How to Build a Deck
Sep 14th, 2011 by admin
In this article I will show you exactly how to build a deck. Adding a deck to your property is a great thing to do, it can increase the value of your house and it also makes spending time in your garden much more enjoyable.
The first step in building a deck is choosing the right materials. Wood is obviously crucial. There are many good woods that you could use, but I found that cedar, redwood and pressure treated southern pine deliver the best results. These woods look amazing and they are also cope well with all kinds of weather. Different rules for the size of the beam, joists and other important elements apply for each type of wood.
As the next step you need to prepare the ground. This step will require you removing the sod from the place where dock is going to be placed and also sloping the ground to prevent water from accumulating under the deck. Furthermore, you should cover the ground below the deck that you’re building with a substance, such as black polyethylene in order to avoid growth of weed. This is the last step in the preparation phase, you can now start to build the structure of the deck.
I’m limited by the length of this post and therefore I can’t give you the full description of every step in the construction of a deck. However, building the structure of your deck will involve actions, such as mounting the ledger, pouring the concrete bobs and piers, and adding the posts to the piers once the concrete has set. After that you can add joists and beams. If you are building just a plain and simple deck with no stylish stairs or railings the last step in the construction phase will be to plank down the decking.
However, if you want to extend your simple deck with a railing you should start with the corners. This way you can make sure that spaces between the individual components of railing are all equal. The next step should be adding subrailings and cap rails. Decorative balusters should come at the end. Finally, you should now find an old rocking chair and grab a glass of lemonade and simply relax and enjoy your own deck. You’ve done a lot of hard work, you deserve it!
With access to the right tools and materials literally anyone can build a deck to improve their house. Firstly, you find the right design for your future deck. Then you should have a look at any local building rules that may apply to your project and make sure that you comply with the regulations. The next step is to actually build your own deck. Finally, you just sit in a comfortable chair on your own deck and enjoy the results of your hard work. Now get to work, sipping a glass of lemonade on your own deck is just few days away.
I hope that this article gave you some valuable information on how to build a deck. If you decided to build your own deck you will definitely need some good building plans and designs.
