Home Improvement

Have you ever considered adding a deck to your home? Decks can hold all kinds of items including a grill, furniture and perhaps a Jacuzzi if it’s big enough. If a deck appeals to you, then you just need to follow several easy steps.

Consider first where you want to build your deck. It’s best to place the deck where there is an outside door. Where you want your deck build should be clear of debris and flat.

Determine your deck’s perimeter. How do you do this? Measure about a foot and half beyond the deck’s outer edge. Make sure the batter boards are hammered to the ground. Have strings on each ledger’s end. You need to make sure the strings stay tight. Connect these to the batter boards. Make sure a third string runs links the batter boards. This launches your deck’s outer edge. Measure them. If they aren’t equal, do some adjusting with the ledger strings until it is equal.

Make sure once more that there is no debris in the deck area. After you’ve made sure, fasten a ledger to the deck so you can establish its floor level. Be sure it’s secured with bolts as you fastening to the wood. Use aluminum flashing underneath the siding so water won’t be able to get behind the boards. As you get the flash under, bend it down over and in front of the ledger.

This next step goes easier with two people. Create holes for the footings…at least three feet deep. A post digger works best. Although dirt and gravel does work, concrete is usually best. One person should keep a hold of the post while the other person pours in the concrete.

Once this is complete, attach beams to it. Where these beams are placed will be determined by how high your deck is going to be. Mark the posts and attach them to the beams. When this is done, add joists. Joists will be on two-foot centers, attached to beams and ribbon joists.

Now it’s time to install the deck board. You’ll need zinc coated 16-penny nails. Using a spacer, separate the boards. Each board should be set on the joists and nailed into place. Should any board have an overhang, trim it or add a fascia board.

You may think you are complete but you need another crucial item on your deck… your railing. Install the rail post and space them as far as apart or as close as you want. You can easily add it by following directions.

Now you need steps to get to from your deck to the ground and vice versa. Remember if you don’t want steep steps, them start the steps further from the house. However, if this isn’t an issue, then you don’t have to worry with starting them out too far. Course, you’ll need to measure the height from the deck to the ground.

As long as you plan ahead and follow these eight easy steps, your deck can last you for quite some time.