Scranton, PA – As progress continues on the 15th
Annual HGTV Dream Home 2011
located in SPRUCE PEAK @STOWE, a resort area of Stowe, Vermont, the
home’s AZEK
Deck has been
completed. AZEK Building Products is the exclusive decking
sponsor of the HGTV Dream Home, which because of its ski resort
location, needed a durable deck to weather the elements.
The home’s architect, Paul Robert Rousselle, AIA, felt that
due to the weather conditions, a low-maintenance material for
the deck was important, but also had to fit in with the beauty of the
mountain lodge style of the home. According to
Rousselle, AZEK Deck in Acacia®, a rich walnut brown color,
blends in well within the rugged setting. Acacia, part of the
AZEK Deck Arbor Collection®, features a subtle wood grain and
texture that resembles tropical hardwoods but without the upkeep.
“The deck location with southern exposure is
subjected to the harsh mountain environment in both winter and summer,
with snow and ice accumulation, extreme temperatures, winds, rain and
sun making it critical to use a product like AZEK Deck that could stand
up to this weather and damp location,” explained
Rousselle. “During the summer, tree canopy coverage
provides adequate shading, potentially sponsoring the development of
mold growth.” Among its benefits, AZEK Deck lists
mold-resistance and easy cleaning.
Rousselle explained that SPRUCE PEAK @ STOWE’s Development Design
Guidelines advocate the use of ‘natural and noble materials’ for all
exterior building materials, excluding man-made building products.
“However, with the application of ‘deck surface’, the case
was made for AZEK on the basis of green and sustainability,”
he said. “It negates the need to
sacrifice trees or to use massive amounts of fuel and energy to get
them onsite,” said Rousselle. “And,
harmful VOCs are eliminated on a regular basis since the deck does not
need sealants applied each year.” Rousselle says
the review board, which normally objects to non-organic materials, was
won over by AZEK Deck’s overall sustainable value which
exceeded any environmental concerns.
For Brendan O’Reilly and his team at Gristmill Builders,
installing AZEK Deck was a first, as was the use of some new hidden
fastening systems. In Stowe, O’Reilly says low
maintenance is the number one building trend due to the
weather. “AZEK is very natural looking and has the
moisture, stain and scratch resistance that should hold up nicely for
years to come,” he said.
The crew installed the 14 X 20 ft. AZEK Deck off the kitchen with a
landing and stairway leading down to a patio. To
give the project a contemporary, high end look, Gristmill Builders used
two hidden fastener systems that worked quickly and easily with AZEK
Deck: HIDfast, which features a pneumatic gun that fastens
through the sides of the boards and the Cortex plug system for areas
the gun could not reach, such as the stairway and end boards.
“The HIDfast method is one of the best out there and
definitely very fast,” said O’Reilly. “I
would estimate
it cut our labor in half. And because you can miter cut AZEK
so cleanly and precisely, we were able to picture frame around the deck
so there are no visible ends.”
Both Rousselle and O’Reilly were pleased with the
deck’s final result—a beautiful outdoor room to
take in the incredible mountain views. As professionals, they
would consider AZEK Deck for future projects.
The HGTV Dream Home 2011 sweepstakes runs from January 1 –
February 18, 2011 and the winner of the home will be announced in
March, while a one-hour special about the home premieres on New
Year’s Day at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT and 9 p.m.
ET/PT. For more information about the HGTV Dream Home such as
floor plans and time-lapsed photography, visit HGTV.com/dreamhome.