Decks and Patios

How will you create that perfect outdoor space?

The area of Decks and Patios or outdoor spaces in general is a topic that will be discussed with regard to almost any home built. This is because of our need for some outdoor space directly associates with our home.

I will begin by covering the topic of Pressure Treated Wood as it is the base material for most deck structures as well as a very desireable deck and fencing finish material.From here I will cover COMPOSITE DECKING I have also included an in depth article on Trex Transcend Decking Next I will cover Natural Cedar Decking and the wonderful natural options it offers.

Deck Design...So Many Styles and Options

In the decking material links above I also cover the correct fasteners for each type of material so be sure and read each section thoroughly, especially the section on pressure treated wood since this is the material used to create the framing for any type of deck system.

Let’s cover deck components now.

• Everything will be supported by deck posts which are typically either 4x4 or 6x6 in size.

• These posts must be anchored by either a pier or by placing the treated post in the ground to such a point where it is below any local potential frost level.

• Attached to the posts and supporting all the structure could be a beam located under and running perpendicular to the joists to hold them in the air.

• If the deck is attached directly to the home it will be done at the point of a deck ledger board.

• This point will also need a flashing system to shed water away from the deck ledger and wall point of contact. Remember that if your sub frame is ACQ treated you will need a non metallic flashing like Rhino deck flash from Rhino Decking.

• From here the boards going around the edge of the deck are referred to as rim joists. The rim joist perpendicular to the regular joist may be doubled to form a flush beam if that is in the deck plan.

• The boards evenly spaced through-out are the joists.

• Joists are normally spaced 16” on center, the exception is when decking is placed diagonal to the joist then spacing should be moved to 12” on center.

With a general description of all the basic components it is very critical to remember how important it is to lay your new deck out completely prior to beginning this process. One of the most common problems I see people do is place their deck post so they attach directly to the rim joists without checking to see if those support posts will conflict with placement of the posts required to come up from the deck to hold a railing system.

I encourage you to find a complete deck plan that matches your needs and details all this process. For that reason I have included pages of deck images of every conceivable shape size and use, including multi-level, hot tub, and pool decks. By clicking on any one of these images you will be taken to a detailed page about that deck. If this plan meets your needs you will be able to purchase that plan directly for less than $15 and download the complete plan including material list and instructions immediately.

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Single and Multi-level..Plus Pool Deck Plans


Hot Tub Deck Plans and Special Deck Designs


If you are looking for more information on deck building I have included an assortment of 7 deck specialty books on the pressure treated wood page.

For ways to use solar energy to power your outdoor lighting, click here

If you would prefer to brouse the deck plans and decking books I have included a link below directly to the deck plans web site. This is by far the most informative and cost effective source for deck plans on the internet.

From here I will move into the area of PATIOS where I will go into more details on how to develop a space that is in direct contact with the ground. Patios come in many shapes and are created with a variety of materials.

My hope is that this section will give you some good ideas to plan an outdoor space that is both inviting and very functional to your needs.

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