Building a deck can be Fun, plus ensure you a  future return on your investment, and a sense of accomplishment . Plus years of family enjoyment with friends and family.

Building an outdoor deck will enhance the look and value of your property.

Building an outdoor deck isn't that difficult when you compare it to other home building projects. No electrical wiring, no plumbing, just hammer and cutting.

Be sure to plan carefully your future deck.  What size will it be , what  shape and what decking materials should I use.  Please use our site to review the decking materials available and their pros and cons.

First you must determine what kind of decking you will want, composite, wood, plastic, vinyl or?    What will it be used for and who will be using it.  How big a deck?  Most decks average 300-400 square feet of decking space to accommodate an average size family and their friends when entertaining. You can make your deck look bigger than it is by employing  angles as the decking is cut.  If done properly, it can even give the appearance of more than one deck in your backyard. For more information on Deck Designs .

Other considerations that need preplanning:  Where will you place the grill, or hot tub, or picnic table, etc.  If a hot tub is on your list and the deck will be supporting it , make sure you allow for extra joists and  support for the weight of a hot tub filled with water.  Also, make sure your grill is close to the connecting kitchen in the house.

When planning your deck  and even the stairs, try to incorporate it into the style or flavor of your existing house.  Make it a pleasing transition into your house.

 Please take note of the following suggestions that will save you  grieve:

Tools on Hand:

One line of thought try to borrow as many tools as you can. Electrical saws, such as a chop saw and skill saw are musts.  A screw gun and hammer and hand tools are necessary too. As well as measuring tools.

Cost and Size:

Obviously, You will spend more money if the deck you plan is to be big.  So again planning is the key.  Plan on paper, and calculate how much board feet you will need and rails, and stairs, then start adding up the cost. Make sure your calculations are all correct, if not this could end up costing you more than you bargained for.

Nature Considerations Before Building the Deck:

Wind, rain and sun considerations are important when it comes to building or placing your deck on your property. Obviously the weather and elements can affect your time of enjoyment on your new deck.   If sun becomes a factor, do something that will provide some shad, such as an overhang of some sort or umbrellas, remember sun can really punish a deck.  If wind is a factor, you can use plants or lattice to block some of the wind.  If your deck is wood, maintain it , keep it rain and moisture proof by applying a stain or sealer yearly to it.  Plan how you will provide some shade for you and your guests.

Plan to employ good lighting, whether it will be of a romantic, low level lighting or  other types of light.  Be sure to always have a bright light that can be turned on when needed  especially around your steps and entrances to avoid unnecessary accidents.. Other forms of lighting include candles, torches, solar lights and more. See my articles on Deck Lighting- What's Available

Decks and patios come in a wide range of designs, shapes and sizes. And while the look of a deck may differ from one to another, the make-up of most decks remains the same.

Before you get started building your deck, you (and every do-it-yourselfer) should know the parts of a deck – what a deck is made of. Knowing this information will give you two advantages: firstly, you’ll know what to ask for when you consult with a professional or retailer; secondly, you’ll wow your friends with your vast knowledge of home hardware!

Decks are composed of a variety of parts. Structural parts of the deck hold and distribute the weight of the deck and therefore, should be made of durable, high quality materials. Posts, ledgers, beams, and joists should be made out of pressure-treated wood for longer life and maximum durability. This is often required by code. However, visible parts of a deck including the decking, railings, stairways, and facing can be made of cedar or redwood for a decorative touch.

The Structural Parts of a Deck

 

• Ledgers are used in order to secure a deck to a house. They support one end of all joists.

   

• The weight of the deck is supported by concrete footings. These footings are formed by pouring concrete into cylindrical molds and allowing it to dry. To determine the depth of footings, follow local building codes and climate patterns. Footings are secured with metal post anchors. These post anchors are susceptible to corrosion, so they should be made of galvanized steel.

   

• Posts are attached to the post anchors and help to shift the weight of the deck to the concrete footings. To avoid corrosion, they should be attached to the post anchors with galvanized nails.

   

• The deck's main support system is the beams. Beams are fastened to the deck posts and are made from either 2x8s or 2x10s.

   

• To support the decking, joists are used. Joists are attached at either end: one end is secured to the header joist and the other to the ledger. For a better appearance, outside joists can be covered with a decorative facing, such as cedar or redwood.

