Gitt Construction Inc., an Omaha-based construction company that was inducted in 2017 as a “Big50” remodeler by REMODELING magazine, is a DekTek PRO Dealer. They showcase DekTek Tile at their location and are always looking for the right projects and applications for the product. When we heard that Mike Gitt, owner of Gitt Construction, had recently completed a DekTek project using a unique method, we had to hear the story. 

For Mike, offering DekTek Tiles is about setting his company apart.  “I wanted to set a different bar and standard for what we do in the Omaha marketplace,” Mike said.

“I feel like DekTek Tile is the same price as some of the composite stuff,” Mike said, “but you get a different look than what you can get with composite—more elegant, more clean, more durable.”

Gitt Construction was working on a 14’-by-14’ DekTek Tile deck for a new home that was about to go on the market. Mike used a new application called Silca System, which he feels may be faster than DekTek’s sister-joist method. “On that first day,” Mike said, “we framed the deck in, installed the Silca System within an hour, and then we started laying the DekTek Tiles. The next day we had the whole floor finished. I just think the simplicity of it is a no-brainer for me.”

Mike and his team framed the concrete tile deck and used a protective coating product on the joists called G-Tape, which helps to provide more longevity in the joists. He then screwed the Silca System into the joists. Using the Silca System, they didn’t have to use any sister joists. Mike said that while some of the tiles are subject to a tiny bit of rocking because they are not glued down when using the Silca System, he felt it wasn’t really noticeable.

The house has since sold and, according to Mike: “The new homeowners love the deck. That’s what sold them on the house, I think—the DekTek Tile product and the railing that we did—I think that’s what sold them, which is a bonus on our end.”

Ultimately, Mike believes that using the Silca System with DekTek Tile is the right decking/framing option when you factor time and labor costs, as well as material cost. The Silca System cost his team around $5.50 per square foot, but they got to skip the time and labor involved with the sister joist method. And, expense-wise, it’s comparable to composite. “By the time you get the Silca material and the DekTek Tile,” Mike said, “it’s kind of a wash from what you spend on composite and what you spend on clips and labor to do everything. I think it’s probably comparable in price.”

Also, other than applying a quick roll-on sealant every few years, DekTek’s concrete decking is a maintenance-free product.

We love hearing about successful projects from our DekTek PROs, DekTek Dealers, and contractors who install our beautiful deck tiles. We’re proud to have Gitt Construction as one of our DekTek PRO Dealers and we’re honored to be one of the decking solutions that they’re offering and installing in the Omaha, NE area. Thanks go to Mike and his team for sharing this new method with us!

Check out Gitt Construction Inc.—they’re a “Big50” remodeler, awarded in 2017 by REMODELING magazine. Also, feel free to check out the DekTek Tile website, dektektile.com, to learn more about our concrete decking and the different methods you can use when installing DekTek Tile on various applications.