Sustainable Glass Deck on Lake Minnewashta
This sustainable, biophilic-designed deck remodel features glass railings, thermally treated Arbor decking, an outdoor shower, sauna, and a lower-level feature wall with a cherry arch, and water-themed wallpaper and radiant heat panels in the ceiling.
Lead Carpenter Ivan Sass, Chris Gilbertson
Carpenter Tyler Seamons, Dan Johnson
A biophilic design story
Summary Glass railing design gives unobstructed view
We’ve done several projects on Lake Minneswashta in Chanhassen lately and all have pushed the boundaries a bit in design and construction methods. We love that! The short video below summarizes the highlights.
This particular project was divided into an interior lower-level wall and an exterior deck/shower remodel to accommodate a sauna to be added later. The homeowners were very focused on the sustainability of the materials we used and the aesthetically functional aspects of the design.
Video highlights of both interior and exterior aspects of this Chanhassen remodel.
EXISTING CONDITIONS BEFORE THE REMODEL
BEFORE
DECK AND LOWER-LEVEL REMODEL IN CHANHASSEN ILLUSTRATED
AFTER
They specified a Minnesota producer of Arbor wood, a thermally modified wood, that has a host of sustainable characteristics and is utterly beautiful. Next, they made it clear, no pun intended, that they wanted their view from the deck of Lake Minneswashta to be unobstructed, so it had to be glass—all of it. No top railing or corner posts, just clear glass as far as the eye can see.
To that deck they specified an outdoor shower to augment the sauna. Just inside the lower level patio door was a accent wall that never looked right and didn’t really fit the decor they had been developing. Like most lower levels it was never very comfortable in the colder months, which is, well half the year in Minnesota.
AFTER: The homeowner added the sauna after we completed the deck and finished the Arbor wood (Ash) with CUTEK® Extreme, which is a high-performance, oil-based wood stabilizer with a unique self-healing effect. Penetrating deeply into wood, CUTEK® Extreme highlights the natural grain and beauty of wood while providing robust and long-lasting protection. CUTEK® Extreme will not flake or peel and maintenance is fast and simple – no need to sand or strip.
So we ripped out the ceiling and put in a radiant heat system. You might think that’s just for heated bathroom floors, but it actually works just as well in the ceiling to make any space comfortably warm.
Our biophilic design called for balancing the room with stone side columns, a custom stained archway, floating shelves and a highly functional cabinet bench for storage. The wave-patterned wallpaper paper was chosen to mirror the lake.
