How to build a wood deck

After finishing up your deck design plans and assembling the necessary apparatus and supplies, step one of construction will begin, which is preparing the site. This step is essential if you'll be constructing the deck over an area that is currently grass-covered. Once you get to know how large a rectangle you want the completed deck to occupy, quantify out this area and make marks on the ground to specify where the deck will lie. To make sure that your rectangle is true, measure crossways from corner to corner, both ways. Measure upper left to lower right, and upper right to lower left. These measurements should be equal. Remove any grass or weeds from the measured area using a shovel, to shape your working space. Afterwards, before closing off this working space with decking, apply mulch over this space to restrain weeds.

Materials for wood deck

Some of the supplies from the hardware store, you will need to build a deck are likely to include the following materials. Flashing, Caulking compound, Pre-mixed concrete, Gravel or crushed stone, Cinder blocks, Post caps, Post bases, Seismic ties, Joist hangers, Cardboard tube concrete forms, Rebar. If you want to use nails, use stainless steel or HDG nails. This can be either ring-shank nails or spiral-groove, for better holding power. But it would be preferable to use deck screws. Some of the other tools one might need for this deck project are follows. Shovel, Carpenter's level, Carpenter's square, Plumb bob, Wheelbarrow (for mixing concrete), Caulking gun, Drill, Wrench (to tighten lag screws), Hammer, Circular saw, Tape measure, Safety eyewear, Scrap lumber for bracing.

Final step

The final major step is wounding the decking boards themselves and screwing them to the tops of the joists. Totter the decking so that the seams don't all line up; the deck will not only be steadier structurally this way, but will also look superior. If your deck will be elevated off the ground, building codes dictate adding a railing. By the way, an accepted substitute now to wood decking is composite decking. However, amalgamated materials still aren't as strong as good old wood, so composite decking must be support by wooden elements.