Plans and Blueprints
Do your homework.
Obtain a good blueprint plan for your deck, or read a couple of good books on the subject.
Be aware thatbuilding a deckany deckwill have you doing a fair amount of problem-solving.
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The more carefully you consider all your options and possibilities up front, the smoother your work will go.
This and many other possibilities should be considered up front to make for a smooth project.
And the list ofmaterialsis impressive as well.
Many locales also require tension fasteners to be installed between the deck and the house structure.
For the non-carpenter, removing your houses siding is a pretty scary proposition.
There is, however, an alternative method: the freestanding deck.
That means extra digging for you and additional concrete work.
But for the sake of your peace of mind, this alternative may be worth the extra work.
Using stakes and string, outline the shape of the deck on the building site.
Using a shovel, remove any grass or weeds from this measured area to form your working space.
But for now, your main concern is to furnish yourself with as level a working space as possible.
This will be important later in the project when you dig holes for footings or concrete piers.
Carefully mark out where the ledger board will attach to your house.
This ledger will support and anchor the side of the deck that is adjacent to the house.
Consult your deck plans when outlining the position of the ledger board on the house.
Now mark out the location for the footing posts on the building site.
The general procedure goes like this: Remove the siding where the header board must go.
Tuck flashing up under the piece of siding that remains above this area.
This flashing will prevent water from getting behind the framing.
The ledger board is then attached over the metal flashing with bolts or lag screws.
check that to seal behind the ledger with caulk to further ensure no moisture can enter.
The wooden posts are then attached to these anchors after the concrete dries.
These beams will provide support for the joists soon to follow.
There are many different configurations for posts and beams, so carefully follow your deck plans at this point.
Note that all metal connectors and fasteners must be made with corrosion-resistant fasteners and metal connectors.
verify to buy screws, nails, and other hardware designed to withstand the chemicals.
Another option here will be synthetic decking boards, which are notable for their long life.
Whatever method you choose, verify to leave a uniform gap between decking boards.
This ensures that debris will not get trapped between boards.
Final Steps
For many decks,building stairwaysandrailingswill be the next step.
Most decks other than ground-hugging platform decks will be required by building codes to have stairways and railings.
This is dependent on the pop in, quality, and amount of material you will need.
However, the construction of a deck frame should take about two weeks.
