Forest Lake's Premier Composite & PVC Deck Builder

When Forest Lake homeowners search for a deck contractor they can trust, Weatherguard Construction rises to the top — and not just because of our five-star reviews and manufacturer certifications. We've earned our reputation by building decks that are structurally superior from the ground up, starting with Owens Corning structural lumber for every ledger board, post, and stair stringer we install.

Why does structural lumber matter? Because Minnesota's freeze-thaw cycles — where temperatures can swing 60 degrees in a single week — put extraordinary stress on outdoor structures. Standard pressure-treated lumber absorbs moisture, swells, shrinks, and eventually rots — especially at the ledger connection and ground-contact points. OC Lumber is rotproof, rustproof, and rated for underwater contact — engineered to protect against what wood and steel simply cannot.

We pair that engineered foundation with premium composite and PVC decking from Wolf, TimberTech AZEK, and Trex — 89 authentic colors across 20 collections that resist fading, staining, scratching, and mold without annual sealing or staining. For homeowners who want the ultimate structural package, we offer a full OC Lumber frame upgrade — every joist, beam, rim board, and blocking piece in Owens Corning structural lumber. Ready to transform your Forest Lake backyard? Contact Weatherguard today for a free, no-obligation estimate.

Deck Maintenance in Minnesota: What You Actually Need To Do

One of the biggest advantages of composite and PVC decking is the near-total elimination of maintenance headaches. Unlike wood decks that demand annual staining, sealing, sanding, and board replacement, your Weatherguard composite or PVC deck requires only minimal care:

• Periodic Sweeping: Remove leaves, pine needles, and debris to prevent staining from organic material sitting on the surface for extended periods.
• Occasional Washing: A garden hose or pressure washer on a gentle setting is all you need to keep your deck looking fresh. For stubborn spots, a mild soap solution and a soft-bristle brush will handle virtually any stain.
• Snow Removal: Use a plastic shovel or broom to clear heavy snow. Avoid metal shovels that could scratch the surface. Calcium chloride ice melt is safe for composite and PVC — but avoid rock salt, which can leave residue.
• Furniture Pads: Place protective pads under heavy furniture legs to prevent point-load compression marks. This is especially important for metal chairs on hot days when the deck surface is more pliable.

That is it. No sanding. No staining. No sealing. No replacing warped or rotted boards. Just enjoy your deck, season after season, while your neighbors spend their weekends maintaining theirs.

Understanding Deck Warranties: What Forest Lake Homeowners Should Know

Not all deck warranties are created equal, and understanding the differences can save you thousands of dollars and decades of frustration. Here is a breakdown of the warranty coverage available through Weatherguard's manufacturer partnerships:

Structural Warranties

These cover the core integrity of the decking board — resistance to splitting, cracking, rotting, and structural failure under normal use. Premium products like TimberTech AZEK and Trex Transcend carry Limited Lifetime structural warranties, meaning the boards are warranted against structural defects for as long as you own your home.

Fade and Stain Warranties

This is where cheap decking gets exposed. Budget products may carry a 10-year fade warranty, but premium lines from TimberTech AZEK provide a 50-year fade and stain warranty — guaranteeing your deck's color and finish will remain vibrant for half a century. Trex Transcend products also carry a 50-year warranty against fading and food stains.

Labor and Workmanship Warranties

Materials are only part of the equation. A poorly installed deck will fail regardless of board quality. Weatherguard's craftsmanship warranty covers our installation work — including joist connections, fastener patterns, railing attachments, and structural connections — giving you complete peace of mind.

Our Forest Lake design consultants walk you through every warranty detail during your estimate appointment so you understand exactly what protection your investment carries before you commit.

PVC Decking: Ultimate Durability for Minnesota Weather

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) decking represents the pinnacle of low-maintenance outdoor living technology. Unlike composite — which contains wood fibers — PVC boards are made entirely from engineered polymer, making them completely impervious to moisture absorption. For Forest Lake homes subjected to sub-zero temperatures, heavy snowfall, and persistent ice accumulation, PVC decking eliminates any risk of swelling, warping, or rot caused by trapped moisture freezing inside the board.

