On occasion, the intended footprint of a new deck design layout is initially compromised by nature. As such, a shrub, flower bed, or the shallow root system of a nearby spruce tree must be addressed before the build can begin.
How happy I was to learn that nothing drastic had occurred prior to my arrival to a recent deck build location at Winnipeg Beach — sometimes, nature must be allowed to prevail.
The four-season cottage owner dreamed of building a new front porch-deck for many years before contacting me last fall. After a brief site meeting, and a few followup discussions, a final version of the design was established, and a build date was subsequently chosen for sometime early in the summer of 2021. The lumber and materials were pre-delivered well before the build date, to ensure what we needed was already on site. The homeowner would also prep the area of the deck’s footprint before my arrival. Would that mean a mature tree would suffer?
Strewn amid the cottages along the cosy side-streets of this laid-back summer town, are a plethora of beautiful trees which adorn the horizon at every glance and provide sought after shaded areas under the high-noon sun. This deck design consists of a front porch 29 feet long by eight feet deep, which begins at the east side of the cottage and continues past the 23-foot exterior face to an ‘L’ that wraps along the west side to a depth of 20 feet. The deck is framed at an elevation that allows roughly a half-inch clearance below the cottage door’s sill plate once the 2x6 top decking is installed. A main beam along the front edge supports the joist system that protrudes from the ledger board along the cottage exterior, while a few other beams support the joists along the west-side ‘L’. It is midway through the ‘L’ that my favourite feature of this deck resides, a healthy and wise tree that presides over the cottage like a guardian, the nearest of the many fully grown trees on the property. It brought me joy to learn that after having discussed this majestic obstacle along the ‘L’ of the deck design with friends, the homeowner elected not to cut the tree down — the deck would be built around it.
The tree presented very little challenge when framing. Although its location conflicted with the intended beam placement based on the support configuration, the beam was moved up and an additional beam was added just after the trunk. Much like the beam adaptation, one of the main joist locations was shifted and box-framed around the tree, providing the support the deck needed without disturbing the tree at all. When it came time to install the top decking, the boards were introduced along the front edge of the main deck parallel to the front of the cottage exterior. The top boards then continue as whole along the ‘L’, until reaching the tree trunk location. To facilitate matching the contour of the trunk, the boards adjacent the tree were initially cut and mounted very close to the bark on all sides. This provided ample lumber from which to cut away using a jigsaw a circumference with a two-inch gap between the cut line and the tree bark, all around the tree. This gap will allow the tree to continue its growth without impeding the girth of the trunk as it grows.
With the top decking in place, the railings and fascia were then installed, as well as a few other finishing touches. The six-foot wide staircase invites you up onto the deck from the front walkway, and a 42-inch wide staircase at the far edge of the ‘L’-wing allows quick access to the backyard. And as for the tree sprouting up though the deck along the way, ample room on either side allows passage with ease.
There is something romantic about foliage being allowed to perpetuate in its natural state, despite the construction happening around it. Sure, this deck may have been more concise without a big tree trunk coming up through it. However, it would serve us well to remember that a tree is lumber, when it is still alive — we must not forget that its preservation is essential. Instead of succumbing to a similar fate, it is now this tree’s fallen comrades that provide a ring of protection for years to come. Live well and prosper, oh mighty tree.
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