Carpentry
Building a high-quality fence requires a blend of precise engineering and aesthetic design. Whether the goal is security, privacy, or defining a boundary, the process follows a core architectural workflow tailored to the specific materials and terrain.
Blacksmoke Contracting builds custom fences, privacy screens, pavilions, pergolas, decks and planter boxes for homeowners in Halton Hills, Burlington, Oakville and the surrounding area, cut and finished on site.
Timber work, cut and finished on site.
Fences and privacy screens
Board-on-board and privacy fences, screens that hide a hot tub or air conditioner, and gates hung to swing true for years.
Pavilions and pergolas
Timber-frame pavilions and pergolas with heavy posts, braced corners and finished ceilings, built to shade a patio or outdoor kitchen.
Decks
Ground-level and raised decks framed to suit the site, with the stairs, railings and skirting that finish them properly.
Planter boxes and raised beds
Cedar and timber planters and raised garden beds, sized to the space and built to hold soil and water without bowing.
Measured, framed and finished by the same crew.
Carpentry outside the house has to deal with frost, sun and water every day, so most of the work goes into what holds it up and keeps it straight.
Walkthrough
We look at the site, the grade, the property lines and how the structure will be used, and talk through style and materials.
Design and quote
You get a clear layout, the lumber and hardware we plan to use, and one itemised price.
Posts and footings
Post locations are laid out and set below frost depth so the structure does not heave through the winter.
Framing and finish
Framing is built square and level, then boards, rails, caps and trim are cut and fitted on site.
Handover
We walk the finished work with you, clean up, and explain how to care for the wood, including when to seal or stain it.
Choosing the right wood for the job.
Pressure-treated lumber
The most economical choice and the standard for posts and structural framing, because it is treated to resist rot where it meets the ground. It can be stained once it has dried out.
Cedar
Naturally resistant to rot and insects, lighter in weight and more stable than most softwoods, with a warm colour. It costs more than pressure-treated lumber and weathers to grey unless it is sealed.
Composite decking
Low maintenance with no staining, and it does not splinter. It costs more up front and still sits on a wood frame, so the framing underneath has to be built just as carefully.
Heavy timber
Large-section posts and beams give pavilions and pergolas their solid, finished look and span wider openings, and they need careful joinery and bracing to stay square.
What moves the number on a carpentry quote.
Every carpentry quote is itemised after we see the site. The main things that change it are the size and height of the structure, the lumber (pressure-treated, cedar, composite or heavy timber), the number of posts and footings and how hard the ground is to dig, access to the backyard, and finishing details such as railings, stairs, lattice, lighting or a finished ceiling.
Permits can also change the scope. We tell you at the walkthrough if a deck or structure will need one.
Recent carpentry work.
Carpentry across Halton, close to home.
Home base: Georgetown, Acton and Glen Williams
Most of our timber work is here at home. Rural and escarpment lots bring long property lines, uneven ground and exposure to wind, so fence and pavilion posts are set deep and braced for it.
Sloped yards and privacy between neighbours
On Burlington's sloped lots a fence or deck often has to step with the grade. In established neighbourhoods the most common requests are privacy screens and fence replacements along a shared line.
Mature trees and finished yards
Oakville's mature trees shape where posts and footings can go, and the town's tree by-law protects larger private trees. We plan post locations around root zones and check before digging near one.
Also serving: Georgetown, Acton, Glen Williams and Guelph.
Carpentry questions we hear most.
Is it cheaper to build a pergola or buy one?
A pre-made kit usually costs less to buy, but kits come in fixed sizes, often use lighter lumber, and still need to be assembled and anchored properly. A custom-built pergola costs more and is sized to your patio, uses heavier timber, and is set on footings built for our winters.
Do I have to pay for half of my neighbour's fence in Ontario?
Not automatically. Most neighbours agree on sharing the cost of a boundary fence between themselves. If they cannot agree, Ontario's Line Fences Act lets either owner ask the municipality to send fence-viewers, who decide how the cost is shared. It is worth having the agreement in writing before the fence goes up.
How much does it cost for someone to build a pergola?
It depends on the size, the lumber, how the posts are anchored, and the details you want, such as a solid roof, lighting or a finished ceiling. We give one itemised price after seeing the space.
Ready to plan your fence, deck or pavilion?
Call Blake at 905 703 1891 or send a few details through the quote form. We work across Halton Hills, Georgetown, Burlington, Oakville and Guelph.