Building A Deck

There’s nothing more satisfying than building a deck that adds to your living space and can actually add to the resale value of your home, but it’s important to keep in mind that any remodeling or renovations that you do to the place need to be done properly so that they will last and not run afoul of any of the regulations or bylaws that you must follow in any given municipality. One of the first things that you’ll need to so do sort through all the various kinds of building materials that are available. And to do this one of the first choices that you’ll need to make is in the selection of a wood that is protected against both decay and insect attack.

Traditionally the choice has been pressure treated wood since that material covers all the requirements. Once you’ve made that selection, you’ll be able to start with the actual building of the deck in stages and one of the first of these is the setting and cutting of the posts that will hold the entire structure up. These posts are the basis of your deck and as such they must be stable and there’s a lot of precise work that’s needed here to ensure that the posts are plumb and sturdy. The experts suggest that the easiest method for cutting posts to the right size is to wait until they’ve been anchored in the ground.

One of the initial steps involves checking the end of each post with a layout square. Only one of these ends needs to be square since you’re more than likely going to cut the other end to proper height later on. Remember that it’s important to have the post as straight as possible and longer than you’ll need so that you can cut the excess later on. The next step involves bracing the whole works so that none of it falls over.

You can accomplish that with 1x4 braces. To keep the whole thing in place, you’ll need to attach the braces to the post with some partially driven screws. You need to set a place too so that you can see the vials on a level. Then you’ll need to string the layout lines to make sure that everything is on the same level. The next step is to mark the posts with a cut line that you can use for later reference. This is the way that most professionals mark the post height. 

Remember that this is only a partial overview about how to do one small aspect of this large job. When building something as meticulous as a deck, it’s necessary to  enlist the help of the local pros at your home improvement center or at least the advice of a neighbor or friend who has done his work before.  

Return To Our Home and House Learning Library

Visit Our Home Inspection Supersite