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ST Landscaping and Excavating
3.4(
5
)

Serving Tompkins, NY and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 1999

Free estimates

Offers commercial services

ST Landscaping and Excavating, proudly serves its customers with pride and integrity. We are locally owned and operated and pay attention to the details that matter most to you. These are only some of the many things that set us apart from the rest. Give us a call today! We do not accept credit cards, we take business checks, or cash only.

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2 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by66%of homeowners
Avatar for XX Decks & Porches
XX Decks & Porches
4.5(
22
)

Serving Tompkins, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 2007

Free estimates

Warranties offered

"Outstanding workmanship. We had a complete deck built without any plans to review and let Brandon do what he does best. Build us a great deck! We hired them to come back to stain it too. It was over 500 square feet with two staircases and a ramp for our dogs built 12 feet up in just 5 days! They also installed a door that we supplied. And when they finished...they did a great clean up! The crew was professional and very easy to work with. I can't say enough about this company sent to us by Home Advisor...we locked out."
Step rebuild
All lit up
Deck
Response time1 day
Recommended by100%of homeowners
PPHI
4.7(
117
)

Serving Tompkins, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 1999

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Excellent job, very professional, courteous, and timely. Rob handled everything on my project, the job site was always very clean and tidy throughout. He was punctualand reliable. Most important, he's an extremely nice guy. He's one of those type of people that you feel like you have known forever after having just met him. He is now my go to guy!"
Recommended by96%of homeowners
First Rank Construction
4.3(
6
)

Serving Tompkins, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 1996

Emergency services offered

Small jobs welcome

"The crew from First Rank did a great job installing and finishing flooring in my home. The project was anything but straightforward - I had purchased a large lot of #3 oak which had to be sorted and nailed down before being stained with a weathered wood accelerator. First Rank handled the job with care and patience. I'm very pleased with with the finished product - a brand new rustic wood floor that looks like it is 100 years old."
Response time2 days
Response rate89%
Recommended by40%of homeowners
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Deck Maintenance questions, answered by experts

The proper height for a stair riser or deck step is between four and seven inches, with seven inches often considered the most comfortable. Building your stairs to this height ensures a strain-free step position and minimizes the risk of trip and fall injuries. For optimal safety and comfort, especially on deck stairs, a rise of around seven inches should be paired with a tread depth (or run) of at least 10 to 12 inches. While it is possible to design stairs with risers up to 12 inches, this height can be challenging for children, pets, or individuals with mobility issues. Always check with your local building codes, as they may mandate specific dimensions that differ from these general recommendations.

In many areas, a floating deck that isn’t connected to your home and stays under 200 square feet and below 30 inches in height may not need a permit. These freestanding structures are often considered low-risk, which can simplify the building process. However, building codes vary greatly based on location. Before investing in any home improvement project, check with your local permitting office for deck-building guidelines.

Before installing a deck, you must build a base for the deck to rest upon, often made of compacted soil or gravel. While gravel is an optional material, it helps with drainage. Some contractors also recommend installing a weed control membrane, which helps provide a solid foundation for the frame. In the case of an elevated deck, a pro will often lay down a concrete slab as a foundation. 

To flatten a cupped deck board, start by ensuring it’s dry. Then, try flipping the board over so the cupped side faces down and reattach it. If that’s not possible, you can use screws to pull it tighter to the joists or plane the edges slightly to reduce the cup. It’s best to replace severely cupped boards.

A wood deck requires annual cleaning and regular inspections for loose or broken boards, nails, and screws. It should be refinished by applying a stain or sealer every two to three years to protect the wood from water damage, rot, mildew, and sun fading. The exact frequency can depend on the climate and the deck's exposure to sun and moisture. If your deck is painted, it will need repainting approximately every 10 years. Signs that your deck needs refinishing include faded, splintering, or warping boards.

The Tompkins, NY homeowners’ guide to deck maintenance services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.