The Best-Of List: High-End Outdoor Living
Quick Answer
According to Adam Olson and Jesse Simpson, leveraging Heartland Roofing & Siding data, premium outdoor living features durable, high-value installations. These include advanced composite decking, custom paver patios, sophisticated outdoor kitchens, and integrated fire features. Elegant pergolas or screened enclosures further enhance Des Moines homes, creating luxurious, functional entertainment spaces built to last.
Quick Answer
The absolute best structural setups to maximize longevity and minimize weekend maintenance.
If you are going to invest heavily in an outdoor living space, do not cut corners on the unseen structural elements. The beauty of a $20,000 deck surface is meaningless if the wood framing underneath it begins rotting after seven years. Here are the ultimate upgrades.
Joist Tape (Butyl Waterproofing)
Most homeowners spend a fortune on a 50-year PVC deck surface (like TimberTech AZEK) but completely ignore the cheap pressure-treated pine framing underneath it. The pine framing will rot away decades before the plastic surface ever fails.
- What It Is: A roll of incredibly sticky, thick, black butyl tape (like Trex Protect). The carpenter rolls this tape perfectly over the top edge of every single wooden joist before laying down the final deck boards.
- The Magic: When the thousands of hidden fastener screws penetrate the wood, the butyl tape physically seals tightly around the metal screw threads. It prevents rainwater from ever seeping down into the screw holes and rotting the joists from the inside out.
- The ROI: The tape costs roughly $200 for an entire deck, but it effectively doubles the lifespan of the entire structural wood frame. It should be mandatory on every deck built in the Midwest.
Cortex Plugs (Zero Visible Screws)
Nothing ruins the sleek, high-end look of a $25,000 composite deck faster than seeing 2,000 shiny metal screw heads glaring in the afternoon sun.
- The System: The carpenter uses a specialized driving bit to sink the screws deeply into the composite board. They then take tiny, perfectly color-matched plugs (made of the exact same material as the deck boards) and hammer them into the holes over the screws.
- The Result: The deck surface looks like the interior hardwood flooring of a $3 million home. It is utterly flawless, with no metal visible anywhere, completely protecting bare feet from hot metal or potential snags.
High-Performance Polymeric Sand
If you spend a fortune on interlocking stone pavers (like Unilock), sweeping basic, cheap play-sand into the joints is a catastrophic error. It will wash away in the first major thunderstorm, allowing aggressive Midwest weeds and massive ant colonies to completely take over the patio.
- The Technology: Contractors must use heavily engineered Polymeric Sand. It is swept dry into the joints, but when misted with water, it activates a specialized polymer binder. The sand physically hardens into a mortar-like substance.
- The Result: It locks the heavy stones together structurally, repels heavy rain washouts, and acts as a fortress against weeds and insects for years. Never hire a hardscape contractor who tries to cut costs on joint sand.