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Related: How Much Does It Cost To Build A Deck?
Building a deck lets you expand your living space to the outdoors—for barbecues, family get-togethers or for solitary moments with a book.
Even if you think you don’t know how to build a deck, this one is as straightforward as they come: An on-grade platform deck built on precast concrete footers and topped with pressure-treated dimensional lumber. It’s a project that you can complete in just a couple of weekends.
NOTE: The beginning half of 2021 has seen an unprecedented labor shortage as a side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. In conjunction with this, demand for materials and construction jobs has skyrocketed. As a result, material prices may be higher than those reported in this article, and lead times may be longer than usual for both labor and materials.
Building a deck is easier in warm, dry weather, plus you’ll be able to stain and finish your deck. In many areas, this period ranges from late spring until early fall. If you choose to stain and finish your deck, do this only when the deck boards are completely dry.
Alternatively, if weather permits you to build your deck during the off-season, you’ll be able to enjoy it when favorable weather comes along.
Building code in your area may require you to have deck footers that rest below the frost line to avoid frost heave. If so, digging by hand into frozen ground in winter can be difficult, if not impossible. Wait until the ground has thawed before you dig.
Safety should always be top priority when doing any project. Observe all safety recommendations that come with the power tools. Some of the building materials such as the four-by-fours are heavy, so have an assistant help you carry them.
If you choose to use a composite or synthetic PVC deck board, be aware that these materials have shorter joist spans than the specified pressure-treated two-by-sixes. In fact, the joist spans can be as short as 16 inches.
In many municipalities, decks that remain below a certain height may not require permits. Decks attached to the home often must be permitted. However, since this project’s deck is detached from the home, a permit may not be required. In any case, check your local regulations before starting.
Requirements are variable from place to place. Check with your local permitting office to see if you are required to apply for a permit for the deck.
Stake out the location of the deck with stakes and twine. Choose a level area of undisturbed soil about 20 square feet. Consider how much sunlight and shade will fall on your deck not just now but throughout the year.
With the twine and stakes, lay out three lines with each line being 12 feet long. Stake the twine low, about an inch or two above the ground. Space the lines parallel to each other and 3-1/2 feet apart. Each line represents the eventual location of a deck beam.
With the marking paint, mark a total of 12 spots on the ground, directly over the twine. Begin with one line. Mark these dig spots as measured from one stake:
Duplicate for the other two lines. Remove the stakes and twine.
Depending on local regulations and how high you would like the deck to be, dig the holes either a few inches down or as deep as 1 foot. Then, add another 3 inches to account for drainage rock. Concrete piers are 11-1/2 inches tall and the brackets can be raised as high as 2-1/2 inches. Dig the holes 12 inches in diameter.
Add 3 inches of drainage rock to the bottom of each hole. Use a four-by-four post as a tamper to compress and flatten the rock.
Place the concrete piers in the holes. Choose one pier as the reference point and level the other piers to that pier. Add or remove gravel in the holes to raise or lower piers. Use a laser level to level the piers. Alternatively, you can run string across the piers and use a string line level.
Turn all of the brackets facing in the same direction. Rest the three four-by-four beams in the brackets. Press the beams firmly in place. Check that each beam is level. Adjust any of the brackets accordingly by turning them in or out with the wrench.
For each bracket, drill a pilot hole into the beam through the hole in the side of the bracket. With the wrench, turn the flange hex-head screws into the beams, thus connecting the brackets to the beams.
Without attaching them yet, lay the two-by-sixes on the deck beams. Maintain a 1/4-inch space between the deck boards. Center the deck boards so that they overhang the sides by 6 inches.
The two outermost deck boards should be placed flush with the ends of their supporting beams. These boards should not have any overhang.
Screw the deck boards directly onto the beams, using the 3-inch deck screws. Use two screws per beam connection, for a total of six screws per deck board. Frequently check that the boards are parallel and that they are hanging over the ends by 6 inches.
For a cleaner installation, you might want to use hidden fasteners. Hidden fasteners require a low-cost jig tool that helps to direct the proprietary screw into the edge of the deck board. While not completely hidden, the fastener’s head is embedded into the wood and is not immediately visible.
Many types of pressure-treated boards can be left on their own to weather naturally. Purchasing appearance-grade pressure-treated boards will help you avoid the telltale pockmarks of most pressure-treated wood.
With either type of wood, staining and protecting the deck boards will help them last longer. Available in 1- or 5-gallon buckets, combination stain/sealant rolls onto the wood with a paint roller frame, thick-nap roller cover and extension pole.
For this 96 square-foot deck, one gallon of stain/sealant will be sufficient to provide two coats. Advertisement THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. Please note that we do receive compensation for any products you buy or sign up to via this advertisement, and that compensation impacts the ranking and placement of any offers listed herein. We do not present information about every offer available. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary. Compare Quotes From Top-rated Local Deck Builders Free, No-commitment Estimates Find A Deck Builder
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Consult a contractor, structural engineer, or your local building department for information about joist spans other than the 36 inches specified in this project.
To use premium imported hardwood such as ipe, tigerwood or mahogany, contact a decking company or a general contractor. These hardwoods are dense and difficult to cut, plus they use special fastening systems.
Lee is a home improvement writer and content creator. As a professional home expert and an avid do-it-yourselfer, he has decades of experience at fixing up and writing about houses. When he’s not wielding a drill or hammer, Lee loves to untangle difficult home topics for readers across a range of media outlets.
Samantha is an editor who covers all topics home-related including home improvement and repair. She edited home repair and design content at websites like The Spruce and HomeAdvisor. She also has hosted videos on DIY home tips and solutions and launched multiple home improvement review boards staffed with licensed pros.