TimberTech AZEK — The Industry's Gold Standard in PVC

Weatherguard is a certified TimberTech installer, giving Forest Lake homeowners access to the complete AZEK Advanced PVC lineup with enhanced warranty coverage:

• Vintage Collection: The ultra-premium tier featuring sought-after hardwood aesthetics with a refined wire-brushed finish and multitonal color blending. Colors include Weathered Teak, Mahogany, Coastline, English Walnut, Cypress, and Dark Hickory. Backed by a Limited Lifetime product warranty and 50-year fade and stain warranty.
• Landmark Collection: Crosscut cathedral grain styling that replicates the look of white oak and walnut with a sophisticated matte finish. Available in American Walnut, French White Oak, Boardwalk, and Castle Gate.
• Harvest+ Collection: Subtle highlights, lowlights, and tonal variations create the character of gently worn hardwoods with a beautifully aged patina. Available in Timber Gray and Toasted Wheat.
• Harvest Collection: Clean cathedral grain patterns in versatile solid colors — Kona, Slate Gray, and Brownstone. The most accessible entry point into AZEK PVC performance.

All TimberTech AZEK boards are manufactured from recycled materials in the USA, carry a Limited Lifetime structural warranty, and feature Alloy Armour Technology that resists scratching, staining, and UV fading far beyond what composite materials can achieve.

Wolf Decking — Engineered for Extreme Conditions

Wolf Home Products offers PVC and composite decking lines specifically engineered for harsh climates like Minnesota's:

• Wolf Serenity (PVC): High-Density Cellular PVC with COLORWATCH100 technology for industry-leading color retention and a 50-Year Stain & Fade warranty. 12 colors including Ashland, Amberwood, Weathered Ipe, Onyx, Golden Cypress, and Black Walnut.
• Wolf Haven (Composite): Rustic charm with real-wood texture, scalloped profile with grooved edges for hidden fastener installation. Available in Wheatfield, Storm, and Honeywood with a 35-Year Stain & Fade warranty.
• Wolf Perspective (Composite): Made from 94% recycled content with Fiber Sequencing Technology for industry-leading strength. Available in Dune, Potomac Grey, and Acacia with a 25-Year warranty.

Why Forest Lake Homeowners Choose Weatherguard for Deck Construction

Building a deck is a significant investment — one that should enhance your daily life for decades. Here is why Forest Lake families consistently choose Weatherguard Construction over the competition:

• Manufacturer Certifications: We hold installer certifications from Trex, TimberTech AZEK, Wolf, Fiberon, and Deckorators. These are not participation trophies — they are earned through demonstrated expertise, ongoing training, and verified craftsmanship. Our certifications unlock enhanced warranty coverage that standard installers cannot offer.
• Structural Engineering Expertise: Every Weatherguard deck is designed to meet or exceed Minnesota's residential building codes. We calculate proper beam spans, joist spacing, footing depths, and snow load requirements for your specific property — not generic cookbook formulas.
• Transparent, Fixed-Price Quotes: Our written estimates include every cost — materials, labor, permits, footings, demolition of your old deck, and final cleanup. The price you approve is the price you pay. Period.
• Clean, Professional Jobsites: Our crews clean up daily, protect your landscaping, and treat your property with the same respect they would show their own homes. We know how disruptive construction can be, and we work hard to minimize the impact on your daily routine.
• Full Permit Management: We handle all permitting, inspections, and code compliance requirements in Forest Lake and throughout Minnesota. You never have to visit a building department or coordinate with an inspector — we manage all of it.
• Comprehensive Warranty Coverage: Beyond manufacturer warranties on materials, Weatherguard provides our own craftsmanship warranty covering structural integrity, fastener performance, and installation quality.

The Weatherguard Deck Building Process in Forest Lake

We have refined our deck building process over hundreds of successful projects to deliver a stress-free experience from first call to final walkthrough:

1. Complimentary Design Consultation: We visit your Forest Lake property, take measurements, discuss your goals and budget, review material options, and identify any site-specific considerations like drainage, grading, utilities, or setback requirements.
2. Custom Design and Proposal: Within days, you receive a detailed proposal that includes a material specification sheet, dimensional drawings, color and railing selections, permit requirements, project timeline, and a fixed-price quote.
3. Permitting and Engineering: We submit all required permit applications to your local Forest Lake building authority, coordinate any necessary engineering reviews, and schedule inspections — so you never have to deal with the paperwork.
4. Demo and Site Preparation: If you have an existing deck, our crew carefully removes it, salvages any reusable hardware, and disposes of all debris responsibly. We then prepare the site for new footings and structural work.
5. Foundation and Framing: Using helical piers, diamond piers, or poured concrete footings — depending on your soil conditions and local code requirements — we build a rock-solid structural foundation designed to last a lifetime.
6. Decking, Railing, and Finish Work: Your selected composite or PVC boards are installed with hidden fasteners for a clean, screw-free surface. Railings, lighting, skirting, and other enhancements are completed to manufacturer specifications.
7. Final Inspection and Walkthrough: We schedule the required building inspection, walk you through your completed deck, explain care and maintenance (hint: there is barely any), and make sure every detail meets your expectations before we consider the project complete.

