Building a deck can be challenging without the proper knowledge and tools. If you take your time and study up on instructional books and videos than in truth it can be pretty easy. I don’t want to mislead you though. It will take time and it will take work, but in the end it will greatly add to your backyard and extend the living space of your home.
Is your backyard big enough? That is the key point right there. If you don’t have the room than you certainly cannot build a deck. It’s as simple as that. If your backyard has the space than think about how much of that you want covered by the deck. The most common place to build a deck is right outside the main door to the backyard, and then have the deck be a transition area to the backyard itself. Other people rather like the idea of having an extension to a bedroom for a more private experience.
The level of the terrain, and the position of the house will determine what type of deck you should build. A sloping terrain will require a different structural setup to accommodate the increasing height as you move away from the house. Is your house a two story house? Do you want to build a deck up to the second story, or keep it on the first story? The simplest deck you can build is a low flat deck on flat ground coming out of the first story.
Most decks are made of wood and if that is also your choice you’ll want to consider a few things. Not all wood is the same. Some are more rot and wear resistant than others; they have a built in natural decay resistance. Not all lumber from the mill is the same either. The best kind to choose for a deck will be pressure treated or decay resistant wood especially if it sits within six inches of the ground or will have contact with concrete. Use wood that is as defect free as possible. Defects in wood represent structural weakness and may cause problems over time. Look for imperfections such as knots, splits, cracks, holes, and make sure the lumber is as straight as possible.
If choosing lumber is beyond you, than other materials are available. Wood-plastic composites and various metals are made in forms for deck construction. These materials are superior to wood that since they are man made materials they do not decay or rot like wood is prone to do being a natural material. They can be more durable as well. The look and feel will be different than wood so you have to choose what you prefer. In some cases of extreme weather these man made materials might be your best, and even your only choice if you want a deck.
Books and instructional videos abound on the topic of backyard renovation and deck building, or just construction projects in general. This is the best place to start if you plan on building the deck yourself. Look, listen, and learn and take notes of key points. Building a deck can be easy because all the elements either lay horizontal or vertical, but make no mistake it will take a lot of precision in layout, spacing, making sure things are straight and balanced, and all that. This is where the knowledge from those books and videos comes in handy. If all else fails, and you have money to spend, you can hire a contractor to do it for you.
The Deck Guys treats their customers like family. We tailor every aspect of the deck-building experience to your individual needs because we want you to love your new outdoor space.
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