When these Winchester homeowners came to Archadeck of Suburban Boston, their priorities were clear as crystal. They wanted a deck that would hold up to New England weather, keep their family safe, and not leave them visually exposed to their neighbors all the time.
As a Winchester deck builder that handles projects like these every day, we designed a deck that accomplished all three of these goals without compromise. And in the end, the result was a TimberTech deck with Fortress railings, a 6-foot privacy wall, a locking safety gate, and finished details that make the whole structure look like it was part to the house from the day the home was built.
What This Winchester Deck Company Built
First off, you should know this deck sits on helical footings. It’s rare that a homeowner thinks about deck footings, but it’s incredibly important in a place like Massachusetts. Thanks to the soil and weather here, freeze-thaw cycles can push footings out of place after multiple winter seasons. Given enough time, that can knock the whole deck out of alignment and cause it to become structurally unstable.
For this deck, we built the framing using #1 pressure-treated Southern Yellow Pine, and the decking surface was built using TimberTech Edge in Dark Teak with hidden fasteners and color-matched screws for a clean, uninterrupted look.
For the railing system, we specifically used the classic and striking Fortress FE 26 in Black Sand with TimberTech Universal Railing components. The white 4-inch post sleeves and pyramid post caps create a crisp contrast against the dark decking and railing, while a Dark Teak drink rail along the top ties the entire design aesthetic together.
Because privacy was an important factor which the homeowners had top of mind, we installed a 6'1" tall slat PVC privacy wall that screens the deck from the neighbors without feeling like a fortress. The horizontal slat design keeps the look contemporary and simultaneously effective.
So Safety Comes First For This Family
These homeowners have little kids, so as we designed their deck, safety was always top of mind. That’s why we installed the safety gate at the top of the stairs. It’s a Fortress FE 26 safety gate with a keyed lock and self-closing hinges. The gate matches the railing system visually too, which provides a sleek grown up upgrade compared to a plastic baby-gate.
The stair construction itself reflects the same attention to detail. White PVC risers and trim give the stairs a finished look that won't weather, rot, or require repainting over the years. The consistency between the stair treatment and the deck trim ensures design cohesion from every angle.
How Smart Design & Quality Materials Like TimberTech Edge Can Make a Huge Difference
Below the deck, we installed 1x4 PVC vertical board skirting with half-inch spacing around the entire perimeter. Skirting serves a practical purpose—it keeps animals out and conceals the understructure—but it also finishes the deck visually. Without it, you’d see the joists and footings from the yard.
You can see in the photo that we added an access door in the skirting. It doesn’t look like much online, but the homeowners love having all that storage space. They’ve found that they have less clutter in their yard and on the deck itself!
The parting board—a 5/4 x 6-inch Dark Teak trim piece—creates clean visual breaks in the deck surface and frames transitions. These accent details are easy to overlook, but they're part of what makes a deck look designed rather than just built.
TimberTech Edge in Dark Teak gives homeowners the warm wood appearance they want without the maintenance headaches that come with real wood in this climate. No annual staining. No sealing. No splinters. The hidden fastener system means no screw heads breaking up the surface, giving the deck a smooth appearance.
Let’s Build Something Beautiful, Together
Browse our deck gallery to see more examples of what's possible, or download our complimentary design guide to start exploring options for your own project. Learn more about the decks we build throughout the Boston suburbs.
To learn more about our process and what we can do for you, give us a call at (781) 528-0998 today!
