Did you know that the average life expectancy of a wood deck is between 10 and 15 years? Modern design and construction practices use structural connectors to form a continuous load path. This construction method uses connectors and structural screws to create solid connections reinforcing a structure against wind, seismic, and other load forces all the way from the roof down to the foundation.
The year 2016 saw its share of momentous events, if you care to recall: Britain voted to leave the EU, Russia interfered in the US presidential election and North Korea conducted nuclear tests. At that time, the world was still in an economic expansion and Americans were still living their usual busy social lives — which in most cases meant a daily commute to work or school, shopping, eating out once or twice a week, and planning fun adventures for spring and summer vacations.
Just like your home, your deck can’t be expected to last or keep you safe unless it’s correctly built and maintained. Most experts agree that the average life expectancy of a wood deck is 10 to 15 years, and estimate that millions of decks in the US may be presently unsafe. The good news, however, is attention to deck safety can prevent most deck collapses.
