Things You'll Need:
- Safety glasses
- Gloves
- 4 wood stakes and string or landscaping paint
- Foundation footer
- Galvanized screws (1.5-inch and 3-inch)
- Drill gun
- Decking
- Shovel
- Railing kit
- 4 x 4 post or pre-fab post
- Stair parts
- Post caps (optional)
- Treated wood for frame
- Temper (optional)
- Axe (optional)
- Wheelbarrow
- Post hole diggers
- Level
- Jig saw
- Skill saw
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Landscaping cloth (optional)
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Step 1
Check into whether or not you are required to have a permit. If you need one, make sure that you get it before starting the project and then make sure that you close it out when you are finished.
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Step 2
Mark out the area where you want the deck to be. Take measurements of the area and write them down. Get rid of all the grass that is there, to make the overall appearance better. I also recommend that you dig a 2-foot outer barrier for landscaping.
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Step 3
Gather all the materials that you will need to build the deck. For the wood base, you will need to determine the size of the base. i.e. 2 x 6, 2 x 8 or 2 x 10. Screws, brackets and connectors can also be gathered at this time.
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Step 4
Level the ground that you are going to plant on and lay landscaping cloth over it. This step is optional; it will keep the weeds and grass from growing. The decking will also need to be chosen at this time.
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Step 5
Lay the foundation footers. First you will need to determine the size of the deck and make sure that you have enough footing to support the deck. I recommend having one footer every 3 feet. It will all depend on how much weight you are planning on the deck holding. If you were putting a hot tub on it, place footers all around that area to reinforce. Too many can not hurt. I also would recommend using the kind that you can partially bury as this will add strength to the foundation. If they are not buried, you will definitely need the ground leveled.
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Step 6
Prior to using any of the boards for the exterior base, measure each one that you are using. Make sure that the sides match and the ends match. All four of them do not have to match. If you want a perfect square, then the ends have to be 4 inches smaller than the sides.
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Step 7
Start laying out the underside of the deck. The first board placement is up against the house using the wood that you chose earlier. Try to use one solid piece of wood to make each of the sides of the frame. If it is not possible due to length, link them together using heavy duty connectors. You will want to bolt this board to the house with galvanized bolts.
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Step 8
Connect the sides and the front of the frame using "L" brackets. The sides should be on the exterior of the front and back resting flush to the ends. Once the "L" brackets are in place, then use 4-inch screws to connect on the ends.
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Step 9
Measure side to side and front to back and write down the measurements. Mark every 2 feet, going both ways. This will tell you the amount of boards that you will need running each way. Measure and cut the ones that will go north and south to match and the ones going east to west to match. Once the boards are cut to length, you will then notch each one every 2 feet, half the width with the jigsaw. This will allow for the boards to interlock and make them stronger.
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Step 10
Determine the height that you want your railing to be and the overage that you want for your post. Once this is done, then add 4 inches for hangover. Install all corners first by placing them on the corners and drawing using the base as the guide. This will be an "L" cut and require the jigsaw. Once the cut is made, attach the corners using screws on front and back to secure to the frame. Copy this technique on the side post with the exception of the cut style. You will be cutting a flat area this time. Attach the same way. Make sure to account for the steps.
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Step 11
Choose what style you would like to use to lay the deck boards. They can be flush, requiring no separation; or they can be gapped, calling for the use of pegs to help set them so they are equal. The other thing to choose is if you want all the boards to run the same length or if you want them to be different sizes. Different sizes will add an extra element to the floor. You will have to make sure that all boards are attached on their ends to the flooring.
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Step 12
If you bought treated wood, you might want to paint it or leave it plain. If you bought composite, it is already colored. You might have to paint the rail kit or the post, and if so, do this first before putting the rail kit on. Once the paint dries, then install the rail kit per the instructions.
