6), nailing it securely to each joist with galvanized 16d nails, three nails per 2x6, four per 2x8, five per 2x10, etc. Building the deck close to the ground helps keeps the “wobble” out of the completed structure. And year after year it serves you well, virtually maintenance-free, a good investment for your home. This list includes everything you will need to build a raised deck. As you near the end, you can adjust the deck spacing so you end up with a … Leave a 1/8-in. You can even chat with neighbors who have built similar structures and understand … Thanks to an uphill slope at the rear of the house, the deck surface was only 5 feet high next to the house but closer to 3-1/2 feet on the far end. Before you break ground and start laying the foundation for a deck you’ll enjoy for years to come, weigh the various factors involved in building your deck and how it can impact your options. The result is a shabby deck. Deck Board Spacer: It’s easy to space deck boards evenly. The most damaging weapon nature uses to attack your deck is virtually invisible — rot-causing fungus. You don’t have to treat the entire deck, only the vulnerable areas (Fig. Each free deck plan will tell you which materials, supplies, and tools you'll need to collect as well as cutting instructions. An above-ground deck works especially well for those living in elevated homes that are closer to sea level or in a flood zone, as well as for homes that have a backyard with a steep incline. As a rule of thumb. Finally, give yourself plenty of time to complete the dock. Generally, steel connectors, available from lumberyards and home centers, are the strongest. Attach a 2-by-8-inch ledger board perpendicular to the house. Fortunately, the path from the deck of your imagination to a real one isn’t hard, because there’s nothing complicated about building a quality deck. It’s time to lay the decking. They’re also much harder to replace should rot occur. long to completely penetrate the rim joist. Use string to outline the raised deck footings. Even in this example, you could reduce the beam size from two 2x10s in Fig. Building An Elevated Deck: Step-By-Step Step 1: Design Your Raised Deck. Keep it at your side as you plan, design, and complete your own. Good quality treated lumber will contain no more than a trace of heartwood, the darker center of a tree. Harsh weathering can crack the wood and weaken its joints. You can choose a stair design that goes straight to the ground or that turns at 90 degrees, depending on what works best for your own backyard and home structure. (If you’re working more than a few feet off the ground, lifting a heavy beam can be dangerous. This is important for stability, but even more so in colder areas where you need to check how deep your soil will freeze during winter months. The concrete should extend 6 in. Avoid Saturdays, when they're likely to be most busy. Again, always confirm your joist size with your building inspector. The maximum permitted opening in the guardrail varies from 4 in. You might need: To prepare and square the site. Also reject wood with chemical residue on its surface; you should see what looks like an even coat of green or brown stain. Pressure treatment is a process that forces chemicals that are toxic to fungus (termites, too) virtually throughout the wood fiber of your lumber. Building a deck frame is satisfying work and tolerant of minor errors — perfect for the determined DIYer. How far will you have to wheelbarrow the load? Be sure to take that into account when doing your measurements. Deck surfaces exposed to direct sun and rain take a terrific beating. It lasts the longest too. You can also look to several free apps and online programs to help you design your deck according to your exact specifications and ideas you have in mind. And it needs to be accurate. Both spread the deck weight over the entire end of the post, and so stress the wood fibers least. In reality, these beams are simply too heavy to handle. In these kinds of page, we likewise have variety of images available. To solve the problem caused by wetting/drying cycles. A named steel cap (A) is strongest. Remember, you can always add another beam to support the joists mid-span if you need to. D), especially joints where moisture sinks in and dries out slowly. At some home supply stores, staff will even design an elevated deck for you if you buy your supplies from them. Some of the items are necessary for more than one stage of the project, so do check the steps thoroughly for the tools and equipment needed. Four footings are common for a typical deck. Foot of wood is used Step-By-Step step 1: design your raised deck will feel firmer if you space posts. 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