​​You love your outdoor wood structures, but are you protecting them? Most of us have plenty of property around us made up of wood- but we rarely protect it in the way or on the timeline that the pros would suggest. After all, in Oklahoma, you never know when a giant gust of wind is gonna take down your structure or investment!  When you hire a quality and experienced contractor, you can not only depend on them to deliver a quality product with the heft and bracing that's needed in our Oklahoma winds and ice, but they won't steer you wrong with advice on how to protect that investment once it's built! A wooden structure needs to have a coating of protection applied to it, usually every couple of years, to give it shelter from the scorching UV rays of the sun and the freezing temperatures & moisture! Backyard Builder OKC not only builds decks, pergolas, fences and more- but we will apply a double coating of UV and protection product specifically made for our weird Oklahoma weather! Much like sunscreen and clothing protect us from the elements, a couple layers of a quality coating can add many years to the life of your outdoor items. You can even extend the luster of your wood by moving to a shade darker each time you have the coatings applied. Starting off with a fairly light stain (like is seen in this recent project photo) and progressing a shade darker with each new application will allow the wood to exceed its expected lifetime!  Especially on a custom pool deck, like this one we built and stained on the far north side of OKC/Yukon, this nice light stain color will allow the wood to remain cooler for those tiny toes jumping into the water! As wood ages, it's a good idea to keep it clean with a quality power washing about twice a season. Mold, mildew, and plain old Okie red dirt build up on the things in our environment! As much as you might wish the kid's swing set or treehouse would wash itself, its about as likely to do that as the kids are to take out the trash without being asked to! You can count on us to be a your full service builder AND maintainer of those beautiful (or just plain necessary) wooden structures in your life. From fences, decks, pergolas, greenhouses, sheds, play toys and more- we'll wash and coat your wood on a schedule that keeps it functional for years to come.  

Yay! It's that time of year again. Dropping temps, foggy breath, football, snow (if we're lucky) and lighting the firepit! With a little preparation, not only can you enjoy your backyard oasis during the spring and summer months, but all year long! This year it is more important than ever that our outdoor space is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Let's face it, if we're travelling at all, it is far less than in years previous (Thanks covid-19). A well designed and properly built outdoor space can extend the useable all-season square footage of your home significantly.
     A covered pergola is a great addition to your outdoor living space. While a fraction of the cost of building an addition onto your home, a properly designed pergola can add just as much useable space! Think of the possibilities...bundled up with your sweetie enjoying the beautiful winter evening while sipping your hot chocolate (or a nice glass of wine, we won't judge), while covered from the elements by the best pergolas OKC has to offer built by your very own Backyard Builder OKC!
     When having your backyard pergola, deck or other outdoor feature built, it is important to take Oklahoma's harsh and unique winters into account. Proper anchoring of pergola is extremely important, as we all know Oklahoma is known to have days so windy if you accidentally spread your arms in Edmond you might land on Briarwood elementary schools playground in south OKC! Backyard Builder always takes great care in using the highest rated fastening systems when building your pergola or deck, as well as carefully engineering piers and columns to resist the devastating effects of frost heave.
     A correctly pitched pergola roof, combined with a quality polycarbonate roofing system will not only protect you from precipitation as you stay warm and dry beneath, but will also be able to withstand the immense weight put upon it when we get one of those freak ice or snow storms. Make sure your pergola builder is using the best materials and construction techniques so your investment will last for years to come!
     Give the team at Backyard Builder OKC a call today at 405-454-8025 and we will get to work right away turning your backyard oasis dreams into a reality!

Your kids are your everything, right? You've made sure to provide them with the best and safest playground equipment you could find.  It's totally time to preserve and protect that large investment.  With proper care, that sucker should last through many tough Oklahoma seasons without much trouble.  Whether it's creeping up on the 30 day mark of a new installation, or the structure has been up for a handful of years, it's never too late to start taking care of something the right way.  Every month, year after year, dirt, dust, sand, bugs, and yes, even mold and mildew build up on the surfaces of our outdoor wood structures.  It's part of enjoying the great outdoors- especially in a windy place like Oklahoma City!  We have to do everything we can to protect our investments from our harsh elements.  A good commercial power washing job can debride any nasty buildup of undesirable material from the playground in your yard in one quick visit!  It's actually quite mesmerizing to watch, if you're the type that likes things in proper order at all times... But that's a different blog, right?  But really, who wants Maddiegh and Jaxson climbing all over mold?  I know my mother wouldn't have it and neither would my wife.  We need these women and these tiny people happy right?  Who has the time for that you ask?  Well...  me for starters.  Let my crew come out and not only power wash your playground, but add a nice coat of commercial stain and sealant that will ensure another year or more of durability and safety for your tiny tornadoes.  Check out this job we recently did in this b-e-a-utiful home in Edmond.  A few year old playground with railroad ties surround was brought back to life with a one day process of pressure washing, drying and double coat application of protectant.  Surface grime was removed and as you can see the owner got a super nice result with this process.  We also removed a broken slide and installed a new one for this customer, setting their family up for a fresh new season of outdoor play for their children and guests.  The value you add to your home with not only obtaining, but maintaining your outdoor wood structures is tremendous.  Whether you have a deck, pergola, fence, shed, greenhouse, or any other outdoor wood structure, maintaining that investment is paramount and will certainly pay off in dividends and saved resources for years to come.  You can trust Backyard Builder OKC to be your resource for all these needs and more!  Get in touch with us today for your custom quote.  Heck, we'll even give your commercial structures a good spray & seal.  ;)