Composite Deck Building in Morton, IL
Composite is the deck most Morton homeowners actually want once they've owned a treated one. Owner-occupied ranches and two-stories in tidy subdivisions, plenty of them with HOA architectural review. A capped board holds its color through Illinois freeze-thaw, doesn't splinter under bare feet in July, and never needs a weekend of sanding and sealing. The trade is up-front cost, and it pays back somewhere around year seven.
How we build it in Morton
Every composite deck we build in Morton starts with framing that outlives the boards: pressure-treated joists at 12 inches on center for diagonal layouts and 16 inches for straight runs, a flashed and lag-bolted ledger, and rim boards that carry the rail posts properly. Deep prairie loam over clay — clean augering, but footings still have to reach past the 42-inch frost line. Boards go down with hidden fasteners so there isn't a screw head in sight, and every cut end gets a finished edge or fascia.
- On-site measure, layout, and board-direction planning
- JULIE locate before any hole is dug
- Footings poured below frost, posts set and braced
- Ledger flashed and bolted, beams and joists framed and crowned
- Composite decking laid with hidden fasteners and picture-frame border
- Rail, stairs, fascia, cleanup, and walkthrough
Most composite builds take three to six working days once footings have cured.
What Morton neighbors say.
These are verified customer reviews of Tazewell County Fence Co. — the same owners, crew and phone line behind Grizzly Deck & Rail.
“Tazewell County Fence Co. installed woven wire fencing around part of our property, along with a large equipment gate. They explained the different post options, gave us a clear estimate, and helped us choose something that fit our budget. The fence looks strong and everything was completed professionally.”
“We had a chain-link fence installed for our backyard and dogs. Communication was easy, the pricing was reasonable, and the finished fence looks great. They also made sure the gates opened smoothly and were placed exactly where we needed them.”
“A section of our fence was damaged during these storms, and Tazewell County Fence Co. was able to repair it without trying to sell us an entirely new fence. The repaired section blends in well with the rest of the fence, and the price was fair.”
Composite Decks in Morton — questions we get
- What does a composite deck cost in Morton, IL?
- Installed composite in Morton runs roughly $38–$62 per square foot depending on board line, deck height, railing style, and stair count. A 16x20 with a short stair run typically lands in the $13,000–$20,000 range. We give you a written, itemized number — material, framing, rail, stairs, permit — not a per-foot guess.
- Does composite decking get hot in the sun?
- Every deck surface gets hot in full Morton sun. Lighter colors and boards with a scalloped underside run noticeably cooler than dark solid boards. If your deck faces west with no shade, we'll steer you toward a lighter tone or pair it with a pergola.
- Will composite hold up to Central Illinois winters?
- Yes. Capped composite doesn't absorb water the way wood does, so freeze-thaw cycles don't check or split it. What fails in this climate is framing and footings, which is why our posts go below frost depth and the ledger gets flashed — deep prairie loam over clay — clean augering, but footings still have to reach past the 42-inch frost line.
- Do I need a permit for a composite deck in Morton?
- Morton requires a village building permit for any deck attached to the house or more than 30 inches off grade, plus a plat of survey showing setbacks. We pull it and meet the inspector.