Deck builders in Bartlett, IL

The median home in Bartlett was built around 1992. A deck built with a house of that age is now about 34 years old — the stage where first-generation pressure-treated decks commonly need major repair or replacement.

Decks built before 2004 were very likely made with CCA-treated lumber, which was phased out of most residential uses at the end of 2003. That doesn't make an existing deck unsafe, but old boards shouldn't be burned, and demolition debris should be disposed of according to local rules.

That makes Bartlett's housing 14 years newer than DuPage County as a whole, where the median home was built in 1978. Statewide, the median Illinois home was built in 1971. Among the 102 covered Illinois communities with Census data, Bartlett ranks #94 for oldest housing. In this ZIP code, 6% of homes were built before 1960, 23% between 1960 and 1979, 49% between 1980 and 1999, and 22% since 2000 — the single largest group dates to the 1990s.

The nearest NOAA climate station with 1991–2020 normals is Streamwood, about 4 miles away. It records an average of 153 days a year with a low at or below 32°F — a long, hard freezing season. On roughly 111 of those days the temperature climbs back above freezing, so water in wood, soil and gaps between boards repeatedly freezes and thaws.

For Bartlett, that means footings must bear below the locally required frost depth to avoid heaving, and wood surfaces should be kept sealed so absorbed water doesn't split boards over winter. Synthetic decking tolerates freeze-thaw well but still needs the manufacturer's expansion gaps.

Average snowfall near Bartlett is about 34 inches a year (Streamwood). That's enough that shoveling and ice-melt choices affect deck surfaces, and stair treads benefit from good texture and drainage.

Precipitation averages about 38 inches a year, falling on about 71 days with 0.1 inch or more — wet enough that drainage and flashing still matter, but dry spells also let wood surfaces dry out and check in the sun.

Average summer highs reach about 85°F, and around 28 days a year top 90°F. On a deck with full afternoon sun, dark composite can get uncomfortable on those days, so test samples in the sun before choosing a color.

Budget, upkeep tolerance and sun exposure on your particular lot still decide the final choice between these options.

Bartlett has about 14,733 housing units across its covered ZIP code. 71% are single-family detached homes, 15% are attached homes such as townhouses and rowhouses, and about 14% are in buildings with two or more units. Roughly 89% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.

The mix of detached homes and attached or multi-unit housing in Bartlett means deck projects range from large backyard decks to compact rear decks on narrow lots. Lot size, neighbors' sightlines and any association rules shape the right design.

• Replacement and major repair: about 10,140 homes (69%) were built between 1970 and 1999, the age group whose original or early add-on decks are most likely to have worn-out framing, connectors and boards.
• Retrofit decks on older homes: about 1,377 homes (9%) predate 1970. Here the priority is confirming that add-on decks are properly attached — or rebuilding them freestanding — before any cosmetic work.
• Upgrades and expansions: about 305 homes (2%) were built since 2010. Their decks are usually sound but small or builder-grade, so enlarging the deck, adding stairs and switching to composite or upgraded railings are common.

With about 153 freezing days a year, the building window in Bartlett is compressed. Design, drawings and permits are usually handled in winter so footings can go in as soon as the ground allows in spring, and finishes like stain are applied before nights turn cold in fall.

For Bartlett, IL, ask the permit office whether your deck needs a permit based on its size, height and attachment to the house, which drawings and inspections are required. Statewide code background for Illinois is on our state page; local rules change, so the building department remains the authority.

The closest covered area is Wayne, about 3 miles from the center of Bartlett's covered ZIPs. Its median home was built in 1988, 4 years earlier than in Bartlett. Bartlett has 26 percentage points fewer detached single-family homes (71% vs. 97%), which changes how many projects are backyard decks versus compact townhouse decks. Owner-occupancy is 89% in Bartlett compared with 97% in Wayne. Bartlett's covered ZIP code span about 18.4 square miles of land with roughly 14,733 homes — about 801 per square mile, a typical suburban density where most homes have usable backyards.