Choquette has been building custom homes and decks for over two decades. Three years ago, he started working with the Evolution steel deck framing system from Fortress Building Products. “Framing with steel versus framing with pressure-treated wood has a lot of advantages,” said Choquette. “Steel doesn’t have the risk that lumber has of warping and rotting. Steel has longer spans, it’s a better-looking frame and we can put a warranty on it. Most importantly, we can ensure it’s going to be flat and straight, and it will stay that way over a long period of time.”
Choquette attended the first-ever National Master Class Expo hosted by Fortress Building Products in Dallas, Texas, in April of this year. This multi-day event was designed to immerse contractors in all aspects of working with steel deck framing; providing both hands-on training with the product as well as breakout sessions and expert Q&As focused on the sales side. According to Choquette, “Having the opportunity to get an education on the products and the other aspects of selling it, estimating it, taking off and building it was great. There’s a lot of value in spending time immersing myself in the community with other builders that are building with steel.” The National Master Class Expo was such a success that the Fortress® team decided to take the event “regional” and bring hands-on training to job sites across the U.S. and Canada to help contractors gain confidence in steel deck framing.
Fortress took the first regional Master Class Workshop to Toronto in late July, where they co-hosted an event with Michael Scott of Simcoe Decks. Over 40 contractors attended and had the opportunity to learn from industry leader Scott as he installed a steel deck frame and compatible steel stair system, railing, composite decking and porcelain tile to create a stunning living space designed to withstand the Canadian outdoors.
In late August, Choquette stepped up to co-host the second regional Master Class Workshop with Fortress near his stomping grounds in Cumberland, Rhode Island. Several other event sponsors were involved and helped make this real-time training event happen, including CAMO Fasteners, Eva-Last, Mascore Helical Piles and in-lite outdoor lighting. The projects on the docket for this backyard build? A steel framed deck to partially surround an above-ground pool and a second steel framed deck connected to the client’s home.
The main objective of the advanced training session was to show the Master Class Workshop participants that if they can frame a deck with wood, they can just as easily frame a deck with steel. The contractors had the opportunity to get their hands on the product and install the Evolution steel deck framing system alongside Choquette and his crew. No specialized tools required, the deck framing system includes an intuitive ledger and convenient joists lengths for an installation process that is very similar to the time-honored building material.
One of the key lessons of the day was learning how to install the steel deck stairs. Using a ready-to-assemble steel stair framing system helps simplify the installation process while sidelining deck safety concerns like poor stringer-to-deck connections and inconsistent rises and runs. The Evolution steel stair system from Fortress Building Products features fixed and adjustable stair brackets that can accommodate various rise and run options. Stringer and stair trays already include blocking every 10 inches on center for easy railing post attachment and stair tread attachment. Self-drilling screws ensure maximum strength and security at connections.
An industry influencer in his own right, Choquette documented the installation day and shared event photos and video with his social media followers (@ravinbuilders). His coverage of the Master Class Workshop included not only expert steel deck framing tips, but also hit on other aspects of his client’s backyard renovation, like the installation of the artistic porcelain tile inlay that was configured next to the pool.
Hitting on the success of his regional Master Class Workshop co-hosted with Fortress, Choquette said, “We were thrilled to have the chance to connect with a diverse group of skilled professionals at the event, all of whom share our passion for deck building. The atmosphere of collaboration and success was truly inspiring.”
