Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. Send us a message through our contact us page telling us you’d like a free sample and what color you’d like – red cedar or flint grey. Include your address and we’ll send you a 4″ square sample of the UDECX surface pad in the color requested.
The UDECX composite deck surface pads are made of polypropylene, a thermoplastic polymer resin, via a compression molding process. A fiberglass infill has been added to provide additional structural support and a UV inhibitor helps protect the surface from damage caused by exposure to the sun. The piers, shims and risers are made from 100% recycled polypropylene resin with talc added for additional strength thereby ensuring years of worry free use.
Yes, all UDECX components are designed to allow for easy expansion in the future. You can always buy additional components to expand your deck to fit your needs.
UDECX is committed to doing its part in environmental conservation. In addition to our components being recyclable, UDECX also reduces the environmental impact of adding a deck by not requiring a sub-frame or treated lumber with associated health risks, not to mention waste going to a landfill. One of the best features of UDECX is that it is reusable; you can take it with you when you move or reconfigure it, meaning it never becomes obsolete.
UDECX has been designed to accommodate all types of soil including clay, gravel, topsoil and even sand. However, if you do notice settling in the deck, you can remove the pads in just the affected area and raise the piers either by adding soil or the use of one of our risers or shims to re-level the piers, reinstall the pads and you’re done.
Currently, UDECX offers a railing system specifically designed to work with our pad, pier and cam-lock system. The railing is available in two colors currently, black or white. You can use the UDECX design online tool to layout your deck and then add railing. The program will generate your custom parts list based on your design.
Since the UDECX system is usually smaller than 300 sf, less than 30″ off the ground and is not permanently bolted or attached to the home, most cities do not require a permit. Although, you should check with your local building department to see if they would require a permit.
Yes, you can! The basic building block of the UDECX system is a 40” x 40” square pad that comes in one of two color choices, Flint Grey or Cedar Red. With this basic square block, you can build many different configurations. Head over to our Design Center to see a few examples of the practically unlimited configurations that you can build with UDECX.
A 10’x10’ starter kit can generally be installed in less than 2 hours with 2 people working. This will vary with the grade involved and other factors. The most time consuming portion of the job is spacing and leveling the piers. The UDECX starter kit includes a cardboard template to assist you in correctly spacing the piers. We also include (12) 1” shims and (4) 3” risers to make it easier to level the piers. The shim and risers nestle together and can be used in various combinations to add 1” up to 6” to the underside of a pier.
The UDEXC system was designed for a DIY project, even for a novice. There is no cutting, sawing or drilling needed when putting your deck together. The only tools you need are a shovel to level the ground at the pier locations, a hammer for securing the pier top the ground with the included spikes and a level to insure the piers are aligned prior to installing the surface pads. The kit includes a hand tool for securing the cam-locks.
Yes, there is no need to wait! With UDECX you can set it up and enjoy it in the same day.
UDECX components are guaranteed against faulty manufacturing for 3 years from the date of purchase and covered for stain and fade for 15 years from the date of purchase.
Yes, you can. The UDECX system was designed so it can put together and taken apart easily! The modular design allows you to relocate, reconfigure or expand the deck simply.
Yes, the UDEXC components are designed to work together and the modular system ensures that future components will work with existing kits. One difference that you may notice is the color of the existing deck will have faded slightly so the new components could be slightly different in color. Most fading will occur within the first year, so after a year or two the color will be very close to matching.
When installing the UDECX patio deck the piers need to be level with each other. You can level the grade at each pier location by using a 4’ level spanning between the piers to insure that all piers are level prior to installing the pads and cam-locks. Each starter kit includes (12) 1” shims and (4) 3” riser blocks, these allow for you to adjust for uneven ground.
The UDECX shims and riser blocks can be stacked to a maximum recommended limit of 1’above the ground. The UDECX system will be 6” above the ground with just the standard pier and by stacking the shims and risers up to a maximum of 1’ you end up 1’6”above the ground when the deck is fully installed. If the slope is is more than that you can dig down into the high end to reduce the overall height at the low end. An excellent option is to terrace the deck so you have a raised portion at the house and then step down onto a lower section of the deck where the ground falls away.
We recommend using string and a string level. Start with the string 6” above the ground at the house, stretch the string to where the deck will be at the low end and then measure down to see how high it will be off the ground.
A kit weighs approximately 460 pounds. After you purchase a kit, it will be shipped to your home and will typically be dropped off at the end of your driveway or another curbside area. We recommend opening the packaging there and carrying the components individually to where you’re planning to install your deck. The heaviest components are the surface pads, that weigh about 40 pounds each.
Yes, it is. As long as there is sufficient space between the grill and the UDECX surface then there isn’t an issue. However, UDECX does recommend putting a grill mat down to prevent staining of the surface from grease or other debris from the grill.
UDECX has been engineered to support 100 psf which is more than double the load requirement per code for most of the US.
All UDECX starter kits include a 12” steel spike for each pier to secure it to the ground. We also offer 18” spike if you use more than 6” of shims and risers in combination. Also, where ever you have a railing post we’d recommend using 18” spike.
The UDECX pads each have a small crown to them that allows for water to drain to the edge of the pad and the small gap between pads allows for water to drain from the surface. Because UDECX is designed with a “floating” foundation there should not be an issue with freezing and thawing of the ground as long as the system is not directly secured to the home or other structure. The entire deck will move with the ground. If there are any areas of settling these can be easily addressed by re-leveling the piers in the affected areas.
We recommend that you should clean your UDECX patio deck once a year using water and a brush/broom. You may also use a mild detergent if there is staining from leaves or other debris. We don’t recommend using a pressure washer on your UDECX deck as that could damage the surface texture of the pads.
Yes. It is actually a very simple process to install it over an existing concrete patio. The piers would be secured to the concrete using concrete screws in place of the 12” spikes included in the kit.