Case Studies

Project Details

Property: Residential

Location: Portola Valley, California

Products: Evolution Steel Deck Framing

Joe Frith, owner of Mountain Deck in California, has spent more than two decades building decks that elevate outdoor living in the valley. Like many others in the trades, he started small, taking on one project at a time. Every project is driven by a passion to deliver unique outdoor living spaces that are nothing short of pieces of art. Years ago that passion led Joe to take on a deck project that would prove to be a turning point, reshaping not just his business, but also his idea of what the future of deck building looks like.

Starting out on his steel deck framing journey

In 2019, Joe was approached by a homeowner with a big vision and an even bigger challenge. “They were tired of their old, worn-out wood deck and wanted something different,” he recalled. “Something modern. Something that wouldn’t look old and tired after just a year.” That ruled out pressure treated wood, since wood structures exposed to the elements will deteriorate over time.

The prioritization of durability and longevity led Joe and the homeowner to explore wood-alternative solutions, like Evolution steel deck framing by Fortress Building Products. While his client was immediately sold on the sleek, modern aesthetic of the framing system, Joe had never worked with it before. “I had no idea what the product was and didn’t know how it went together,” he admitted. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Joe didn’t let that stop him. He said yes to his first steel deck framing project: a three-story, 3,500-square-foot outdoor living space.

Mastering steel deck framing

As expected with any first-time project, Joe made his share of mistakes. He rebuilt entire sections of the deck to better understand the framing system and deliver an outdoor living space he was proud of. The project took nearly a year to complete. “The first build will feel intimidating, no matter the size,” he explained. “But every deck after that? We flew through it.”

By the time the project wrapped, Joe had mastered the new deck framing material and the engineered interlocking joist and ledger system. Ultimately, he had discovered an entirely new way of deck building. Since then, he has not looked back. Today, every outdoor living space Mountain Deck builds leverages the proven performance of Evolution steel deck framing.

“It is the best product I’ve found. I’ve tested every new material out there, and this is the one I trust,” Joe shared. “As a material, wood will be gone in 30 years. I tell my clients, if you’re going to be spending all this money, why not spend it once on steel deck framing and never have to worry about it again?”

To Joe’s point, steel is resilient to most tangible threats, including rot and decay, fungi, pests (such as termites) and weathering. This makes it possible to sideline major issues such as deterioration after long-term exposure to moisture and splitting and warping as a result of extreme temperature changes. On top of that, Evolution steel deck framing is backed by a 25-year limited manufacturer warranty, which further allows builders and homeowners alike to count on its long-term performance.

But it’s not just steel’s performance that has Joe coming back to the material time and time again. He also loves its feel and aesthetic. “When you walk on a steel-framed deck, it feels solid, yet looks clean and elegant. It will always give a modern vibe.” His clients notice it too. “I get so many compliments on this framing that people now call me ‘Joe the Steel Guy,’” he laughed.

From then to now: a closer look at one of Joe’s latest builds

One of Joe’s more recent projects perfectly illustrates how far he’s come since his initial Evolution build. Towards the end of 2024, Mountain Deck was called in to replace an aging wooden deck in Portola Valley, California. The frame from 1984 stretched the length of the house but barely extended ten feet out. Worse yet, decades of exposure to the elements had taken its toll. The wood was rotten, warped and dangerously unstable.

Joe’s clients, a couple in their forties, were looking to do more than replace the original deck structure. They envisioned something bigger, something bolder—an outdoor living space that reflected their lifestyle. They wanted a space that could evolve with them: a place for hosting friends, enjoying al fresco meals, practicing yoga and soaking in the sweeping valley views. Joe rose to the challenge, transforming the modest deck into an expansive, three-tiered, 2,000-square foot outdoor haven that doubled the previous deck’s footprint. Every tier was framed with Fortress® framing.

Steel’s proven strength made the client’s vision possible. With a yield strength that is 10x greater than wood, steel deck framing can support heavy loads with ease. In turn, steel profiles can span longer distances between supports. In fact, Fortress offers engineered steel deck beams that can span as long as 20 feet between supports. Capitalizing on this capability, Joe built a new deck structure that stretches 16 feet out and away from the house. This helped him create more usable space at every level of the deck. The upper deck is a hub for barbecues and social gatherings, the middle tier is a private wellness zone for yoga and meditation, and the lower deck is a serene retreat with a hot tub, outdoor shower and a quiet corner for stretching or late-night stargazing.

