Deck Building in Cumberland, Maine

Deck plans in Cumberland start with the lot. Cluster subdivisions in West Cumberland often back onto shared open space, older lots in Cumberland Center are smaller and closer together, and Foreside properties can overlook the bay. Every building permit application asks for a plot plan showing the proposed structure and its distance to property lines, so setbacks shape the deck before any design choices do.

Properties within the Shoreland Overlay District, generally 250 feet from saltwater, rivers or wetlands on the zoning map, need a Shoreland Zoning Permit along with the building permit, and the town's shoreland application specifically asks for decks and porches with accurate setbacks from the shoreline. Structurally, footings must go below frost depth to prevent heaving, the ledger must be bolted and flashed to the house, and guards and stairs must meet the 2021 residential code. Cardinal Exteriors builds only new decks and full deck replacements, not repairs or staining, using composite, PVC, pressure-treated lumber or cedar, with railings, stairs and landings designed for the house and the yard.

Census estimates for 2020 to 2024 put Cumberland at about 3,300 housing units, with a median year built of 1984. About 15 percent predate 1940, roughly 24 percent were built between 1960 and 1979, about 26 percent in the 1980s and 1990s, and about 29 percent in 2000 or later. Around 91 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied, and about 82 percent of units are single-family detached houses; only about 60 are held for seasonal use. The town's 2025 draft comprehensive plan counts 27 houses built before 1800 and another 190 built during the 1800s, about 7 percent of the stock. Most recent building has come as conservation or cluster subdivisions, such as the 72 homes of Mineral Springs in West Cumberland, plus condominiums and apartments near Route 1.

The Cumberland Code Enforcement Office handles building permits and inspections, which it schedules Monday through Thursday, and applications can be sent by email. Construction must meet the 2021 International Residential Code, the 2021 International Building Code and the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code under the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code. The Shoreland Overlay District generally reaches 250 feet from rivers, streams, saltwater and associated wetlands, and 75 feet from certain streams; any building permit there needs a Shoreland Zoning Permit first or alongside it. The town has no historic preservation ordinance, though the draft comprehensive plan asks the council to consider one.

Cumberland has no official weather station; the long-term record for the area comes from Portland International Jetport, where 1991 to 2020 normals put average snowfall at about 69 inches a year and February lows around 17 degrees. The town rises from sea level on the Foreside to about 184 feet at Cumberland Center, so the inland villages see similar snow but little salt. Houses on the Foreside, between Route 1 and the bay, take wind and salt spray from northeast storms, and the draft comprehensive plan lists storm surge and rising seas as coastal concerns. Inland, freeze and thaw cycles and shade from woods do most of the damage to roofs and wood.

A new deck starts below ground. Footings have to reach below the frost line so the deck does not heave, the ledger that ties the deck to the house has to be flashed so it never rots the rim, and the framing has to carry snow as well as people. On top of that structure goes the part you see: composite and PVC boards, pressure-treated lumber or cedar, with railings, stairs and landings. Cardinal Exteriors builds new decks and full replacements only; it does not take on deck repairs or staining.

• An owner visits, looks at the yard and the house, and talks through size, layout, stairs and material.
• Permits are pulled where the town requires them.
• Footings are dug or set below frost; posts, beams and joists are framed to span and load.
• The ledger is flashed and fastened with structural fasteners, or the deck is built freestanding.
• Decking, railings, stairs and landings go on, with hidden or face fasteners to suit the boards.

• You want outdoor living space where there is none
• An existing deck is too small or poorly laid out for how you use it
• A new door, addition or view calls for a deck to reach it

• Deck size, height and shape
• Decking material: composite, PVC, pressure-treated or cedar
• Railing style and stair runs
• Footing type and site conditions: ledge, slope, access
• Permits and any shoreland or setback requirements

Every job is priced from a free on-site visit. Typical ranges for the trade are on our deck building page, and the details of this service are on the new deck building overview.

Back to the Cumberland exterior services overview, or see every town on our Cumberland County service areas page.