Building a Wood Deck

Once your deck design plan is done and you have all the necessary apparatus and supplies, you can start preparing the site for construction, which is an essential step if the deck you will be constructing is over a currently grass-covered area. If you have already determined how large a rectangle the deck will occupy, quantify out this area while marking the ground to specify where the deck will lie.

Check if your rectangle has the correct measurements by measuring crossways from corner to corner in both ways; from upper left to lower right, then upper right to lower left, and ensure that these measurements are equal. Shape your working space by using a shovel to remove grass or weeds from the measured area; apply mulch over this space to prevent weeds from growing before closing it off with decking,

The supplies and materials you will require in building your wood deck include the following: flashing, caulking compound, pre-mixed concrete, gravel or crushed stone, cinder blocks, post caps, post bases, seismic ties, joist hangers, cardboard tube concrete forms and rebars. For nails, use stainless steel or HDG nails. For better holding power, these nails should be either ring-shank nails or spiral-groove. However, it is much better to use deck screws. Other tools needed for this wood deck project will include a shovel, carpenter's level, carpenter's square, plumb bob, wheelbarrow, caulking gun, drill, wrench, hammer, circular saw, tape measure, safety eye wear and scrap lumber for bracing.

The final step will involve wounding the decking boards and screwing them to the joist tops. The decking should be tottered so that the seams do not all line up; this way, the deck will not only be structurally steady, it will look superior as well. If the deck is elevated from the ground, add a railing required by local building codes. While composite decking can also be used as an acceptable substitute to wood decking, amalgamated materials are still not as strong as wood, so use wooden elements to support composite decking.