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Building a deck in my backyard
Posted on 9/9/20 at 7:06 pm
Posted on 9/9/20 at 7:06 pm
I want to be able to have an outdoor entertainment area in my backyard. I got a quote on what I wanted to build, but it’s a $10,000+ job. So, how difficult would it be to build a deck? I want it to be against the side of the house. Is it possible to build partly over concrete and partly over grass? I know how to use hand tools and power tools, but I’ve never built something. Is it something I can realistically do?
11
Posted on 9/9/20 at 7:11 pm to DeafJam73
Posted on 9/9/20 at 7:56 pm to DeafJam73
10k! Jesus that’s obnoxious. I built a 15x18 with cinder blocks and bricks as the base. Cost was around $700. Could have been less but I added a few things. Watch a YouTube video, it’s easy. Make sure you square it up to the house. Make sure you use star headed screws, they go in fast. The hardest part will be leveling the entire deck.
It’s all going to come down how much time you have.
It’s all going to come down how much time you have.
Posted on 9/9/20 at 8:06 pm to tigers9898
What do you mean by how much time I have? I don’t really have a deadline. Off on the weekends, I can do work in the evening after work.
Posted on 9/9/20 at 8:14 pm to DeafJam73
If this project can wait, you might want to wait for lumber prices to come back down. If you're spending 4 figures on wood, you can probably save 4 figures by waiting.
Posted on 9/9/20 at 8:59 pm to DeafJam73
quote:
I know how to use hand tools and power tools, but I’ve never built something. Is it something I can realistically do?
chances are very high some areas will look like shite, but it is very doable. Can you crown a joist or determine which way a deck board cups?Posted on 9/9/20 at 9:44 pm to MoarKilometers
quote:
Can you crown a joist or determine which way a deck board cups?
I don’t know what that means....
Posted on 9/9/20 at 10:14 pm to DeafJam73
quote:
I want to be able to have an outdoor entertainment area in my backyard. I got a quote on what I wanted to build, but it’s a $10,000+ job. So, how difficult would it be to build a deck? I want it to be against the side of the house. Is it possible to build partly over concrete and partly over grass? I know how to use hand tools and power tools, but I’ve never built something. Is it something I can realistically do?
I just had a 54x12 piece of concrete poured for $3400 cash. A deck to me is a wooden porch with no roof. A porch would included a roof which would change the cost significantly. The least amount of wood on or around my house is the way to go.
This post was edited on 9/9/20 at 10:17 pm
Posted on 9/9/20 at 10:48 pm to DeafJam73
You need to wait for lumber prices to come down.
I'm seeing 2x pricing for treated lumber at the local Home Depot versus what it costs a year ago.
I'm seeing 2x pricing for treated lumber at the local Home Depot versus what it costs a year ago.
Posted on 9/9/20 at 11:04 pm to DeafJam73
quote:It's not that hard, you would probably figure it out on your own without knowing the terminology. It's all about making sure water doesn't pool on the deck.quote:I don’t know what that means....
Can you crown a joist or determine which way a deck board cups?
No board is perfectly straight, so you need to look down the edge and determine which way they curve. The joists, which install on edge and support the deck boards, should have the "crown" up. You want the deck slightly turtlebacked rather than saggy. Deck boards, which obviously install laid down, may be slightly "cupped". This is exactly as it sounds, one side may hold water and the other side won't. You don't want your deck to hold water.
Posted on 9/9/20 at 11:12 pm to DeafJam73
I built one out of composite boards on those cinder block feet that have grooves for the boards. It was up against my house and built after a metal patio cover was installed. Came out great even tho there was no YouTube to watch (about 15 years ago) I just bought a cpl books at Lowe’s. I don’t know what Composite cost these days but it was definitely more expensive back then but will last a lifetime with zero maintenance. By once cry once
This post was edited on 9/9/20 at 11:13 pm
Posted on 9/10/20 at 8:28 am to DeafJam73
It's doable. Getting your posts super square is probably the most critical part of the project. If you start out of square, you're going to hit more and more problems as you go trying to compensate and fix it later.
Look up corner to corner square measurement. If you're building a rectangle or square structure, and all your adjacent sides are cut identically, you can get it square using this method even without a square.
Do NOT leave gaps in your boards. The wood will dry and shrink over time and provide you with gaps. It's also a pain in the arse to drop something on your deck only to have it fall through your deck.
Look up corner to corner square measurement. If you're building a rectangle or square structure, and all your adjacent sides are cut identically, you can get it square using this method even without a square.
Do NOT leave gaps in your boards. The wood will dry and shrink over time and provide you with gaps. It's also a pain in the arse to drop something on your deck only to have it fall through your deck.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 8:44 am to DeafJam73
quote:
I don’t know what that means....
In that case, you really need to hire someone. Just work with them and ask questions to learn something. Hell, you paid to go to school, why not this?
Posted on 9/10/20 at 12:50 pm to DeafJam73
i did mine over a few weekends. 21' wide by 11'/13' long. It curves out to 13'. Used tigerwood decking boards and black aluminum railings. It not to bad once you get the post in. Got any questions, email me
<----@gmail.com
<----@gmail.com
Posted on 9/10/20 at 1:40 pm to jojothetireguy
I have guys here working on mine. It was something I thought I could DIY, but we decided to do an addition to the house and a covered/screened porch. I might have been fine just rebuilding a deck.
The hardest part is setting posts and getting the frame square. After that, if you can swing a hammer and run a drill, it is fairly repetitive work. About 10 years ago, my old deck was looking bad. Posts and railings were horrible and needed replaced, and the deck boards didn't look too hot. We laid composite deck boards and installed new railings, and it gave it another 10 years.
Main reason we're doing this now is because of COVID. I need a legit home office instead of a desk in a bonus room. And the wife has dreamed of a screened porch forever, so we're killing two birds with one stone.
The hardest part is setting posts and getting the frame square. After that, if you can swing a hammer and run a drill, it is fairly repetitive work. About 10 years ago, my old deck was looking bad. Posts and railings were horrible and needed replaced, and the deck boards didn't look too hot. We laid composite deck boards and installed new railings, and it gave it another 10 years.
Main reason we're doing this now is because of COVID. I need a legit home office instead of a desk in a bonus room. And the wife has dreamed of a screened porch forever, so we're killing two birds with one stone.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 3:51 pm to DeafJam73
Yes you can look in to using deck blocks for any level deck. Square and screwed properly its easy to do.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 4:39 pm to redfish99
OP and anybody else that wants to learn some wood building skills. Join in of Habitat for Humanity Groups. 
Posted on 9/11/20 at 10:06 am to fishfighter
quote:
OP and anybody else that wants to learn some wood building skills. Join in of Habitat for Humanity Groups
Yep. I haven't been on one in a while, but you learn the basics pretty quick when you and a couple of other people are framing walls.
Last one I went on, it wasn't a ground up build, which I thought was kind of odd. Someone had donated an old tiny house with a decent size backyard, and we were just painting the outside that day. It was part of our larger group at work, and we sent crews of 6-8 people every day for a week. I was near the end of the week and they had already painted the inside, done some electrical and plumbing repairs and updates, and other cosmetic repairs. We painted the outside, and poured a little concrete patio and step down into the yard. While waiting on the first coat of paint to dry we cleaned up some overgrown brush in the yard and drug it all to the road.
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