Backyard deck building
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@Catseye3 said in Backyard deck building:
What George said at the end of his post you should pay attention to. He has posted pics of some of the things he's built, and they are lovely and very professional looking. If he would hesitate to tackle it, that should be a red flag.
Maybe you could do some prep, i.e., look at some YouTubes, get some woodworking books, build a couple of small items like maybe a table to put on your new deck, maybe a doghouse . . . and then ask your pro if you could trail around after him and observe how he does it.
There -- advice from one who has zero experience whatsoever.
That's a good idea.
Years ago, I had a block wall fence built on our property. The guy I hired was a mason, so I asked if I could help. What I found out, is that an experienced mason is way above my ability. While I was trying to get just the right amount of mortar, and position it right, there would be too much mortar, or not enough, so no way to make a straight line.People with the skills and background are worth the $.
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We have a home made deck built by the Roy Rogers impersonator we bought the house from.
I'd hire a bloke. And not just any bloke.
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@Catseye3 said in Backyard deck building:
What George said at the end of his post you should pay attention to. He has posted pics of some of the things he's built, and they are lovely and very professional looking.
Let me add to what you said, and thanks for the compliment.
Almost everything I've built was from a set of plans, or at least a photograph of something I thought I could do.
I built the desk I'm sitting at, and it's pretty damn fine. I saw a picture, blew it up, scaled it for proportion with some minor variations, etc. Well-proportioned, etc. I love the thing.
Then, I built a sewing desk/hutch for Mrs. George based on how I thought it should look. It was a disaster - totally disproportioned and awkward (no, I have no pictures).
I've commented that I'm the most un-original person I know, but I can follow instructions (plans) well. I can't improvise worth a damn.
Building a deck on-site is a study in improvisation.
Don't.
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The carpentry on a deck is doable - once the proper foundation is set.
Aye, there's the rub. Getting the foundation right is difficult. Not that it is beyond your ability,
Given that your current situation is a patio, the first step is removing all that concrete. Once you have done that and considering your location, I would want to go with nice pavers, something that is permeable with all the water. I have a large wooden deck (30' x 15' plus a 13' square covered pavilion). It's a lot of maintenance. It could only be worse in a very wet area. At the very least use a composite material, which makes the foundation a bit more complicated because you need to lay the deck on much closer joist centers. I would do 8".
Building and tearing out walls in your house is easy. For a deck I would hire a pro.
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Tell you what, you come haul pavers and sand for my patio, I’ll come swing a hammer for yours...
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Not sure why i remembered this video, but maybe it fits here.
Link to video
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I'm the Lone Dissenter.
If the current slab drains decently, you're not having to grade out anything. You can build a deck with no more power tools than a skilsaw and a battery drill driver, as long as you aren't desiring some curvy piece of art.
Hiring it done will result in it being done much faster, with less mess and fuss. Probably a few less curse words.
But what's the fun in that?
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That is true - you could use the existing slab as the foundation. I'd cantilever it so that the slab did not show.
Is there a step down from the house to the slab? The only reason I have a deck instead of a paver patio is I wanted teh deck level with the first floor. I think it extends the house more.
