Deck
Building a deck for your house is not as hard as it seems, it works if you have a passion for carpentry project and suitable tools. This project will help you on how you can build your own deck for your house. No matter what the design is, following the right steps is crucial to make a good deck. So, here are the basic steps on how to build your own for the house;
You will need:
- Lag screws
- galvanized nails
- bulb planters
- levels
- flashing
- benches
- concrete piers
- string line
- ledgers
- wooden posts
- joist hangers
Steps:
- First, make sure to check the grading and the drainage where the deck will be built and fix any problems before starting to build the deck.
- Do not disturb the soil where the footings will go as it needs to be set in undisturbed soil to prevent settling.
- Place the ledger against the house wall or other solid structure and attach with lag screws in a flat surface.
- If you remove the house siding, it will create a flat surface but also will create leaks so it is not recommended. Instead, crate a flat surface by using shims.
- You need to consider the decking material\’s height and thickness when setting your ledger.
- Your deck should be directly below the door jam of that room when finished if you prefer your deck to be leveled with an adjacent floor.
- Install the flashing between any wood and the house.
- If you have a stucco house, there will be no need for flashing. Mark the foundation with a string line, then mark the footing and post locations. For the concrete footings, cast the footings in the ground then attach the concrete piers on top to hold the posts.
- You can refer to building codes for depth of footings. Piers can be casted in place or pre-made. Leave the footings for at least a week.
- Cut a post longer than the required length. Set the post in the post anchor on top of a pier.
- Use a carpenter\’s level to check the post for plumb. Then use a line level or water level to mark the post so it is the same height as the bottom of the joists.
- Set the post in place and secure. Continue the same procedure for all other posts. Bolt or nail any beams in their right place then proceed by attaching any necessary bracing.
- Add the rim joists and check if they are square.
- Next, decide the decking pattern and the spacing of the deck boards. Start at one end of the ledger and mark the location of the first joist.
- Continue to mark along the ledger. Place the joist markings to a scrap piece of lumber and mark the beam opposite the ledger.
- Add joist hangers and fasten them in place. Set the joists so the crown or bowed side is facing up. For stability, ad any required blocking.
- Set posts for benches, railings and overheads in place. Then, install any wiring and plumbing.
- The railings should be installed through the deck. You can add the stairs at this time or until the decking is finished. For the deck substructure, add any protective finishes.
- Cut the decking boards to the correct length and then start laying them across the joists.
- Begin at the ledger and setting the convex side up if attractive. Use nails or screws to fasten the boards to the deck. Add spacing between the boards as needed.
- You can adjust the width of the final board as you need by either setting a slightly wider board in place or cutting it to make it less wide.
- Cut off any long ends once the final board is set. Add any railings that sit outside the deck and any stairways which were not added earlier.
- Apply protective finishing before adding amenities.
Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_9040_build-deck.html
Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mzaluska/262228316/
