to come.
Continue reading “Your DIY Pergola Makes Everything Even Cooler: Part 2”