Custom Cable Rail Deck Built Into the Tree Line in Lake Lure

Building a deck in a wooded setting like this one in Lake Lure, NC is a completely different challenge than a standard backyard build. The trees don't move for you. The terrain doesn't cooperate. And if the design isn't right, you end up with a deck that feels like it's fighting the landscape instead of working with it. That's exactly the kind of problem we love solving.

For this one, we designed the deck to sit right in the tree line - working around the existing trees rather than removing them. You can see the custom-cut hexagonal trim collars fitted around the trunks where the decking meets the trees. That kind of detail takes real carpentry skill to pull off cleanly. It's the difference between a deck that looks like it belongs and one that looks like an afterthought.

We used Deckorators composite decking, railing, and lighting throughout the entire build. The cable rail was a deliberate choice - horizontal cable keeps sightlines wide open so the wooded surroundings stay front and center. Traditional balusters would have broken up the view. The cut-in deck lighting sits flush with the surface and makes the whole space just as usable after dark as it is during the day. No clunky post-cap lights, nothing that interrupts the clean look.

The stair system leading down to ground level was built on the same slope the rest of the deck had to deal with - uneven, rocky terrain with not much flat ground to work with. Concrete pad footings at the base, matching composite treads and risers, and the same black cable rail system carried all the way down. Everything consistent, nothing mismatched. That kind of cohesion from the deck surface down to the last stair tread is something we're pretty deliberate about on every outdoor living build we do.

This is the type of outdoor space that actually gets used. It's not just a platform tacked onto the back of a house - it's a destination. If you've got a wooded or sloped lot and you've been wondering whether a deck like this is even possible, the answer is almost always yes. It just takes the right approach from the start.