   

• The highlight of any deck is the decking itself. Decking boards should be attached with galvanized screws or nails to avoid rust stains. Decking boards are secured to the joists.

   

• Railing parts include balusters and posts, a horizontal rail, and a cap. Balusters and posts are attached to the header and outside joists of the deck. Deck railings are often required by building code, depending upon the height of the deck. Those decks 24" above ground may be required to have appropriate railings.

   

• A stairway consists of two stringers and a number of treads attached with metal cleats to the side of the deck.

aintaining your deck is a two-fold process that can be as rewarding as it is a chore. The first process is regular cleaning of your deck. The second is all-out repair, which shouldn’t happen very often unless there is a natural disaster. Or an unnatural disaster, like your nephew getting loaded and leaning a little too hard on the deck railing.

Cleaning and Brightening Chemicals
Keeping your deck clean is one of the best ways to avoid having to repair your deck. The following chemicals are your best tools for keeping your deck clean and, even more importantly, looking like new.

• Chlorine Based Bleach Phosphoric Acid
• Oxalic Acid
• Trisodium Phosphate (TSP)
• Citric Acid
• Sodium Hydroxide
• Disodium Peroxydicarbonate
• Oxygen Based Bleach

All of these chemicals should be treated with complete caution. Always wear protective gear when using them and be sure to read all of the labels explicitly.

Fixing the Problem
Full out deck repair is your next step. Firstly, if you are moving into a new home and the deck is in such a state of disrepair that you don’t think you can repair it, you probably can’t.

If the wood is rotten, there is nothing you can do to reverse this process. Rot could also mean a termite infestation. Hungry termites would like nothing better than a fresh new banquet of new pressure-treated lumber. If this is the case, then replacing the deck is a better investment.

If you think you can repair it, you’ll need to keep the following in mind.

1. Make sure you buy the same kind of wood as the existing deck. If you think that buying a better type of wood will prevent the problem from happening again, then you’re probably right. But any staining or painting could look odd if done on a different wood surface.
2. When cutting out the damaged portion of the deck, always remember the joints. It is very possible that the trauma that caused the deck to break in the first place damaged the joints but did not destroy them.

Ahhh….the warm weather months are finally here and, along with temperatures reaching comfort levels that finally make outdoor activities a reality, comes the question of “how do I bring my music outdoors?”. Whether it’s a barbeque for your family and friends in the backyard, or a quiet ‘happy hour’ with a significant other on the patio, music adds a satisfying dimension to the occasion. So we need to talk about outdoor speakers.

If you’re planning to buy outdoor speakers, you have to know this is a different ballgame. This is the outdoors…exposure to everything…have we mentioned insects? You are also no longer dealing with confined space, which means your music has no place to go but out. No ceilings or walls or floors to catch the sound and bounce it around. Some outdoor speakers can deliver acceptable sound only within a limited range. So you want to shop for outdoor speakers that can “reach out” to the broad range of your deck, yard, pool or patio and deliver a rich sound across a wider listening area.

That means you have to re-think whatever you know – or think you know – about speakers so you can shop and buy the right system for your needs. Good News: We will not get into the kHz’s or the dB’s or the ohms or the watts. If you own speakers you’ve been there, done that, and they’ll all be waiting for you at the store when you shop for your outdoor speakers.

What we will discuss is buying speakers that deliver your music with virtually the same rich, full-quality sound you hear in your house. With outdoor speakers, the sound goes out…and out…and out. No bounce-back. So you’re listening to your music delivered through speakers that put the sound out (that word again) and into a wider area than your house speakers. The benefit, in a word, is freedom. Freedom to listen to and enjoy your music wherever you are.

What Do You Need…

Where will you use these speakers? Garden? Yard? Deck? Porch? It’s good to know this before you shop because each area (as well as others) requires speakers that can accommodate the space physically and project your music with optimum quality. That should take care of dimensional requirements, so let’s move on to environmental needs, like temperature. We don’t know where you live but we do know it’s not paradise (unless you’re in San Diego). So we advise you to focus on speakers that can handle snow, rain, salt, fog and temperature extremes of 158º F (70ºC) to -40º F (-40ºC). That means they have been tested under actual (or lab-simulated) conditions, which segues into warranties. Make sure the manufacturer is a name company with a reputation for making high-quality speakers…indoor and outdoor. And the warranty reflects that.

