Construction of a Deck

 The first step in the construction of a deck is obviously, the gathering of materials. A vast amount of both supplies and tools go into the construction of a deck including such items as: cinder blocks, joist hangers, nails or screws, a carpenter’s level, a drill, hammer and circular saw, as well as a load of other objects.

Before building one should check with local zoning regulations as they can sometimes be very constrictive. Measuring of the lot must then take place. This involves making marks on the ground to outline the position of the rectangular deck and measuring diagonally both ways to make certain that it is a true rectangle.

After removing any grass or weeds from the building site, make sure the ground is as level as possible. The freestanding deck structure must be supported on all sides by piers. With the house end already secured by piers and before digging holes for the remaining piers, nail the two outermost joists to the header board and use temporary braces to support them. Measure the distances down the joists, from the header to the preferred locations of the piers and mark them. Once marked, spawn the width of the deck with pieces of string and using a plumb bob, mark the spots. Now dig holes below the frost line and with a small pre-constructed, square-shaped wooden form pour concrete to create the footing. On top of the dried footing, make a concrete pier using cardboard forms available at the hardware store. Then, before the concrete has cured, place a post base on top. It should be a few inches above ground level.

The most difficult step in the building process is making sure both ends are the same height. To overcome any problems use cinder blocks to temporarily replace the posts and place around with them, checking the levelness. Take note of the height from pier to the top of the cinder block. Opposite the header board is the girder, which supports the joists.

The height of the posts will now be the height of the cinder blocks minus the height of the joists and the height of the girder.  Now using post caps bring together the girder to the posts and place this assembly into the concrete piers. The outermost joists and the top of the girder should meet agreeably. The hard part is then over. All that is left to do is mount the other joists to the girders, capping them with a face board and cutting and screwing down the decking boards. Railing is an additional feature and it is also governed by building codes.

Home I Patio Furniture I Deck Plans I Decks I Patio Covers I¨Patio Doors I Links I Sitemap