January in Maryland means frozen ground, bare trees, and a backyard that’s probably seen better days (and will again soon, we’re sure!).
While you can’t easily build a deck when the soil is solid as concrete, you can make many of the important decisions that’ll set you up for a seamless spring or summer deck installation.
Think of winter as your strategic planning season. When spring hits and contractors’ schedules fill up fast, you won’t be scrambling to make rushed choices about materials, layout, or budget. Instead, you’ll be ready to go with decisions made, materials ordered, and your name on the schedule.
Here are four critical deck decisions you can tackle right now, while your backyard sits under a layer of frost.
1. Choosing Your Decking Material
This is the big one. The decking material you choose affects everything: upfront cost, long-term maintenance, aesthetic appeal, and how your deck stands up to Maryland’s humid summers and occasional harsh winters.
Your main options break down into three categories:
Traditional wood decking—typically pressure-treated lumber or cedar—offers that classic look and feel. It’s often the most budget-friendly upfront, but requires regular staining, sealing, and maintenance to prevent rot, splintering, and weathering. If you love the authentic wood aesthetic and don’t mind the upkeep, this might be your route.
Composite decking, like TimberTech or Trex, has become incredibly popular in Anne Arundel County for good reason. These engineered products resist fading, staining, scratching, and mold. They won’t splinter, and they don’t require staining or sealing—just an occasional wash. Yes, the upfront cost is higher than wood, but many homeowners find the trade-off worth it when they’re not spending weekends refinishing their deck every few years.
PVC decking is the premium option: entirely synthetic, extremely durable, and virtually maintenance-free. It handles Maryland’s weather extremes beautifully and comes in a range of colors and finishes. If longevity and minimal maintenance are your priorities, PVC is worth considering.
Winter gives you the time to visit our showrooms in Edgewater or Millersville without the spring rush. You can handle samples, compare colors in natural light, and talk through the pros and cons with our team. By the time the ground thaws, you’ll know exactly what you want.
2. Finalizing Your Deck Layout & Features
Once you’ve settled on materials, it’s time to think about design. How big should your deck be? Single level or multi-level? Do you want built-in seating, planters, or a pergola for shade?
Here’s where winter actually works in your favor: your backyard is stripped down to its bones. There’s no patio furniture, no lush landscaping, no kids’ toys scattered around. You can see exactly how the space flows from your house to the yard, where the sun hits in the morning, and where shadows fall in the afternoon. It’s easier to visualize traffic patterns and placement without all the seasonal clutter.
Consider how you’ll use the space. Are you hosting family barbecues? Do you need a dining area and a separate lounging zone? Will you want a spot for a grill or an outdoor kitchen setup? Thinking through these questions now—before you’re eager to just get the project started—leads to better design decisions.
Sketch it out, take measurements, and even mark off the footprint with stakes or spray paint if the ground allows. Winter is the time to think, plan, and refine your vision without the pressure of an impending build date.
3. Understanding Permits & Building Codes
Nobody loves dealing with permits, but getting this sorted in January means one less headache when spring arrives. In Anne Arundel County, most deck projects require a building permit, and the process involves submitting plans, meeting setback requirements, adhering to railing height standards, and ensuring your design meets structural specs.
The beauty of tackling permits in winter? You’re not delaying construction. If your permit application needs revisions or takes a few weeks to process, it doesn’t matter as much as it might have in the height of deck-building season. After all, you weren’t going to break ground in February anyway.
But if you wait until March or April to start the permit process, you’re pushing your project timeline back when contractors are booking up fast.
Use this time to research local code requirements, gather any necessary documentation, and get your permit application ready to submit. Many contractors can handle this for you, but even if you’re going the DIY route, having your paperwork in order by late winter means you can hit the ground running as soon as conditions allow.
4. Researching Material Pricing & Securing Early Orders
Here’s a factor that often catches homeowners off guard: material availability and pricing fluctuations.
Certain premium composite and PVC decking products can have longer lead times, especially as demand ramps up in spring. If everyone’s ordering TimberTech or Trex in April, you might be waiting weeks—or paying more—for materials to arrive.
Winter offers more pricing stability. Demand is lower, supply chains are steadier, and you can often get more accurate quotes without the volatility that comes with peak season. If you’re working with a contractor, locking in material orders early can sometimes mean better pricing or guaranteed availability for your preferred products.
Even if you’re not ready to pull the trigger on a full order, getting real quotes now—rather than rough estimates—lets you budget accurately. You’ll know what your project actually costs, not what you hope it might cost. That clarity is invaluable when you’re planning a significant home improvement investment.
Talk to our team at Johnson Lumber about lead times for the materials you’re considering. If your dream deck requires a specific product with a six-week lead time, ordering in January or February means your materials arrive right when you need them, not three weeks after you’d hoped to start building.
Ready to Plan Your Spring Deck Project?
Winter might not be deck-building weather, but it’s absolutely deck-planning weather. By making these four decisions now—materials, layout, permits, and pricing—you’ll be miles ahead when spring arrives and contractors’ schedules start filling up.
Stop by our lumber yards in Edgewater or Millersville to explore material samples, discuss your design ideas, and get expert advice from our team. We’ve been helping Maryland homeowners bring their outdoor living spaces to life since 1921, and we’d love to help you plan the deck you’ve been dreaming about.
Let’s make this the year you finally get that deck built, starting with smart decisions made in January.
