Exterior Deck Renovation Northcliff

The Project - Exterior Deck Renovation

Location: Northcliff, Johannesburg

Service: Specialist Woodworking Services
Project Type: Exterior Deck Renovation & Installation
Timber: Massaranduba
Techniques: Kreg Hidden Fastener System | Domino Jointing
Scope: Full deck strip-back | Substructure treatment | New decking installation | Staircase cladding | Sand and seal

The Brief

The client – a ten-year Atelier Desjardins client – had an existing exterior deck that required more than surface attention. The brief was to renovate the full structure properly: strip it back, assess what was underneath, address any substructure issues, and install new decking to a finish and standard that would perform long-term.

The project included an additional challenge: an existing concrete staircase alongside the deck needed to be clad in timber, integrating seamlessly with the new decking installation.

The Challenge

Deck renovations are straightforward in concept. In practice, the condition of the substructure is rarely known until every board has been removed – and what’s underneath determines the scope of everything that follows.

On this project, the substructure required careful assessment once exposed. Beyond structural integrity, the primary concern was moisture, fungal activity, and pest damage – three forces that work quietly beneath a deck surface and compound significantly over time if left unaddressed.

The staircase presented a separate and more technically demanding challenge. Cladding an existing concrete structure in timber requires equal riser and tread spacing to read correctly – and the concrete substrate was neither perfectly level nor perfectly straight. Achieving a result that looked considered and seamless required precise templating and careful installation across an imperfect base.

The Solution

Every decking board was removed and the full substructure was exposed and assessed. Damaged or compromised structural members were replaced before any further work proceeded. The entire substructure was then treated with an industrial-grade fungicide, pesticide, and moisture barrier – a step that is non-negotiable on any deck renovation where long-term performance is the objective.

New decking was installed in Massaranduba – a dense, high-durability tropical hardwood that is exceptionally well-suited to exterior applications in Johannesburg’s climate. Massaranduba is naturally resistant to moisture, insects, and decay, and its hardness makes it one of the most durable choices available for high-traffic exterior surfaces.

The installation method was chosen with equal care. A Kreg hidden fastener system was used in combination with domino jointing – a technique that eliminates visible top screws entirely, producing a clean, uninterrupted deck surface. The result is both aesthetically superior and structurally sound, with fixings that are fully protected from direct weather exposure.

For the staircase, each riser and tread was individually templated against the concrete substrate. Equal spacing was achieved across the full staircase run despite the irregularities in the underlying structure – a detail that requires patience and precision but makes the difference between a finished staircase that reads correctly and one that doesn’t.

The completed deck was sanded and sealed with a product selected specifically for the density and grain characteristics of Massaranduba – ensuring maximum penetration and protection suited to the timber rather than a generic off-the-shelf application.

The Outcome

The finished deck is clean, structurally sound, and correctly protected from the ground up. The hidden fastener installation produces a surface with no visible fixings. The staircase integrates seamlessly with the deck. The substructure beneath is treated and sealed against the forces that cause most deck failures.

For a client who has trusted Atelier Desjardins with their property for ten years, the outcome was exactly what the relationship demands: outstanding work, delivered without compromise.