Learn How To Build a Deck with Wood | DIY Projects

building a deck is the ultimate backyard DIY project it takes some work but you can do it in this series will show you how to build a basic deck from design to framing and stairs to finish first check with your local building department and homeowners association regarding permits and building requirements also call 8 1 1 to mark any underground utility lines when planning size make sure you'll have enough room for your outdoor furniture and that you'll have enough room to move around it's also smart to think about the decking deck boards are typically 5 and a half inches wide so try to plan a deck size that won't leave skinny pieces at the ends when designing remember that the railings need to stay clear of windows and out swinging doors once you have a basic layout bring it to Lowe's to have an associate put together a professional plan and materials list for materials treated lumber is the standard to withstand weather with wet pressure treated lumber you'll need to let it dry before staining as an alternative consider upgrading the decking and railings with composite materials and always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for fasteners and structural Hardware our basic deck construction will be the foundation and 4x4 posts two by ten beams diagonal bracing 2 by 8 framing and joists 5 chord or decking stairs & railings for larger decks you can install parting boards in the middle of the decking you can eliminate some of the posts by attaching a ledger board to your house but it can cause problems later if not done right it's a job usually best left for the pros our deck is freestanding so it won't be attached to the house when you have a solid plan you can mark the layout with strings and batter boards meet from 2 foot furring strips and screws place the batter boards beyond the corners of your planned area and tie strings to them marking the outer edges of your deck use a single stake next to the house check that the strings are close to level the layout is square when the diagonals are equal adjust the strings as needed then mark them in their final position so they can be taken off and put back in the right place before marking the posts cut the sod if required by code a sod cutter can make this job easier the post layout depends on the size of the beams local building codes and your deck design measuring from the house locate the post lines with additional batter boards and strings mark the post positions on the strings then mark the ground with paint after the posts are laid out mark the height of the deck and posts on the house the deck should be below the door threshold to keep water out of the house measure down the thickness of the decking plus the width of the joists and support beams this notes the top of the posts mark a level line at this height along the house the next steps are to set the posts then build the framing remember to follow local code for deck posts there are several methods for setting posts one way is to pour concrete in the post hole set the post on the concrete and backfill with gravel to help prevent rotting our wooden posts will be attached to concrete footers above ground for either method set the footers below the frost line to help prevent heave during a freeze temporarily remove the layout strings to get them out of the way dig the hole six inches lower than the required frost line depth for your area and slightly wider than the concrete footer tubes a power auger can make this step easier and faster measure to make sure you dug to the right depth next lay out landscape fabric and cut post hole openings later we'll add gravel over the fabric to help with weeds and drainage then pour six inches of all-purpose gravel into the hole and pack it tight with a post put a concrete form into the hole and mark it a few inches above ground pull out the form and cut it with a handsaw set the cut side down in the hole and make sure it's plumb and level now mix concrete according to the directions and fill the tube halfway use a shovel or 2x4 to remove air pockets then fill the rest of the way embed an anchor bolt into the concrete make it plumb and leave no more than an inch of thread showing also backfill as you're working to keep the form in place follow the directions for cure time after the concrete has cured cut away the excess cardboard above ground then finish covering the landscape fabric with gravel secure the post brackets with washers and nuts then set the pressure plates on top now place the posts on the brackets making sure they're plumb and secure with Tenpenny nails or structural screws if you're installing on an existing concrete pad drill into the pad and install concrete anchors to secure the brackets when the posts are in place mark the tops by holding a chalk line on the height mark you made on the house extend it along the posts level it and snap the line use this line to mark the height on the rest of the posts with a level line then cut them with a reciprocating or circular saw next step is to attach support beams made from two two by tens start by determining the crown of the board's the crown is the slight arch in the board and should always arc up clamp the boards together and drive nails about eight inches apart next attach post caps with nails then set the beam on the post caps crown side up and secure to the bracket make sure any joints are over a post apply waterproofing tape or silicone sealant along the top joint of the beams for a waterproof seal once the beams are in place screw diag bracing to the posts to prevent racking to cut the beams