Old Rotting Deck Out, Custom Paver Patio In Madison WI

This one started with a rotting wood deck that had seen better days. Graying boards, deteriorating structure, dead lawn, overgrown beds - the kind of backyard that just sits there instead of getting used. The homeowner came to us wanting to replace the deck, but once we sat down and talked through what was actually possible, the vision got a whole lot bigger.

We tore everything out and started fresh. The old deck was gone. The overgrown garden beds were cleared and redesigned. The dead lawn was replaced with fresh sod. And the old shed came down to make room for a brand-new custom storage shed. Every piece of the backyard got attention - nothing was just patched or left behind.

The centerpiece of the whole project is the custom paver patio we built in its place. We're talking a large-format entertaining space with a contrasting border detail, built-in step lighting, a sleek black metal railing, and low-profile landscape lighting throughout. The patio connects seamlessly to a paver walkway that curves back toward the shed area, with a separate staircase stepping down from the yard - all tied together with crusher run gravel beds that keep the landscaping clean and low-maintenance.

What we love about this kind of project is that it required real planning. The grade change across the backyard meant we had to think carefully about how the steps, retaining elements, and patio surface all worked together. Get that wrong and nothing functions the way it should. Get it right and you end up with an outdoor space that feels intentional from every angle.

The difference between what this family had and what they have now is hard to overstate. A worn-out deck became a hardscape that can handle a full family gathering with room to spare. That's the kind of work we live for.