Deck Builders in Aiea, HI

Deck Builders in Aiea work on homes that tell the story of the town's growth. The Aiea Sugar Mill opened at the end of the 19th century, run by the Honolulu Sugar Company. After World War II the plantation shut down, the mill became a refinery and developers began extending the town into the surrounding former sugarcane fields. C&H Sugar closed the refinery in 1996, and the 99-year-old mill was torn down in 1998. Much of the housing that replaced the cane is now decades old, and so are many of the decks attached to it.

Living on the slope

Aiea Heights extends up the ridgeline above the town, and Kamehameha Highway separates most of Aiea from the Pearl Harbor shoreline. On the west edge, Newtown Estates and Royal Summit sit near the Pearl City line. Across most of these neighborhoods the ground is anything but flat. That is a challenge and an opportunity:

• A sloped backyard is often unusable without a deck, and a deck can turn it into the main living area of the house.
• Upper lots can look out over Pearl Harbor, so railing style matters for keeping the view open.
• Tall decks need properly sized posts, bracing and footings, plus guards and stairs designed for the height.

We walk the slope with you, mark where footings can go and work out how materials will reach the back of the lot, which on steep sites is sometimes the hardest part of the job.

Heat on the leeward side

Aiea's climate record at the Aloha Stadium station shows an annual mean daily high of 82.5 degrees and a low of 67.8, with August averaging a high of 86.4. The National Weather Service notes that summer highs reach the 80s and sometimes the low 90s, especially on the drier leeward sides. A deck facing south or west toward the harbor takes the afternoon sun full on. We often add a lanai cover or shade structure over part of the deck and steer clients toward lighter board colors that stay cooler to the touch.

Rebuilding older decks the right way

When an older Aiea deck starts to sag or wobble, the cause is usually at the bottom: posts set directly in the dirt, untreated wood touching soil or footings that have shifted on the slope. UH CTAHR advises removing any wood-to-soil contact because Formosan subterranean termites travel from the soil into wood through mud tubes, and it notes the swarming peak is in May and June. Our rebuilds put every post on a concrete footing with a metal base and leave clear access underneath for inspection. If only the surface is worn, we can often keep sound framing and replace boards, railings and stairs.

Families who stay

The Census reports that 75.0 percent of Aiea homes are owner-occupied and that 90.9 percent of residents lived in the same house a year earlier. Households average 3.11 people, and 25.4 percent of residents are 65 or older. Those numbers point to multigenerational households, so we pay close attention to stair geometry, handrails and lighting on the steps.

Our services in Aiea

Composite deck building, wood deck building, deck repair and replacement, covered decks and lanai covers, railings and stairs, and deck staining and sealing. Every project includes a site visit and a written quote.

Ready to talk about your hillside? Call (808) 509-2733 or book a free estimate.

Get a Free Estimate