DECK BUILDING
Global Income Network

Building a deck can be a simple project but without the know how you can spend hundreds of dollars paying someone to do it for you. I decided to give you this know how .
First you have to pick your site for the deck usually outside the back door as a substitute for a porch. then you pick the size of the deck , a good size would be 10'X12'. Having done this you need to make a material list:
concrete-12/60# bagsof quickcrete for your posts.
posts- 12/4"x4"x8' treated posted
bands for around the perimeter of the deck- 4/2"x10"x12' and 4/2"x10"x10' treated boards.
ledgers-3/2"x2"x8' treated boards
Joists- 8/2"x8"x12' treated boards
decking-24/ 5/4"x6"x12'treated deckboards 4 are to be used for the hand rail
steps-3/pre-cut stringers depending on how high your deck is as to how many steps are on them, or I can tell you how to cut them out of 2"x12" boards, but lets keep it simple. you'll also need 2/2"x12"treated boards for your treads this will make 4 treads
handrails- 4/2"x4"x10' and 4/2"x4"x12' treated boards
spindles-88/ pre-cut spindles in the style of your choice.
Now were ready to start building your deck!!
First take 2 of your 2x10x12's and cut them to 12" long if you check them before cutting you will find them to be about 1" over 12' so cut them down to 12' and then cut the other 2 down to 11'9". take one of the 12 boards just cut and attach it to the hoouse just above the blockwork or foundation from the starting point of you deck on the house, using 6" galvanized lag bolts about 2 every 2' apart and 2 on each end. Then attch one of the 11'9" 2x10's to the on the house 1 1/2" from each end using 16 penny galvanized nails. Now take 2 of your 2x10x10's and cut them down to 9'9" and the other 2 down to 9'6". take some scrap 2x4's a little taller than your deck, 2 should be enough and lay them down on the ground about 8' from the house on each end of the deck these are temporary supports.
nail your 9'9"2x10's onto the ends pf the 2x8 that is 11/2's inside the end of your deck and put the temporary support on the outsid of it to hold it up approximately 8' from the house at the same hieght as the board on the house do this on both ends of your deck. Next take your other 2x10x12' and nail it to the ends of the 9'9"boards flush with the outside of the boards. Now nail the 2 9'6" boards to the inside of the sides butted against theboards on the houseand the other 11'9" board to the inside of the outside 12' board. You now have your bands in place. take a tape measure and mark a4' mark on the board on the house from one end then a 3' mark up the side board on the same end of the deck . Now take your tape and mea sur diagnolly from one point to the other the object is to get a measurement of 5' move the outside corner either in or out until you get a measurement of 5' you have just squared up your deck. the wife just got back so I'll have to finish this later got to mow my yard now. be sure to click on my aponsors banners to help suppport my web page.
See setting posts below
If you have any questions or comments you can reach me at frankthcarpenter@aol.com
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Setting posts.
You are now ready to dig your holes for your post. On the front and back band, the one connected to the house and the one adjacent to it measure 6' to find the center of your deck and put a level against the band from the 6' mark to the ground mark the ground this is where you'll dig the centerpost holes, do the same on the side bands only measure 5' for the center. Level down for all 4 corners and where your steps are going to be there should be a post in the very center of your deck you find this by pulling a string from front to back on your 6' marks make a mark in the center of the string ,5', and level. Dig the holes about 12"wide by 16"deep.
take a post and set it in a hole in one corner and make a mark at the top and bottom of your band it should be 9 1/4" wide on 2 sides of your post, thesemarks are for you to notch the post for the band to fit in they will be 1 1/2" deep. now measure from the top of your deck to the hieght of your rail this usually will be 42" make athis point is where you cut your post off at.When soing the front corners be sure you put a levellon the side bands and level them up by putting boards under your temporary supports. The side and front center posts will only have one side notched, the center post and back center post should be cut 1/2" lessthan the hieght of the band.
to notch your posts set your depth on your skill saw blade to 1 1/2". On your notch marks which you should have drawn all the way across the post make a cut and then cut every 1/2" between the 2 marks, then take your hammer and bust out the 1/2' strips and you have your notchs.
set your post in the same holes you used to measure the notches and fit the notches over the band, take a level and level them up then nail them to your band. Fill the holes with concrete and let set overnight, you are ready to install your floor joists!!

DECKING.
It's time to put the decking on your deck. All your deck boards, 5/4"x6"x12', should be about 12'1" long so you want to leave the hanging over the sides 1/2".Set the first board on the front of the deck, hanging over the ends 1/2", and mark on both sides of each post and cout slots in the deck board to fit around the posts, these should be 3 1/2"wide by 3 1/2"long. then nail down the first board using galvinized spiral decking nails 2 per joist. set the next board in next to the first with a nail in between to allow for expansion of the deck board. Follow this procedure for the rest of the deck boards till you get to the wall, the last board will have to be cut to fit. It's handrail time!!