Deck planning, design, where to buy and more

If you plan on hiring a contractor, make sure you conduct a contractor interview. This will help to insure that you get the right man for the job. If you intend to build it yourself then you will need to be aware of a few things.

PERMIT

Usually,a building permit is required unless it is free standing. Some inspectors are more picky about the definition of “free standing” than other inspectors. Theoretically, you can build a structure that buts up against your house, but if it is not secured to your house, then it is “free standing” and therefore does not require a permit. However, if you attach a structure to your house with just one nail, technically, the inspector can state that it is an attached deck and you will need a building permit. To be on the safe side, talk to your local building inspector before you do anything. Tell him what you are planning and he will tell you if you need a permit or not.

POSITIONING

Where to position your deck (assuming you have more than one area where it is feasible)? Do you want it to be in the sun most of the time, or in the shade? Try and keep it away from windows where you don’t want an obstructed view. If you like to stay up at night and chat, then you may want to keep it away from bedroom windows. Take noise into consideration. Keep it away from your air conditioning unit if possible. Be aware of furnace intake and exhaust vents, as well as dryer vents. They to can be noisy. Excessive noise can be irritating when all you want to do is relax or have a nice conversation.

DESIGN

Most people build a rectangular or square structure. You actually loose some space with such designs in the corners. Consider the furniture you intend to use. Also take into consideration other items you will have on the deck, such as planters, a free standing fire pit, or swings. Would a different shape provide you with more room and better traffic flow? A deck can be a substantial investment. Think it through before you build. Check out a number of designs before you settle for one. There design books in most home improvement stores. You can also get a ton of design prints from the internet. I stumbled across this site not to long ago and it has a bunch of plans at what seem to be reasonable prices. Check out Designs.

There are a numerous amount "how to" web sites. The problem is they are not tailored to your situation. That being said, this site gives you a good instructional guide. If you purchase plans, they will give you more detail. Again, there are numerous supplemental materials available at the library and in books available at book stores and home improvement stores. You can also hire a consultant to discuss your project with you and help you tailor plans to your home.

NOTE: Before construction, make sure you call Miss Dig at 1 800 482 7171. They will check for underground electric, gas, sewer, and water lines. Nothing is more frustrating than digging a hole for your posts and you here a “crack”. Next thing you know, your digging up your sewer line to make a repair, or worse, YOU SMELL GAS! Do yourself a favor and have Miss Dig come out and check your site. It’s free!

Consider future use of your deck. If you think you will want a hot tub in the future, put extra supports while building it. Too often, people decide to add a hot tub down the road, and the construction will not handle the extra weight. Also consider your exits. This is a common mistake. Be cautious of only one exit. You may find it irritating to have to walk to the center of your deck and then around the side to get to your shed or neighbors house. Keep little things like that in mind during the design phase.

MATERIALS

There are many diferent materials available today. Basically, they fall into two categories. Wood and man made.

Wood - Wood can vary greatly in expense depending on the type of wood you choose. Lets face it, wood is beautiful and it can be stained to enhance the appearance. The draw back to wood is that it has to be maintained and treated to keep it looking beautiful. In addition, no amount of treating is going to keep wood planks from shrinking and warping in spots. It tends to splinter making it less desirable to walk on in bare feet. Wood is not true. In other words, you may buy decking that is supposed to be the same measurement from plank to plank but it never is. This can make construction a bit challenging.

Composite(man made)- There is plastic, aluminum, composite……etc. The main benefits of these types of materials is they do not need maintenance. They do not splinter or warp and the dimensions are true. The draw back is that some do not feel that these materials are as attractive as wood.

You will have to way the pros and cons of each and decide which material is right for you. For more detailed information concerning materials, check out this Article.

WHERE TO BUY MATERIAL

All the big chain stores offer decking material. They generally stock treated pine. You can normally special order upgraded wood materials as well as composite materials.

I like to get my lumber at Glasers Lumber on north 27. The service is good and they have a large selection.

For composite materials, you may want to check out Wimsatt. on east miller. They have a large selection on hand. One of their reps will be glad to show you the material in the show room as well as the yard. This is a great way to experience the look and feel of the composite materials available.

Eikenhout on north 27 is another vendor I do business with that supplies composite materials. Ask for Darryl, he is great with customers and he can give you details on the material they stock.

If you have any questions about a specific decking material, Contact Me and I will do my best to get you some answers.

Tanner- Phillips builds decks and offers consulting services. I would be happy to come out and take a look at your project and give you a free estimate for the construction of your deck.

Leave deck page and return to construction materials page