How-to-build-a deck on your Acreage

Getting Started

A few things first.
 
When preparing to dig a posthole - whether for a fence or a deck - you want to make sure that the area in which you’ll be digging doesn’t have anything beneath that could cause
problems, such as buried power, water or sewer lines. Most areas have a free service that will mark the ground with locations of such things. If that is not available to you, then use some thought of where these lines might be at your home. When planning to build a deck, it’s helpful to use either marking paint or even a garden hose to map out the area of the proposed deck. It makes it easy to get a feel for the size, and if it will meet your needs.

It’s no fun to go through the time and trouble to find out you should’ve made your deck 3’ bigger in one direction and 4’ the other way so the patio table doesn’t interfere with the grill. You will also want to talk to your local building department to see if a permit will be necessary. The permit fee shouldn’t cost much, and the inspectors are a great information resource. They can also tell you the frost level in your area. This is the depth of potential ground frost during the winter. You need to get the bottom of the post below this level to assure that, during the winter, the ground doesn’t heave the post upwards. A typical deck is made up of the structure, the decking, and the rails. The structure is the post, rim and floor joist. This material should always be either redwood or a treated lumber. Don’t waist your time and money using pine for the structure; spend the money for the good stuff. You’ll thank me in five years when your fairly new deck is not rotting out from under you.
 
Framing The Deck
The size of the structure you’ll need will depend on the size of the deck you plan to build. You will definitely need a post at each corner, and I wouldn’t span more than 12’ between posts, 10’ is a better number. Using a measuring tape, stakes and a string line, establish where the post will be located. Use the house to measure off of for the post locations. Some people like to attach the deck to the house with a ledger board lagged into the house.
I don’t recommend this. I prefer to set the additional needed post so that the deck is separated from the house. That way, if one moves or settles, it won’t compromise the other. Dig the postholes to the necessary depth, use bagged dry concrete mixed per the directions, and set the post. Make sure to keep the post plumb during the drying time of the concrete. Next, establish the finish height of the deck. Most homeowners want it to be flush with the door opening that will access the deck. I prefer to leave it down 1” to 3”. That way, if anything moves or settles, the screen door won’t drag. And it leaves room for a foot mat.
 
Getting Started
Once the height is determined, you’ll need to cut off the tops of the post to the right height. Deduct the thickness of the actual decking material you’ll be using and mark the post next to the house and cut. There are different ways to mark the post away from the house. An easy way is with a string level. This device hooks on to your string line so one person can hold the line at the top of the post already cut and another person can move it up or down until the bubble reads level. Mark and cut the post.
 
Laying The Floor
Now we can install the rim joist. These are usually referred to as a 2 X 6 or 2 X 8. Using 4” lag bolts, lag the rim joist into the outside of the post holding the joist flush with the top of the post. At the post against the house, lag into the inside of the post. Now we are ready for the deck joist. These are the support that will carry the decking material. Install these parallel to
the house. Measure from the outside edge of the front rim joist and mark the side rim joist
every 16”. Do the same for the other side rim joist. Now we nail on the joist hangers.
Talk to the guys at the lumberyard if you’re not sure what a joist hanger is.
Make sure to use to right size hangers. We’ll use a 2 X 6 for the joist. Some people spread the distance between the joists to 24”. While it may support the deck okay, it makes the deck
feel bouncy when people walk across it. Make sure to put a nail in every hole on the hanger using the nail specified for it. Nail a hanger at each mark you made on the side rim joist. Make sure to keep the hangers on the same side of the marks at each location, and nail them at the right height to keep the deck joist flush with the rim joist. Now measure the between the hangers, from side to side, to determine the length of the joist. Cut the joist to the length needed and set them in the hangers. Again put a nail in every hole on the
hangers. Now we can start with the decking. The decking will run perpendicular to the joist. There are a few options for this material. Redwood is the norm, but a lot of people are using the composite material. It is more expensive than redwood, but it never needs sanding and re-staining, and it never splinters, which is nice on bare feet. Now measure from the house to the outside of the front rim joist. Add at least 2” to the measurement. This will allow for a slight overhang at the front rim joist, which looks better, in my opinion. Set the deck board on the joist with about a half-inch overhang of the side rim joist. Leave a gap of approximately a quarter inch between the board and the house for expansion and contraction. You’ll need to put two deck screws at every joist. Talk to the guys at the lumberyard if you’re not sure what a deck screw is. I like to pre-drill holes for the screw locations. You can drive the screws on redwood without pre-drilling, but it must be done for the composite material. If you have access to more than one drill, put the drill bit in one and the screw bit in the other. That will save a lot of time from switching back and forth. Use a little piece of painter’s tape or electrical tape wrapped around the bit to mark it for the depth of drilling the holes. Use a drill bit the thickness of the screw shank, not the threads. Measure for the next deck board and set in place. Use a sixteen-penny nail as a spacer between the two boards to allow for expansion. Work you’re way across the deck with the deck boards. When you get approximately 3’ from the end, measure and do some math to determine if you’re decking will end up with a half-inch overhang like the first board you installed. If not, start spreading the gap slightly between the boards to accommodate. If you do this early enough, the spread can be so slight that no one will notice a difference.
 
Railing Options
If you want railings, use redwood for the support post and set them with enough length to be used for the post of the railings. There are several different types of railings. You have probably seen at least one or two at a friend’s house that you liked. Determine which you prefer and use the same material that you used for the decking. Keep in mind building
codes have specific guidelines that must be followed. Remember, when you decide to take on such projects don't rush it build it in your head first.