Trusted Deck Builder in Barstow CA - Built for the Desert

Barstow sits in the Mojave Desert, and the climate here is hard on outdoor structures in ways that most contractors from milder parts of California simply haven't seen. Summer highs regularly reach 110 degrees, UV exposure is intense at the desert elevation, and the swing between a freezing January night and a warm January afternoon creates freeze-thaw cycles that crack concrete footings and split wood grain. A deck built without accounting for those conditions won't last. Materials need to be chosen for UV resistance, fasteners need to handle thermal expansion, and concrete footings need to be poured at depths that reach below the frost line.

Most homes in Barstow were built between the 1940s and the 1980s, which means the existing patios and outdoor structures on many properties are as old as the house itself. Those original slabs and wood decks were not built to today's standards, and decades of desert exposure have taken their toll. The caliche soil layer common in this part of the Mojave also affects how footings are dug and poured, since caliche can be nearly as hard as concrete in some spots and requires the right equipment to penetrate properly. A local crew that has worked in this soil before knows what to expect before the first post hole is dug.

Barstow is a city of roughly 24,000 people located in the central Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, sitting at the junction of Interstate 15 and Interstate 40. The city grew rapidly as a railroad and military hub in the mid-20th century, which is reflected in its housing stock: most homes were built between the 1940s and the 1980s, and single-story ranch-style houses with stucco exteriors dominate the residential neighborhoods. Historic Route 66 runs through the center of town, and Barstow Station off I-15 is one of the most recognizable stops between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Calico Ghost Town, a preserved 1880s silver mining town, sits just a few miles east off the interstate.

The Mojave River runs through Barstow, flowing mostly underground but surfacing in wet years to remind residents that even the desert has water beneath it. Fort Irwin, the U.S. Army's National Training Center, is located about 37 miles to the northeast and employs a large number of military and civilian workers who live in Barstow. That connection brings a steady rotation of new residents, which means homes here change hands regularly and often benefit from updates and improvements. Communities just outside Barstow that we also regularly serve include Lenwood to the west and Daggett just east along the Mojave River.