Construction & Contractors Blog
An outdoor deck provides you home with an outdoor space where you can entertain, relax, and enjoy the sunset. But when you plan to build a deck, it is important to integrate the right materials and installation to get a long-lasting deck that looks amazing. Here are some tips to help you plan and install a beautiful, durable, and long-lasting deck for your backyard.
Choose the Decking Material
There are several different types of decking materials you can choose for your outdoor deck. There are many types of wood materials and engineered wood composites, each with its own beauty and characteristics.
For example, if you choose to go with real wood lumber, be sure to select a treated wood that will be protected against rot and insects so it does not succumb to the outdoor environment. Real wood will provide you with the natural look of wood and its variations, but you will need to be sure and treat it with a sealant every few years to protect it. You will also need to clean it off and sand any remaining stain and sealant when you treat it with a new sealer.
You can also choose a composite decking material to build your outdoor deck, which will provide you with a material that does not need to be treated with sealant and will already be durable for the outdoors. Be prepared to pay a bit more for the composite decking materials versus real wood, but your savings in the long run will come from minimal maintenance and a longer-lasting product.
Install a Stable Base
The foundation of your deck is going to be one of the most important parts of the installation. The method you use to install the footers will make a big difference in the stability of the deck's structure and its ability to weather the environment. Your decking's footers will be the supports and need to be set into the soil within your yard. And they cannot be installed just below the surface of the soil.
Solid footers extend below the soil and are set within concrete. And when you live in a region that experiences freezing temperatures in the winter, you need to find out the frost line for your region before digging your footers. The frost line is the deepest part in the ground where water freezes into ice. And the footers need to be set below the area's frost line to prevent heaving damage to the foundation. You can check online for your area's frost line or contact your local government building office. When you get your required building permits, you can find out the area's frost depth.
For more information about residential deck building, reach out to a professional.
Share13 July 2020
My name is Debbie Greenberg. I’m a single woman who owns her home, and like most homeowners I dread home repairs. I’m not very handy with do-it-yourself projects around the house. I can do a few minor repairs when necessary, but for the most part I have to call in a professional. Last year I had a leak in my roof. When it rained, water would leak into my kitchen. What appeared to be a simple fix turned out to be anything but simple. It took over four months to finally identify the problem, and double the money I was initially quoted to fix it. The problem ended up being that the flat part of my roof didn't have shingles, but a sheeting material. I learned a bit about home roofs along the way, and that is what I want to share with you.
