Deck Guidelines

The Tuckerman Station HOA Board of Directors met on April 30, 2018 at which time they reviewed the proposed Guidelines for deck construction, repair and maintenance drafted by the Architectural Control Committee (ACC) which were previously mailed to all homeowners. The Board voted to formally adopt the proposed Guidelines with no changes and the final, approved Guidelines are below and effective immediately.

Tuckerman Station Guidelines for Deck Construction, Repair, and Maintenance (Adopted April 30, 2018)

The following is a guide for the line of products accepted for use for deck resurfacing, new deck construction, repairs, and deck maintenance. Originally, only wood decks were allowed. Synthetic decks are now allowed as an acceptable option. In an attempt to create and preserve the look of the community, approved colors for both synthetic and wood decks have been matched to create a cohesive look. Given the sad condition of some of the decks in our community and the fact that many have been repainted numerous times, non-transparent stain use is now allowed in order to cover up previous layers that cannot be adequately stripped.

Section 1 – Basic Deck Rules

  1. Decks, balconies, and patios are expected to be used as an exterior living space and as such are to be kept in neat condition. Open storage shelving is not allowed except for potting plant style work benches. Closed, non-permanently mounted resin or plastic storage units are allowed. Any such storage unit should be in a neutral color designed to blend with the back exterior of the house and should not be taller than the wall/railing that it would be set against. Storage space is not to exceed 1/4 of the patio/deck space. Tarps are only allowed as covers for patio type furniture
  2. All deck work, including repairs, resurfacing, rebuilds, and replacements must be submitted to the ACC for approval.
  3. For total deck resurfacing or rebuilding, the homeowner has a choice on whether to resurface or rebuild the deck with synthetic planks or with wood.
  4. For partial repairs where only a few boards are replaced, the same materials as the rest of the deck must be used (wood for wood, synthetic for synthetic).
  5. Mixed decks where some of the boards are synthetic while some are wood are not allowed. Support beams however can be wood even in otherwise synthetic decks.
  6. In most cases semi-transparent stain color is preferred and should be used whenever the underlying wood is in sufficiently good condition.
  7. For previously painted decks where the previous color cannot be fully stripped, or for decks where the wood is deteriorating and wood grain is no longer aesthetically pleasing, solid non-transparent stain is allowed.

Section 2 – Stains/Finishes

  1. Reference stains for wood or synthetic decks:
    • SEMI TRANSPARENT STAIN: “Sikken ProLuxe Cetol SRD Semi-Transparent Wood Finish” in “Butternut 213” or “Spiced Rum 201”.
    • SOLID STAIN: “Sikken ProLuxe Rubbol Solid Wood Finish” in “Butternut 213” or “Spiced Rum 201”.

  2. If another stain/finish brand is used transparency rules remain as above and color must be matched to the reference colors.

Section 3 – Deck Materials

OPTION 1 – Synthetic Deck in “Havana Gold”

  1. Decking: “Trex Transcends” decking in “Havana Gold” color.
  2. Rails: “Trex Transcends” rails in “Tree House” color.
  3. Cocktail top rail: 6 inch “Trex Transcends” decking in “Havana Gold” color to match floor.
  4. Fascia: 1×12 Trex fascia boards around deck perimeter to match floor in “Havana Gold”.
  5. Posts/Beam: Support posts and beam shall be cleaned and stained with “Sikkens ProLuxe” in “Butternut” color to match “Tree House” Trex rails.

OPTION 2 – Synthetic Deck in “Spiced Rum”

  1. Decking: “Trex Transcends” decking in “Spiced Rum” color.
  2. Rails: “Trex Transcends” rails in “Vintage Lantern” color.
  3. Cocktail top rail: 6 inch “Trex Transcends” decking in “Spiced Rum” color to match floor.
  4. Fascia: 1×12 Trex fascia boards around deck perimeter to match floor in “Spiced Rum”.
  5. Posts/Beam: Support posts and beam shall be cleaned and stained with “Sikkens ProLuxe” in “Chestnut Brown 201” color to match “Vintage Lantern” Trex rails.

OPTION 3 – Wood Deck Replacement or Repair

  1. Wood deck rebuilds or replacements must adhere to original deck specifications.
  2. Stain Options:
    • “Sikken ProLuxe Cetol SRD Semi-Transparent Wood Finish” in “Butternut 213” or “Spiced Rum 201”.
    • “Sikken ProLuxe Rubbol Solid Wood Finish” in “Butternut 213” or “Spiced Rum 201” (only in specific cases of deck repair (see below).
    • “Cedar tone” or “Natural” color options are also allowed as previously. For new wood deck replacements, transparent stains in those colors may also be used.
  3. If a partial repair is performed with replacement of several individual boards, the replaced wood boards must be stained to match the rest of the deck with one of the above colors. Due to difficulty in matching new wood to previously stained wood, re-staining of the entire deck is preferred. Only if the rest of the deck wood is not of sufficiently good condition or has been painted is the use of solid wood finish allowed.
  4. Wood maintenance frequency: Follow your installer’s guidelines.

Section 4 – Deck Expansion Rules

  1. Upper Deck expansions are only allowed for homes which have upper decks facing the eastern or western boundary of the Tuckerman Station HOA community. This would not apply to homes backing up to “alleyways” within the interior courts based on the original design of the homes in the community.
  2. Upper decks may not be expanded more than 2 feet beyond the size of the existing upper deck.
  3. There shall be no additional posts as the extension must be in cantilever design.
  4. The upper deck expansion must be done using the same color and design of the existing deck.
  5. The privacy walls on either side of the upper deck must be extended the full length of the upper deck expansion to keep in conformance with the current design
  6. Any owner interested in pursuing an upper deck expansion project must submit a complete HOA architectural application which must be accompanied by plans, drawings and material details on the proposed deck expansion. Such request must comply with the HOA guidelines on upper deck expansions in order to be considered for approval.

References

  1. Trex Transcend Composite Decking: https://www.trex.com/products/decking/transcend-decking-and-railing/
  2. Trex Transcend Railing: https://www.trex.com/products/railing/transcend/
  3. Sikken ProLuxe Stains: https://www.perfectwoodstains.com/products/deck-stain

Homeowners' Association