From casual outdoor cookouts to get-togethers and more, decks serve a number of purposes for every occasion in the family and if attached to the house, it becomes the most functional area for the family members. The best enhancements a deck offers an is additional open-air space and of course it adds to the beauty of your home. Building your own deck that is properly attached to your house can be pretty laborious.

This article will provide you with enough help you need to build your deck properly.

These steps are only suggestions. Before building a deck consult a professional for safety procedures and local building codes.

Step #1

Before deck building it is important to check the drainage and grading of the area where the deck will be built and fix any problem that might exist. Insure the soil below the deck is not prone to erosion because the footings require a strong mounting point to prevent settling.

Step # 2

If you want to build a deck attached to your house, it must be build against a flat surface. Set the ledger alongside the house wall or other hard structure and fix with lag screws or through bolts. Do not use nails to attach you ledger. While setting your ledger you must make sure that your decking material is the proper thickness.

Step # 3

Install flashing between any wood and the house. Then mark the foundation, footing and post locations with string line. Be sure everything is square.

Step #4

Cast existing footings in the ground and then connect the beams on top to hold the posts and let footings cure for at least a week. Be sure to use post basses to connect the posts to footings.

Step #5

Cut the posts longer than the necessary and then set them in the post anchor on top of a pier. Also, make sure to check the post for the plumb, using a carpenter’s level and then mark the post with the same height as the bottom of the joists and cut the beam.

Step # 6

Follow the same procedure for all other posts.

Step #7

Add joist hangers, and then attach the joists in place. There are several types of joist hangers. Please consult a professional when choosing the proper joist hangers. Add any required blocking for stability.

Step #8

Set posts for benches, railings, and overheads then install any plumbing or wiring. Add stairs after that or wait until the decking is finished.

Step #9

Attach boards to the deck with nails or screws and add spacing between the boards, as required. Once the final board is set cut off any long ends to make it look better.

Step # 10

Apply any protective finishes.

Deck building can be a great task if you are good with hammers and nails and like to build things yourself. It can be a great headache if trying it out for the first time. If you want a proper deck attached to you home and are not confident about your own skills, the best way to get your work done is to hire deck building services from a professional deck manufacturer!