to the right length start by setting a straight joist against the house at the edge of the deck square it up by marking six feet from the deck corner on the house and eight feet from the corner on the joist adjust the joist until the diagonal measures 10 feet mark and cut the beams next build the floor frame start by marking the floor joists spacing on all the beams following your building codes typically 16 inches on center then place each rim joist on a beam and transfer the lines down the face of each joist placing an X to the side of the lines indicating where the joists will be attached drill pilot holes through the rim joist into the end joist and secure it with deck screws next attach reinforcing brackets with deck nails or screws don't attach the other rim joist yet position the frame on the beams making sure it's square and secure it with rafter ties if your rim joists are two pieces you can assemble the frame half at a time we're adding bracing in the middle to support parting deck boards hold the floor joist along the 16 inch on center line flush at the top and drive in a screw hold a joist hanger against it tap in the prong tightly wrap it underneath and against the other side and tap in the other prong now secure with joist hanger nails or structural screws install the rest of the joists to when they're all up strike a line and trim them to length finish the frame by attaching the other rim joist with hangers and nails with the frame secure the decking can go on next there are two ways to mount posts posts can be mounted on the inside of the rim joist or on the outside of the joists which is what we're doing on this wood deck start by determining the post spacing for the number of posts start with posts by the house post sit outside corners plus at the top of the stairs now measure the distance between two corner posts and divide by the distance allowed between posts round up to the nearest whole number then subtract one for example 15 feet divided by 5 feet equals 3 minus 1 so you get two posts in between make sure the posts are evenly spaced if one is lined up right over a joist you can reposition it slightly cut the posts to length according to your plan and local codes we're using deck anchors attached to the joists which makes for a stronger railing along the end joist attach extra bracing between the joists to mount the anchors screw a post in place making sure it's plumb line up the anchor and Mark the bolt hole drill through the joist and post attach the anchor and secure the post with carriage bolts add a second bolt through the joist below the anchor an anchor on the backside of the bracing adds strength along the rim joist for posts next to joists you can add a piece of two by two secure the anchor so it doesn't interfere with the joist hanger for posts that are in between joists install extra bracing to secure the anchors the decking goes down next because our deck is so wide we're installing parting deck boards in the middle we've added extra bracing to support them starting near the house set the straightest decking board flush with the rim joist drill pilot holes about one inch from the edge into the rim joist then drive in decking screws continue securing to the joists with screws along the entire board for the next board pull it against the first or then secure it with two screws in each joist when attaching wood decking drill pilot holes at the ends the screws along the middle shouldn't need them also notch around posts or other obstructions continue installing the boards checking for square every few boards when you get near the end dry lay the boards to determine the width of the last board remember to account for overhang if it's too skinny you can rip a little of the last few boards to widen em then round over the edges with a router for a cleaner look we also routed the decking toward the parting boards when the decking is secured snap a straight line allowing a one and a quarter inch overhang and cut the excess with the posts attached you can install the railings we'll use two by fours as the top and bottom rails add a rail cap and attach balusters attach two by four rails along the backside of the posts bottom rail three and a half inches from the decking and top rail flush with the top of the posts for a finished book Center a five quarter by 6 inch rail cap on top and miter the corners to space the balusters you can use a scrap 2x4 to attach them drill pilot holes in each balusters and secure with screws to the top and bottom rails [Music] deck stairs are typically made from two by twelve stringers spaced about 12 to 16 inches apart they rest on a solid foundation and are attached to the deck with hangers they have risers also called toe kicks treads and railings stairs should be at least 36 inches wide you can build your own custom stringers or get pre-cut ones at Lowe's whichever you choose always make sure to follow building codes to start determine the location of your bottom step set a long level on top of the decking and measure the height where you want your steps to end for example 55 inches divide this measurement by seven the ideal height for each step round to the nearest whole number to get the number of risers in this case it's 8 now divide 55 by 8 to get the actual height of the risers for us it's six and seven-eighths inches if your steps are too short for your comfort reduce the number of risers by one and calculate again since we're using the deck itself for the top riser we'll subtract one step for our treads we're using two five quarter by 6 inch decking planks making each run about 11 inches and two by toe