Lawn Care Service

10 Ways to Build a Deck That Lasts

Have you ever seen a home that has a dilapidated deck on it? It can ruin the whole appearance of a house. If a deck is constructed properly to begin with, and then properly maintained, there is no reason for this to happen. Following are ten important ingredients to building a deck that will last.

Post foundations – The foundations supporting your deck posts are critical to the life of your deck. The type of foundational support needed for your deck will be determined by the area of the country you are building in and the soil conditions. Cold climate areas need deeper footings, below the frost line, to provide a truly stable footing for your deck posts. Improper footings can cause the deck to shift and compromise the integrity of the entire structure.
Support posts – The posts setting on the footings are another important element to the support of the deck. Proper sizing and selection of material are critical. Concrete pier footings should be poured to provide a solid base between the foundation footings and the support posts. The more support posts under a deck the more stable the deck will be.
Attachment to house – Using proper techniques to attach the deck to the house will keep the deck from pulling away from the structure. The piece of lumber used to attach the deck to the house is referred to as the ledger board. The ledger board should be attached to the rim joist of the house with flashing behind it to prevent moisture seepage into the wall of the home. Making sure that the ledger is perfectly level and securely nailed into the floor joists of the home is an essential part of the deck construction.
Fasteners – Using the proper fasteners for attaching the joists and posts is also important. Strong elements that are not well connected can cause shifting.
Deck joists – The size and placement of your deck joists will determine whether a walk across your deck feels solid or springy. The narrower your joist lumber, the closer together you should position your joists. Lumber for your joists should be selected carefully to avoid any joists that are not perfectly straight.
Joist support – Your joists support your decking but what is supporting your joists besides the posts and rim? With a typical small deck, proper spacing of the joists and posts should be all that you need. However, in a larger deck, a cross beam will usually be installed to provide additional support for the load. Blocking between the joists can also strengthen the entire floor structure of the deck.
Decking lumber – Once the basic framing is completed, it is time to apply the decking lumber to create the floor of the deck. The materials used for your decking will make a big difference on the life of the deck. There three primary decking lumber types to choose from: pressure treated pine, red cedar and redwood. All three are excellent choices but each will provide a different finish for your deck.
Weather protection – In spite of the fact that the woods used for exterior decks stand up to the weather better than other types of lumber, they still need preservative treatments applied to them to maintain their condition. The wood decking material needs to have a stain or a clear sealant applied every couple of years to maintain protection against sun and water.
Vinyl decks – Natural wood products are no longer your only choice for decking materials. As with your siding, you now also have the option of finishing your deck with prefinished vinyl materials. For a long lasting clean look that is maintenance free, vinyl decking is a great choice.
Composite decks – Another maintenance free decking material is composite decking. This decking is very dense and sturdy and has a closer resemblance to a wood deck than the vinyl. The deck components are bolted together to form a very sturdy and durable structure.

Whether you choose to go with the traditional wood decking or the newer prefinished options, it is the structure underneath that is going to be the most important. If you get the foundation and framing done correctly, the rest of the deck should stand up as well.