Comprehensive framing system offers straightforward installation and jobsite efficiencies

Joe’s crew finished the expansive, three-tiered masterpiece in Portola Valley in under ten weeks—a testament to both the efficiency of working with Fortress® framing system and the evolution of Mountain Deck itself. A big part of that efficiency comes from the fact that, “Evolution is not just a stronger solution, but also a comprehensive, ready-to-assemble system,” Joe explained.

Designed to support a straightforward installation, Evolution’s intuitive interlocking joist and ledger system means crews can build a deck with less effort. No additional tools or special industry knowledge are required. The deck framing system also comes with a rim joist, midspan blocking, beam blocking and pre-punched ledgers at 12” and 16” on center. It’s also worth noting that typically, no two pressure-treated wood boards are the same; they are either curved or crowned and need to be shaved or planed before installation. But every steel profile in the Evolution steel deck framing system is precisely engineered. It arrives to the jobsite straight, installs straight and stays straight.

“With Evolution, my crew is not spending time fixing deck members. They just open the package and start assembling,” he added. With that kind of efficiency, Mountain Deck has been able to cut installation time and labor costs by roughly a third. Joining the list of contractors who argue that building a steel frame deck is actually easier than a traditional wood frame deck, Joe reported, “Putting a deck together doesn’t get any easier than that.”

Joe’s crew also incorporated the Evolution steel deck stair system into the build. Marrying the compatible steel deck framing and steel deck stair system sidelines serious safety concerns, like poor stringer-to-deck connections and inconsistent rises and runs. These challenges are common in traditional wood deck structures, as conventional stair construction requires contractors to cut pieces of lumber by hand. The Evolution steel deck stair system includes fixed and adjustable stair brackets that can accommodate various rise and run options. The stringer and stair trays already include blocking every 10 inches on center for railing post attachment and stair tread attachment. Self-drilling screws ensure maximum strength and security at connections.

Keeping fire-safety at the forefront

Beyond the aesthetics, performance benefits and jobsite efficiencies, what matters the most to Joe and his clients is fire safety. Having lived and worked in California’s wildfire-prone regions for years, the seasoned deck builder has seen the devastation fires can cause firsthand. He’s experienced evacuations and has had to watch friends and loved ones suffer significant losses. “Burning embers are one of the leading ways wildfire spreads,” he explained. “They can travel for miles and eventually settle on a structure when the air currents die down. If that structure is an old, dried-out wooden deck bolted to a home, it is basically like having a bonfire fastened to your house.”

To better protect life and property, many governing agencies have adopted Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) and NFPA 1144 building codes for fire safety. California also enforces Chapter 7A, Materials and Construction Methods for Exterior Wildfire Exposure. These codes require that any structure attached to a home be built with ignition-resistant, noncombustible building materials within the first five feet of the house—a zone known as the defensible space. This space acts as a barrier to slow or stop the spread of fire and provide firefighters with safer access to a property.

“There’s no better material for that defensible space than steel,” Joe asserted. Unlike wood, which can act as fuel in the event of a fire, steel is inherently noncombustible, ignition-resistant and fire-resistant. For outdoor projects where fire preparedness is critical, steel is a tested solution. Underscoring its safety factor, Evolution received a Class-A fire-resistant rating after completing the ASTM E84-21a, Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials. This designation means homeowners investing in Evolution steel deck framing can meet WUI building codes, NFPA 1144 codes and the strict California Chapter 7A requirements. Evolution was also recently added to the California Fire Safe Council's Fire Safe Vendor List, which is one more reason to trust the deck framing system in states with high wildfire risk. “Evolution steel deck framing’s fire performance is my favorite capability,” Joe shared.

Feeling inspired by Joe? Reach out to your local Fortress Building Products Rep or click on our Where to Buy tab to bring the advantages of steel deck framing to your next project,

To read more about how Mountain Deck is contributing to California’s fire-wise deck building communities, click here.