Do it yourself

As some on the list may recall, a new deck was last summers project. This not only included building the deck but replacing a window with a door for access. Since this structure was built over the top of an existing portion of concrete driveway that was no longer in use there were very few pillar problems. My first recommendation is to use plenty of supports, around the perimeter as well as in the center. I set my stringers on 24 inch centers and put all the planking as tightly together as I could. I now have nice 1/4 inch gape between the blanks. Had I left gaps when it was being built, the cat would fall through the floor. My second recommendation is DO NOT USE NAILS. there is not a nail in our deck except for the decorative section in the railing and it was cut to fit so tight that I probably could have gotten away without fastening. I did fasten the deck to the house but did not worry about problems since it was attached over the lower course of steel siding, and the local codes do not require a permit for a deck. The result of all the extra supports and complete assembly using screws is that my neighbor who weighs in at just over 400 pounds can do what ever he wants and it does not vibrate. I've walked across corner-cutter decks and thought I might fall through at any moment. I've yet to see a deck that was built using nails and is a couple of years old that doesn't have nail heads sticking up all over the place, and boy do they get your attention when you catch a bare foot on one. Dale in the Flat Lands