Structural Integrity: Why Most Forest Lake Decks Fail — And How We Prevent It

The most expensive part of your deck isn't the surface boards — it's the structural framing underneath. And it's the part that most contractors cut corners on. Standard pressure-treated lumber starts absorbing moisture and deteriorating the moment it's installed. In Minnesota, where sub-zero temperatures, heavy snowfall, and persistent ice accumulation create relentless freeze-thaw cycles, that process accelerates dramatically. Within 10–15 years, the ledger board, posts, and stair stringers on a typical Forest Lake deck are soft, splitting, and structurally compromised.

The Three Points of Failure — And How OC Lumber Solves Them

• Ledger Board: The ledger board connects your deck to your house. When it rots, the entire deck pulls away from the structure — a catastrophic and dangerous failure. Weatherguard uses Owens Corning structural lumber for every ledger board — rotproof, rustproof, and rated for underwater contact. OC Lumber installs with the same tools and fastener patterns as traditional lumber, combined with self-adhering flashing tape for complete moisture protection.
• Posts: Deck posts transfer the full weight of the structure to the footings. Ground-contact moisture, insects, and freeze-thaw cycling destroy standard PT lumber posts from the inside out. OC Lumber posts are rated for ground and underwater contact, eliminating rot at the critical zone where standard lumber fails first.
• Stair Stringers: Stair stringers carry concentrated loads and are repeatedly stressed by foot traffic. They're also exposed to splashing water and ground-level moisture. OC Lumber stringers are rotproof and rated for ground contact, with proper standoff brackets and blocking between stringers for lateral bracing — eliminating the #1 stair failure point.

Why Owens Corning Structural Lumber?

OC Lumber is engineered to protect against what wood and steel simply cannot. Rotproof, rustproof, and rated for underwater contact in both fresh and salt water. Designed to install like the lumber you use every day — same tools, same trade, same practices. Made to last. We don't offer this as an upgrade or an add-on — it's our standard for every ledger board, post, and stair stringer we install in Forest Lake and across Minnesota.

Optional Upgrade: Full OC Lumber Framing

For homeowners who want the ultimate structural package, Weatherguard offers a full OC Lumber frame upgrade — every joist, beam, rim board, and blocking piece in Owens Corning structural lumber. While our standard build uses OC Lumber for the three components that fail first, a full OC Lumber frame means every piece of structural wood in your deck is rotproof, rustproof, and rated for underwater contact. Combined with properly engineered frost-depth footings and code-compliant ledger connections, our structural approach gives you a deck that will perform for decades, not just years.

Deck Enhancements That Elevate Your Forest Lake Outdoor Living

A great deck is more than boards and railings — it is a complete outdoor living environment. Weatherguard offers a full suite of enhancements that transform a simple deck into the centerpiece of your Forest Lake home:

Premium Railing Systems

Your railing choice dramatically impacts both safety and style. We install railing systems from the industry's top manufacturers, including:

• Composite and PVC Rails: Color-matched TimberTech, Trex, and Fiberon rails that blend seamlessly with your deck boards for a unified, polished look.
• Aluminum Rails: Sleek, powder-coated aluminum systems from Westbury and Deckorators that provide unobstructed views and modern curb appeal. Available in black, bronze, and white finishes.
• Cable Rails: Stainless steel cable infill systems from Viewrail that create an open, contemporary aesthetic. Ideal for properties with scenic views you want to preserve.
• Glass Panel Rails: Tempered glass infill panels that provide wind protection and uninterrupted sightlines. The premium choice for elevated decks and waterfront properties.

Integrated Deck Lighting

Professional LED lighting extends your deck's usable hours well into the evening while creating inviting ambiance. We install recessed post cap lights, stair riser lights, under-rail accent strips, and perimeter landscape lighting — all on low-voltage LED systems that cost pennies per day to operate and last for years without bulb changes.

