Upstate House

Dreamy summer days hosting backyard barbecues, chillin’ by the pool, or making s’mores by the fire pit with family and friends is the ultimate. Your own backyard affords you a daily escape to unwind, relax, enjoy, and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Dreaming of upgrading your deck, patio, or adding an outdoor grilling station? Williams Lumber & Home Centers can guide you through each project so you can create an outdoor retreat that you will be proud of for years to come.

With seven locations, including two kitchen and bath showrooms in Pleasant Valley and Rhinebeck, Williams has been a go-to source for home improvement in the Hudson Valley since 1946.

Much More Than a Deck

Adding or expanding a deck to your home is an investment in time and money. Kim Williams, Senior VP of Williams Lumber & Home Centers, recommends building with USA-made Trex.

Trex is an eco-friendly composite decking that is an innovative blend of 95 percent reclaimed wood and plastic film. It’s beautiful, durable, and sustainable. Unlike wood, Trex decking resists fading, scratches, and almost anything Mother Nature has to offer. Unlike real wood, Trex requires no sanding, staining, or painting, and it’s splinter-free. Clean up is a breeze with simple soap and water.

Nothing says summer like the opportunity to enjoy your own backyard to the fullest. Whether it’s finally building that deck you’ve always wanted, getting creative with your hardscaping using pavers and wall systems, or upgrading to a fancy new grill for your poolside bash, Williams Lumber & Home Centers can guide you through creating an outdoor retreat that you’ll be proud of for years to come.

“So often people think that composite decking is out of their price range,” Williams says. “While the upfront price of pressure-treated lumber can be lower, an investment in composite decking, like Trex, breaks even after a few years, because it saves you the time, labor, and money you would otherwise spend over the years maintaining a wood deck.”

Trex offers peace of mind with 25-year limited residential fade and stain warranties. Its deck starter tool, deck design tool, and cost calculator assist you in the decision-making process. Besides decking, Trex offers railings, outdoor lighting, furniture, pergolas, and much more.

Make Your Outdoor Dreams Come True

Cambridge Hardscapes and Outdoor Living Products can be a terrific way to expand your backyard and create a “resort-like” feeling that you will never want to leave.

Cambridge pavers and wall systems can be installed around a pool area or to create a patio, driveway, steps, stairs, or retaining walls. Cambridge offers prepackaged kits for fire pits and fireplaces, outdoor grilling areas and kitchens, pizza ovens, and wet bars. Williams states, “The possibilities are endless.” Most importantly, you don’t have to accomplish everything at once. That is the beauty of hardscapes. Each year you can expand your project to accommodate your needs and achieve your ultimate paradise.

Williams likes Cambridge with ArmorTec because they are 100 percent natural and sustainable. Cambridge interlocking pavement systems with ArmorTec and wall systems are Earth-friendly, recyclable, and provide many environmental, social, and economic benefits. In addition, Cambridge offers a fully transferable limited lifetime warranty.

Upgrade Your Grilling Game

Investing in a high-quality, easy-to-use grilling or smoking station for the summer is sure to keep your culinary flame burning.

For the charcoal enthusiast, Williams recommends going with a Weber original kettle grill, which comes in a range of snazzy colors to match any style. For the veteran grill master, go all-in with Weber’s Summit multi-burner gas grills. Williams says the Summit grills have enough bells and whistles to put your indoor range to shame. Weber Smart Gas Grill, which allows you to monitor and manage cook times and temperatures through your smartphone, makes cooking a breeze and allows you to enjoy more time with family and friends.

Want to explore the wide world of smokers? Williams recommends investing in one of the new styles catching on with backyard chefs. Electric pellet grills available from both Traeger and Weber burn wood pellets made of compressed sawdust from hardwoods like pecan, hickory, or cherry, adding delicious wood-fired flavor to anything you are cooking. In addition, don’t limit yourself to just smoking meat—these all-in-one options have the ability to grill, roast, braise, barbecue, and even bake!

If traditional smoking is more your speed, try a Japanese kamado-style smoker like those from Kamado Joe. These egg-shaped smokers are made of ceramic, which is known for evenly distributing heat and holding in moisture. This allows them to maintain a more consistent temperature that can sustain the low heat needed for smoking—but rest assured they are great for higher-heat charcoal grilling, too.

“You can never have too many grilling accessories,” Williams states. Quality tools like a chimney starter, tongs, and a basting brush for marinades, vegetable and fish baskets, and an instant-read thermometer will help you get the most out of your new grilling station.

Outside the world of grilling, an Ooni pizza oven is a necessary addition to your backyard. The Ooni is a portable pizza oven that offers a wood-fired flavor powered by gas or pellets for amazing pizza in just 60 seconds!

No matter what projects you choose to tackle this summer, make sure to take time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Intimate dinners on your new deck with family or friends or toasting marshmallows over the fire pit. It’s all about building lasting memories that you can pass on from generation to generation.