kicks on the back provide a clean look you can use the total run length to determine where to build your landing support one method for a landing is to install concrete footers and posts and secure the stringers to the posts check out our deck layout and posts video for step by steps another common landing is a concrete pad it has a four inch layer of gravel underneath and extends beyond the steps about 36 inches to install filled a wood frame and set it in place to mark the area deep down at least four inches below the frame add gravel and compact it with hand tamper then mix the concrete set the frame in place and use a level to make sure its slopes slightly away from the deck wet the frame and gravel and pour the concrete into the frame screed it with a straight two-by-four [Music] when the concrete starts to lose its Sheen smooth it with a float then make a non-slip surface with a stiff broom finish the edges and spray it with care and seal let it cure according to the directions when your landing is installed and the rise and run determined lay out the steps on the two by twelves set stair gauges on a framing square at the height of the rise and the length of the run hold the square at the corner of the plank and mark the top run then slide the square along the plank and mark both rise and run continue marking until you have your number of steps at the top step subtract the thickness of the toe kick and strike a perpendicular line this is where the stairs attach to the deck and there is no toe kick at the bottom step mark the thickness of the tread to ship the entire set of stairs down when the treads are installed this will make the bottom step the same height as the others cut the stringer with a circular saw and finish with a handsaw use this stringer as a template to mark and cut the others next attach a 2x8 to the rim joist to secure the stringers brace it to the beam or joist behind with joist hangers or decking screws hold the stringers flush with the bottom of the joist mark the hangers then secure them to the deck bend to the inside of the steps to secure the bottom of the steps to the pad attached cleats between the stringers and drill through the cleats to install anchor bolts tighten the nuts to lock them in place to install the railings attach four by four posts at the bottom like you did on the deck next cut and attach all the toe kicks and treads with screws clamp two by four rails along the step to mark the angle at the posts cut with a saw then attach the bottom rail to the inside of the posts with screws next use a balusters to locate the top rail and secure with screws mark then cut the angle on the posts for the five quarter cap Braille use a tee bevel to get the angle adjust your saw blade cut the cap rails to fit and attach with screws secure the balusters just as you did with the deck railings for stairs with four or more risers attach an exterior handrail on at least one side use a vertical 2x4 with rounded edges or a metal rail and now the basic build for this deck is finished one thing you can do to make your deck really stand out is update the railings on wood decks consider replacing the traditional wood balusters with metal the sleek black metal accents a traditional wood deck with a modern touch if you want a new look for your composite railings some systems make it easy to change the style of balusters just remove the top rails and go from white to black balusters for a contemporary look lighting always makes a deck shine and it's really helpful on stairs to install low-voltage lighting cut the holes then mount the fixtures and covers then secure a transformer near an outlet route the cables and connect the lights solar lights are a snap to mount because they don't have cables also post caps are a simple way to illuminate your new gathering space on the decking puck lights can be installed using a drill with a hole saw the light sit flush with the decking and provide a nice soft glow around the perimeter got leftover materials build a matching bench for extra seating on a composite deck use treated lumber for the framing and composite materials for a smooth seating surface then dress up your deck with skirting on our deck we attached framing to the posts and screwed on lattice we finished up by adding vinyl trim then we wrap the joists with composite boards another option is skirting made of deck boards they can be installed on the posts or on the rim and end joists like we're doing add a fascia board when the planks are in place of course don't forget about other furniture and accessories tables are a must for the classic summer barbecue pour coffee and dessert add an umbrella to protect guests from the hot Sun a gazebo with lounge seating creates a cozy place to relax add soft cushions lamps and a rug to make the space more inviting keep a deck box nearby to store pillows finally fill in with plants and landscaping to complete a stylish and welcoming backyard getaway to learn about each step of deck installation go to lowes.com/howto [Music]

Channel: Lowe's Home Improvement

Views: 1,143,100

Keywords: how to, diy, lowe’s, lowes, how-to, howto, how to build a deck, diy deck, build a deck, building a deck, deck, wood deck, diy wood deck, building a deck out of wood, how to build, build, building, diy projects, building projects, outdoor deck, deck builder, building a wood deck, deck plans, deck ideas, timber deck construction, timber decking, home improvement, diy ideas, diy videos, how to videos, wood deck ideas, wood decking

Id: ESfKFlBxwEc

Length: 18min 50sec (1130 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 02 2018