by Kevin Hardcastle

Created on: June 28, 2008   Last Updated: April 15, 2010

Adding a deck to your home is a challenging project, and one not to take on lightly. If you do it wrong, chances are it will collapse.

Literally thousands of DIY decks collapse every year due to faulty installation.
However, if you can follow directions, are reasonably competent with a circular saw, tape measure, drill and jigsaw; this project is not out of reach.

Several years ago now, I owned a home improvement business. I've built many decks of varying sizes and complexity over the years, and I'll tell you things that many contractors won't, along with some things many don't do. When you are finished, you'll have a problem free, safe deck to be proud of.

The first thing you need to decide is the size you want. Costs average around six to seven dollars per square foot. So an 8x10 deck will cost anywhere from $500-$600 in materials, plus equipment rental. This is a general estimate; lumber costs vary greatly in different regions.

Freestanding decks have a different foundation layout than back porch styles, and are a lot more complicated to build. I strongly recommend using a contractor for this job, even if it is a simple square or rectangular deck. If you feel you can handle that, or something a little more complicated such as an octagon or hexagon, more power to you.

However, if you plan on going around a pool, or are considering a multilevel, please use a contractor. Otherwise, a freestanding deck amounts to adding another foundation in place of the wall, with some cross bracing involved and creative use of joists and bracing for those. Again, I strongly recommend hiring a contractor for this job.

Your city inspector will tell you whether you need a building permit and give you a small handout on what safety considerations need to be incorporated as well as how deep your foundations need to be placed.

Home Depot, in most areas, has a computer system that will give you a materials list, foundation placement guide, and some instructions on how your deck should go together. Along with tips for the more complicated deck styles you may be thinking about. This can be a great help in deciding what will work best for you.

Once decided, you will need to stake out the area the deck will cover. This is a simple operation if you're adding a back porch style deck. You will need a string line level, and eight stakes for a deck smaller than10x15. Sixteen if you are over that size. These can be cut out of any scrap lumber that will be easy to push or hammer in the ground.

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