How to Build a Deck and the Cost of Materials

A exterior deck

A wood deck can be attached to the house, or it can be free standing. Many areas of the country require that you obtain a permit to construct a deck. This ensures that the deck is built to a set of standards for the safety of your family and friends. Additionally, you need to contact the utility companies and have your property flagged for under ground utilities. This is to keep you from hitting an under ground natural gas or electrical power line. The do-it-yourself handyman can build a deck and estimate the cost of materials needed.

Things You'll Need

• Graph paper
• Pencil
• Paper
• Calculator
• Landscape paint
• Sod cutter
• Flat bladed shovel
• Gravel
• Rake
• Post hole digger (available to rent at your local tool rental store)
• Ready-mix concrete
• Water
• Water hose
• Galvanized post anchor
• Wood decking materials
• Wood clamps
• Drill with bit to fit carriage bolt size
• Carriage bolt 6-inch long.
• Adjustable wrench
• Reciprocating saw with wood blade
• 2-by-8 Joist hangers
• Galvanized joist hanger nails
• Hammer
• 1 1/2-inch Exterior deck screws
• 3-inch Decking screws
• Circular saw
• Power screwdriver

Instructions

1. Create a sketch of the house and deck on a sheet of graph paper. Draw the deck plan at a scale that you can get the complete plan on one sheet of paper. You will use this plan to determine the cost of the deck.

2. Place a 4-by-4 pressure-treated post every 10 feet on the plan. A 2-by-8 has a span of 10 feet for this application. Run a 2-by-8 rim joist around the perimeter of the deck. A rim joist secures the deck floor joist. Place floor joist along the length of the deck at 16-inch intervals.

3. Add up the number of posts, floor joists and rim joists to determine the quantity of decking material needed. Add 1 bag of 80-pound ready mix concrete for each post. Calculate the number of pieces of decking by dividing the width of the deck by 5 1/2 inches by the length of the deck to give you the quantity of decking. Call or go online to your local lumber yard to determine the cost of material needed for the deck. You will also have to add a couple boxes of decking screws and two 2-by-8 floor joist hangers for each floor joist.

4. Remove the grass or vegetation from under the deck. A sod cutter works best for this step. You can use a flat bladed shovel, but this takes a lot of time and is much harder to do by hand. Place a layer of landscape fabric over the area. Rake out a layer of gravel to hold the fabric down and to block sunlight from getting to the dirt. This will help prevent grass or weeds from growing under the deck. You can rent a sod cutter from an equipment rental store.

5. Mark the location of the post on the dirt using the deck plan. Use landscape paint for this step. Drill a post hole at each of these locations. The post holes needs to be 6 inches below the frost line for your area of the country. You can request this information at your local permit department. If your deck design has a lot of post, you can rent a gasoline post hole digger at your local tool rental store. Mark the location of the post on the dirt using the deck plan. Use landscape paint for this step. Drill a post hole at each of these locations. The post holes needs to be 6 inches below the frost line for your area of the country. You can request this information at your local permit department.

6. Fill the holes with ready-mix concrete to the top of the dirt. Place a galvanized post anchor in the concrete at each post location before the concrete can set. Let this dry before proceeding to the next step. Use a garden hose to wet the ground around the post holes.

7. Mark the post at 3 inches below the threshold of the door. You will set the top of the rim joist along this mark on the post. Clamp it at that position while you pre-drill two holes for each end of the rim joist. Use a drill bit the size of the 6-inch carriage bolts. Tighten the carriage bolts with an adjustable wrench to secure the rim joist to the post.

8. Cut the post off so that it is even with the top of the rim joist. Use a reciprocating saw with a wood bit to cut the post off.

9. Mark the rim joist for the placement of the floor joist at 16-inch intervals along the length of the deck. Use a scrap piece of 2-by-8 to attach the joist hangers to the rim joist. Use galvanized hanger nails and a hammer to nail the joist hangers so that the top of the rim joist is even with the top of the floor joist. Cut the floor joist with a circular saw to fit between the rim joist. Use the same galvanized joist hanger nails to attach the floor joist to the joist hanger.

10. Set the decking on the top of the floor joist so that it overhangs the rim joist by 1 1/2-inches. Cut the decking as needed using a circular saw. Any time that it takes two pieces or more of decking to reach the other side of the deck, cut the decking so that it falls in the middle of the floor joist.

11. Screw the decking down to the joist using 3-inch decking screws. Place two screws at every floor joist. Place one screw 1/2 inch in from each side of the decking; this will help to prevent the decking from splitting.

Tips & Warnings

• Stain the deck to protect it from the elements. If you used pressure treated material, wait 30 days to let it dry out before adding the stain.

• Wear safety glasses when using power tools.

References

• HGTV: How to Build a Simple Deck
• This Old House: How to Build a Deck
• Handyman Wire: Step by Step Method of Deck Construction