Looks Aren’t Everything…

…But you do want your outdoor speakers to reflect the same attention to detail you have in your house. Your speakers should blend in with wherever you are going to place them, on the lawn, under a roof or eave, even on the deck rail. You’re looking for compatibility, not imposition. By the way, if your plans call for hanging the speakers, make sure they come with adjustable, weather-resistant brackets that give you the option of mounting them vertically or horizontally.

Do The Research…

If you’re really serious about having high-quality outdoor speakers, you have to dig in and do the research. You know what we mean….articles from publications specializing in home audio products, or advertisements, or product reviews (in print and on line) -- even talking to friends who own outdoor speakers. All of this data will arm you for the trip to the store.

Let’s Go Shopping…

Nobody said this was going to be easy, but you know the drill. Walk into the store. Approached by salesperson with own agenda. Speakers blaring. Hi-def TVs screaming for attention. It’s an AV jungle! We find that a good way to start the salesperson-customer relationship is by coming in with that folder of data in your hand. The salesperson will see it and know that you know what you want and that you want to see it now. Because your preference in speakers will be affected by your taste in music (and your budget), you should think about bringing in a CD or two to listen to through the speakers you will ultimately be buying. It’s a tough proposition no matter what. Unless the store has a pool or patio, you will hear the speakers indoors. However, you’ll also hear music you’re familiar with so you will get a sense of what those sounds will sound like outdoors. If it’s rock, you’re looking for solid bass, low distortion and minimal “roughness”. If your tastes lean toward classical, jazz or folk, then smooth, mid-range sound should be evident.

Doing A Solid Installation…

Unless you bought wireless speakers, installing your new models will require placing the wires alongside the house or underground and running them to the sound source. This information should be available in the Users’ Manual that came with your speakers. There are many options for your installation, such as screwing the speakers into your deck (good idea if you plan to leave them there), or mounting them under an eave or deck roof. If you’re considering placing them into your garden or burying them make sure you have adequate covering for them against direct rainfall. The best (and easiest) solution may be just taking them in for the winter. Follow the instructions closely as they can make the install efficient and save you time.

Pay close attention to the wire specifications…you are dealing with exposure to a variety of weather conditions so those wires should be moisture-resistant or rated for burial. There should also be data on sealing compounds, also important, as there will be bare wires exposed to the weather that connect from the speakers to your sound system and they will need to be sealed. The manual should also suggest what tools you will need and you should have them ready before starting the install.

Also, watch your separation. The instructions should cover speaker separation that will result in optimal performance and good sound overlap. Because most outdoor speakers are designed to be permanently installed outside the house, securing them should be your next consideration. While there might be a tendency to leave them free-standing, they will be vulnerable to heavy wind and storm conditions and can easily break.

Finally, you will ultimately have to run wire from your speakers to your sound source which means from outside to inside your house. That means you will have to drill a hole to get those wires inside to your sound source. Not a big deal if done right by you or a professional installer; just remember to seal the hole afterward to keep out the moisture and the critters.

Now For The Best Part…

If you’re a music person, you’re going to love your outdoor speakers. They allow you to enjoy your sounds in one of the most pleasant environments possible. In your own space. Unconfined. And surrounded by nature. What could be better!! The key to all of this has been given to you. All you have to do is follow the steps and let your heart (and budget) do the rest. Outdoor speakers do not have to cost a fortune. But if you buy smartly and efficiently, the results could be priceless. ENJOY!!!

Most outdoor speakers are available in white or black. (Speakers shown are Acoustic Research EdgePro W & B models)

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The point of having a deck is to spend time relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. That’s why the decking system you choose should give maximum enjoyment with the minimum amount of effort. A deck and railing made of ChoiceDek will be beautiful from the first day. While it may cost a little more up front, just imagine the money and time saved every year by not having to stain, seal or treat the deck.

Along with decades of enjoyment ChoiceDek offers a firm, non-slick surface. ChoiceDek is easy to work with and comes in a range of material and railing components so you can create a distinctive deck.

Only ChoiceDek takes advantage of a patented process that uses recycled wood fiber encapsulated in recycled polyethylene. This combination creates the ultimate decking material. It will withstand the most demanding exposure to the elements, does not require sealing, staining or treating, and is easy to clean.