Q&A with Honeybear Lane’s Heidi Ferguson: Basement Patio Deck Build

Utah-based DIY and décor blogger Heidi Ferguson launched her blog, Honeybear Lane, from an Etsy shop in 2009, and has been on a quest to teach women how to decorate, DIY and design a home they love ever since. 

She and her husband recently splurged on a hot tub for the space outside their walkout basement, and wanting to use this new outdoor space year-round, decided to install a deck drainage system to protect the lower-level space from the elements and extend the overall life of their deck. It didn’t take much research for the couple to realize that Trex® RainEscape® was the best under-deck drainage system for the job.

We checked in with Heidi following the completion of the project to learn more about their decision to use Trex RainEscape and their experience with the DIY installation. 

Why did you choose Trex RainEscape?

My husband took the lead on this project and it was clear that Trex RainEscape was the best system to use. It provides everything you need and makes installation very straightforward.

What would you say are the greatest benefits of the Trex RainEscape system?

One of the biggest benefits is that we could install it ourselves to save money and get it done, as deck contractors in our area are very busy and nearly impossible to get an appointment with these days. 

Describe your experience installing Trex RainEscape materials. Did you find the installation process easy or challenging?

Installing Trex RainEscape was a bit of a challenge at first, only because we were working on a pre-existing deck and had to take all of the deck boards and railing off before we could install the system.

Initially, we tried removing a few boards at a time, but ultimately ended up removing all the boards at once. Once we figured that out, the rest was simple and we completed the project in no time.  

Any tips or advice for homeowners that may be considering installing a deck drainage system? 

My best advice for homeowners thinking about a deck drainage system would be to have it installed when the deck is brand new. But if you don’t have that option, I would say just do it sooner rather than later. The sooner you do it, the more time you will have to enjoy the space under your deck, and the longer your deck joists will last.