Composite & PVC Decks in Raymond, Maine

Census estimates put Raymond at about 3,050 housing units with a median year built of 1976. About 15 percent predate 1940 and roughly 31 percent predate 1960, while another 23 percent went up between 1960 and 1979 and about 22 percent date from 2000 or later. Around 94 percent are single-family detached houses, and roughly 90 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied. The standout figure is seasonal use: about 1,010 units are held for seasonal or recreational occupancy, and the town comprehensive plan puts seasonal homes at over a third of the stock. That plan also notes the summer camps, cottages and lodges built along the lakes in the early and mid 20th century, older farmhouses at rural crossroads, and a wave of summer residents who began making Raymond their permanent home in the 1950s, which is why so many camps have been winterized and enlarged.

Permits run through the Raymond Code Enforcement Office at the town office on Webbs Mills Road, which uses an online permitting system and books meetings by appointment. The town building code page lists building a deck as work that needs a permit, and says residing, reroofing and same-size window replacement do not, as long as no structure or required egress is changed. Allow about 48 hours for processing. Raymond enforces the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code, including the 2021 IRC. Work within 100 feet of the high water mark should start with a call to the Code Enforcement Officer, since shoreland rules, and sometimes a state DEP permit, apply.

Raymond is inland lake country, not coast, so salt spray is not the issue. Snow and cold are. The National Weather Service forecast office sits in neighboring Gray, and its 1991-2020 normals show about 84 inches of snow a year, well above the roughly 69 inches recorded at the Portland Jetport. Much of that arrives from December through March, with repeated thaws and refreezes in between. Houses on the shore of Sebago Lake take the wind that builds across miles of open water, and because Sebago does not reliably freeze over, that open water stays exposed deep into winter. Wooded lots elsewhere in town stay damp and shaded, so north walls, roof valleys and deck boards are slow to dry after rain or melt.

Composite and PVC decking do not need staining, do not splinter, and resist rot, which is why they have become the default for new decks in Maine. Composite boards blend wood fiber and plastic under a protective cap; PVC boards are all synthetic and lighter. The North Deering farmhouse on this site got a rebuilt deck with AZEK composite decking. The framing underneath is still wood, so it is built to last as long as the boards on top.

• Layout, size and board color are chosen with the owner at the estimate visit.
• Footings and framing are built to code, with joist spacing that suits the board manufacturer's span rules.
• Joist tape or flashing protects the tops of joists and the ledger.
• Boards go down with hidden fasteners or color-matched screws and the expansion gaps the product requires.
• Matching railings, stair treads, fascia and landings finish the deck.

• You are done staining and sealing a wood deck every year or two
• The deck is in shade or near water where wood stays damp
• You want a deck that stays barefoot-friendly with no splinters

• Composite versus PVC, and the product line
• Deck size, height and shape
• Railing system and stairs
• Hidden-fastener versus face-screw installation
• Footing and framing conditions

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 composite and PVC decks overview.

For a deeper walkthrough of materials, code details and photos, see our full Composite & PVC Decks: What Changes From Pressure-Treated Lumber guide.

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