After more than a decade working in exterior construction around Western Pennsylvania, I’ve learned that working with deck builders in Pittsburgh, PA is very different from building decks in flatter, drier regions. The hills, older homes, soil conditions, and long winters all shape how a deck should be designed and built if it’s going to last.

One project that still comes to mind involved a hillside home where the previous deck had started pulling away from the house. From the surface, the boards looked fine. Underneath, the footings were too shallow for the slope and had shifted after several freeze–thaw cycles. We rebuilt the structure with deeper footings and adjusted the framing to account for drainage. That deck didn’t just look better—it finally felt solid underfoot, even after heavy rain.

I’ve found that attachment points are one of the most common failure areas on Pittsburgh decks. Last spring, we were asked to inspect a deck that felt “bouncy,” especially near the door. The ledger board had been fastened without proper flashing, allowing water to creep behind it over time. In a climate where snow sits and melts repeatedly, that moisture has nowhere to go. Once we corrected the flashing and reinforced the attachment, the deck felt like part of the house again instead of an afterthought.

A mistake I see homeowners make is focusing on surface materials without thinking about structure. Composite decking might reduce maintenance, but it doesn’t compensate for undersized joists or poorly spaced supports. I’ve torn down decks where the boards still looked decent, but the framing underneath had already begun to rot. In Pittsburgh, what’s underneath matters more than what’s visible.

Experience also teaches you to respect how people actually use their decks here. Many homeowners want space for grilling, gatherings, or outdoor heaters in cooler months. I advise against designs that don’t account for weight loads or proper ventilation under the deck. Those decisions don’t show up on day one, but they determine whether the deck feels sturdy five or ten years later.

The decks that hold up in Pittsburgh aren’t rushed builds or copied from catalogs. They’re planned with slopes, moisture, and seasonal movement in mind. When builders take the time to do that, a deck becomes more than an outdoor platform—it becomes a safe, dependable extension of the home that feels right in every season.