How To Build A Deck
64I spent days surfing the net trying to find decent free information on how to build a deck. So much stuff out there is just plain rubbish. I submitted one set of plans to the local council and they pointed out that the plans would be great - if I wanted the first person to step on the deck to crash through the floor!!!
I checked out a bunch of bookstores and still could not find what I was after - I want to build a deck that fits my yard (I love water features and wanted to have one as part of my deck, I also wanted a deck that was a safe for my three year old!!). after days of searching I finally found three "cheap as chips" books which were just perfect to help me on my deck design and show me the in's and out's of how to build a deck!
To go and check out these life-saver books (There are just three - I got some others which are just rubbish!) just click on any of the links here.
It's so important to have a vision of what you want to achieve
Most people see deck building as a difficult task, but it doesn't have to be that way, deck building can actually be quite fun, and the best thing is, you get to build it exactly to your own deck design.
When planning to build a deck, there are a couple of things to keep in mind, first of all you have to think about safety, make sure you know how to use all of your tools, and always wear googles to protect your eyes. I came within an inch of loosing an eye with a wood chip
How Long Does It Take To Build A Deck
This all depends on the size, small decks should take you around a week if you get a couple of friends over to help (hopefully they have some basic DIY skills). Larger decks can take a couple of weeks.
Use Quality Materials
As they say, you get out what you put in, and quality materials make the difference. Using good materials will not only save you time, but will ensure that your decks lasts longer and looks better. Most decks are usually made from pressure treated wood, which is usually redwood, cedar, and cypress. My personal favorite is redwood due to is strength and natural resistance to weather.
Deck Plans
My three bibles on deck building and deck design, (just click on the blue link) save your self the time and trouble of trying to finding bad (and some times dangerous) advice on the net. Those books saved me a heap of time and trouble!
