A raised deck is a structure first. Once the walking surface passes about 24 inches (600 mm), the Ontario Building Code requires a guard — 36 inches to that threshold's limit, 42 inches once you're above roughly 5'-11" (1,800 mm) — and the footings, posts, and beams have to be designed for the real loads, not eyeballed.
We build walkout-basement decks, second-storey decks, and sloped-lot decks with proper sonotube footings below frost depth, engineered beam sizing, and guards planned at drawing stage so post locations land where the railing needs them — not wherever the framing happened to end up.
What's included
- Footing layout and depth for frost and soil conditions
- Beam and post sizing documented in permit drawings
- Stairs with consistent rise, proper stringers, and graspable handrail
- Guard planning — aluminum, glass, or mixed — before framing starts
- Skirting or finished under-deck space below the structure
Common questions
How high can a deck be before it needs a railing?
In Ontario, a guard is required once the walking surface is more than 24 inches (600 mm) above grade. The required guard height then steps up with the height of the deck. We flag this automatically at design stage.
What kind of footings does a raised deck need?
Poured concrete piers (sonotubes) below local frost depth — typically 4 feet in this region — sized for the loads they carry. Deck blocks sitting on grade are not acceptable for a raised deck and won't pass permit.
Can the space under a raised deck be used?
Yes. With a walkout deck we can finish the underside area with skirting for clean storage, or leave full-height usable space with proper drainage planning. It's worth deciding before the post layout is fixed.