Privacy Walls and Wind Screens

Custom-designed horizontal slat privacy walls, louvered screens, and lattice panels provide seclusion from neighbors without sacrificing airflow or natural light. Available in matching composite, cedar, and aluminum materials.

Deck Skirting and Fascia

Finished skirting conceals the underside of raised decks, blocking debris buildup and pest access while creating a clean, polished appearance from every angle. We use color-matched composite fascia boards and ventilated lattice to ensure proper airflow beneath your deck structure.

Underdeck Drainage Systems

For raised decks, a ceiling-mounted drainage system captures rainwater running between deck boards and channels it away from the space below, creating a dry, usable patio area underneath your elevated deck — effectively doubling your outdoor living square footage.

Pergolas and Shade Structures

Freestanding or attached pergolas add architectural drama and provide adjustable shade coverage over your deck. We build with composite, cedar, and aluminum materials, including motorized louvered pergola systems that open and close at the touch of a button.

Built for Minnesota Weather: How Our Decks Handle Minnesota's Extreme Climate

With average winter lows dipping below -10°F and summer highs regularly exceeding 90°F, Minnesota decking materials must withstand a temperature range of over 100 degrees annually. Add heavy snow loads, spring ice melt, and summer storm damage to the equation, and it becomes clear why material selection matters more here than almost anywhere else in the country.

Here is how the materials we install are specifically engineered to handle these challenges:

• Freeze-Thaw Resistance: PVC decking absorbs virtually zero moisture, eliminating the primary cause of cracking and warping during Minnesota's freeze-thaw cycles. Composite boards use capped polymer shells that prevent moisture penetration into the wood-fiber core.
• UV Stability: Premium composites and PVC boards incorporate UV-stabilizing compounds and multi-layer fade-resistant coatings that maintain color vibrancy despite years of direct sun exposure — critical in Minnesota where summer UV can be intense.
• Snow Load Performance: Our structural designs account for Minnesota's maximum expected snow loads, using properly sized joists, beams, and footings that prevent sagging or structural fatigue under heavy wet snow accumulation.
• Thermal Expansion Management: All materials expand and contract with temperature changes. Our installation methods incorporate manufacturer-specified gapping and fastening patterns that allow for thermal movement without buckling, cupping, or unsightly gaps.
• Mold and Mildew Prevention: The polymer caps and shells on our decking materials create a non-porous surface that resists mold and mildew growth — a common problem with wood decks in Minnesota's humid summer months.

Browse 89 Deck Board Colors — Visual Color Swatch Gallery

Choosing the right deck color is one of the most exciting parts of your Forest Lake deck project. Weatherguard offers 89 premium deck board colors across 20 collections from TimberTech AZEK Advanced PVC (Vintage, Landmark, Harvest+, Harvest), TimberTech Composite (Legacy, Reserve, Terrain+, Terrain, Prime+, Premier+, Premier), Trex (Signature, Transcend Lineage, Transcend, Select, Enhance, Refuge), and Wolf (Serenity, Haven, Perspective). Scroll through our interactive color swatch gallery above — with authentic product photos from all three manufacturers — to explore every option, from the luxury of Trex Signature Whidbey to the heat-mitigating Trex Transcend Lineage Biscayne, the ultra-premium warmth of TimberTech AZEK Vintage Dark Hickory, the hand-scraped artistry of Legacy Tigerwood, the bold Wolf Serenity Onyx, or the budget-friendly Trex Enhance Foggy Wharf. Every color is available for your custom Forest Lake deck project, and we encourage you to request free physical samples to compare in your home's lighting and alongside your siding, trim, and landscape.

Our Forest Lake design consultants will bring color samples to your property so you can see exactly how each board looks against your home's exterior. Popular color pairings include warm-toned boards (Mahogany, English Walnut, Wolf Serenity Amberwood, Reserve Antique Leather) with black aluminum railing for a classic contrast, or cool-toned boards (Coastline, Harbor Grey, Island Mist, Wolf Serenity Driftwood Grey) with white composite railing for a coastal aesthetic. Wolf's Perspective line — made from 94% recycled content — is an eco-conscious choice with industry-leading strength, while TimberTech's Terrain and Prime+ lines deliver authentic wood aesthetics with 25-year warranties at price points accessible to most budgets.