FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS

Understanding our project timeline and process

Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers.

Pressure treated pine and cedar decks require annual staining or sealing to maintain the deck’s longevity in our climate.  Composite decking offers superior durability and performance by being resistant to termites, rotting, warping and splintering. It also never needs staining or painting. It only requires an annual cleaning like any exterior building product.

RSB has seen many composite manufacturers come and go over the last 16 years we have been building composite decks. Trex® and TimberTech® Azek® are the two companies that have stood the test of time with their technology, warranties and both companies are financially strong to stand behind their warranties. These attributes are the reason why RSB confidently recommends Trex® and TimberTech® products to our customers.
Trex® decking is made from 95% recycled materials that are carefully processed to ensure the highest level of quality and performance. The decking performs better than wood, lowering your cost over time through less maintenance and is an environmentally-friendly choice. To learn more about Trex®, please visit www.trex.com.
TimberTech’s capped composite decking lines are up to 80% recycled content. TimberTech® AZEK’s capped polymer boards are made up of approximately 50% recycled materials. To learn more about TimberTech®, please visit www.timbertech.com.
RSB recommends that both pressure treated pine and cedar decking be maintained the same overtime. This includes staining or sealing your new wood deck within 60 days from installation and sooner for fall deck installations. The old way of thinking was to let wood acclimate for a year before staining or sealing. This is no longer recommended. Unfortunately, in our harsh climate with extreme heat and cold, exterior wood products are put under a lot of stress. If a wood deck is left untreated for longer than 60 days, water will seep into the wood causing the wood to expand. Then when it dries out, it contracts. This cycle of expansion and contraction on untreated wood causes an acceleration of warping, splintering and shrinking on wood decks. If wood is stained or sealed within 60 days from installation, it reduces the chance of the wood having these issues. Ongoing, RSB recommends a full cleaning, sanding any splintered wood and re-staining annually to prolong the life of your wood deck. Every deck stain or sealer manufacturer has their own installation instructions that need to be followed to ensure your deck is properly protected.

Composite decking requires far lower maintenance than wood decking with only a simple soap and water cleaning annually to maintain the beauty of the products. Most composite decking lines can be cleaned with a power washer with low PSI. Before cleaning your composite deck, please visit www.trex.com or www.timbertech.com for more details on maintaining your specific line of composite decking.

Trex® offers a limited 25-year stain and fade warranty as outlined on their website, www.trex.com.

TimberTech® AZEK® capped polmer decking has a 50-year limited Fade & Stain Warranty as well as a Lifetime limited product warranty.

TimberTech’s Pro® line has a limited 30 year fade, stain and product warranty.

TimberTech’s Edge® line has a limited 25 year fade, stain and product warranty.

Full product warranty information is available on their website, www.timbertech.com.

RSB warranties the underneath structure of our decks for 5 years as outlined on our Terms & Conditions which is provided upon request and for new customers to sign with their contracts. Because RSB is both a TrexPro® Platinum installer, and a TimberTech® Gold installer, there is an additional labor warranty beyond the product warranty provided to RSB’s customers that is not provided if a customer chooses a contractor without these high standings. You can view labor warranties at www.trex.com and www.timbertech.com.
Trex® and TimberTech® samples are brought to prospective customers’ homes during the estimate appointment. We also have a large assortment of samples and displays at our office in McHenry which can be picked up by appointment.

Yes, RSB has been a member of the BBB for almost our entire 16 years in business!

We are proud to have all of our own W-2 full-time employees on staff building our projects which makes us different than the majority of deck builders who sub-contract out their carpentry to 1099 individuals who aren’t actual employees of the builder. The use of employees over sub-contractors ensures consistent quality construction and attracts talented carpenters who are wanting a long-term employer. We also are proud to offer our employees health insurance, dental insurance and a retirement plan with matching contributions. Most of our lead carpenters have been employed with Rock Solid for over 8 years which ensures our customers receive high quality carpentry.

Having employees over sub-contractors also protects our customers because when builders use 1099 sub-contractors instead of their own W-2 employees, that puts the homeowner’s at risk if one of the sub-contractors gets hurt at their home since sub-contractors aren’t fully covered under the builder’s own worker’s compensation policy. That means that a sub-contractor can sue a homeowner for damages if the sub-contractor gets hurt on the job. If one of our RSB employees gets hurt on a job, our workers compensation policy would compensate the employee since they are actual employees of Rock Solid Builders and not a sub-contractor. The only sub-contractors we use are licensed roofers, electricians and plumbers who carry their own insurance policies for their specific line of work. Rock Solid Builders encourages you to speak with an attorney or your homeowner’s insurance policy agent about the liability risks you would experience if you hire a deck builder that uses 1099 sub-contractors to construct their projects instead of actual W-2 employees.

Yes, Rock Solid Builders carries $2 million dollars in a commercial liability policy, an additional umbrella policy, auto insurance on our fleet of vehicles and full worker’s compensation since Rock Solid Builders uses only our own employees. This protects the homeowner over a company that only uses sub-contractors who aren’t fully insured. If you would like a Certificate of Insurance showing our insurance policies, please contact our office at (815)363-7133 and we would be happy to provide one to you.

Yes, we have an office right in McHenry that has many displays of Trex® and TimberTech® decking, railings and lighting. Our standard office hours are Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm although we request that all visits to our office be scheduled in advance to ensure a dedicated time slot to visit with one of our associates. Contact us today at (815)363-7133 to schedule an office visit!

Don’t wait any longer. Relax and enjoy your dream deck this year!

Contact Rock Solid Builders today for your free estimate.

OUR CLIENTS SAY

Talk about quick follow ups, response to phone call, quality work, and friendly and knowledgable staff/ installers. There a FEW folks I can leave the house and be at ease that things are going super smooth and perfectly. Our installers were kind, respectful, and very hard workers!!
Donna, Crystal Lake, IL