Wired for sound, light, and television and piped with gas for heating and cooking, this 600-square-foot deck took a three-man crew 10 weeks to build, says Joel Rupp of Legendary Builders in Allentown, Pa. All the work was done in-house - "from footers to finish," Rupp says - except for the installation of the gas lines that supply the grill, patio heater, and fire pit.
Almost two of the 10 weeks were spent dry-stacking the cultured stone for the showpiece bar and grill (photo). Topping the counters is Pennsylvania bluestone, sealed with Behr Wet-Look Sealer. A patio heater that extends up through one end of the bar will keep the homeowners and their guests comfortable on cool evenings as they watch the outdoor TV (mounted on the windscreen behind the bar) and listen to the built-in surround-sound audio system.
Photo credit: Joel Rupp Jr., Legendary Builders
Across the deck, there's a gas fire pit that's also finished in stone (photo). Quartzite stones, epoxied in place, conceal a stainless steel system from Napoleon that's approved for use on decks; stainless steel legs keep the business part of the unit 3 inches above the surrounding Trex Transcend decking, to keep the deck from getting a little too warm. - Laurie Elden
