How to Plan Building a Wooden Deck

You have been dreaming about having a summer time barbecue at your house with family and friends for a long time. This dream has never come true because the only thing missing was a nice wooden deck to have a good old Atlanta southern barbecue in style. 

Taking the plunge you have decided to it is time to have one built as having a deck to your home is a beautiful extension to your house and can even increase its value.

Before you decide to get quotes from Atlanta deck contractors or from wherever you live, they are a few things you need to decide on first. 

Location of Your Deck

Determining the location of your deck is an important factor when it comes to designing a deck.  Most decks are added to the back or side of a home or where there is an available door leading to the deck.  Other factors you should consider when deciding the location of the deck are the view, exposure to the sun, privacy and underground utilities. 

One item that is usually forgotten and can bring disaster in the future are the community zoning laws as well as neighborhood rules.

Special Deck Accommodations

Even though some of us tend to want to hide certain aspects of our home to make it more pleasing to the eye, you should never cover any in-ground utilities like wells or septic tanks unless a proper access panel is build around them.

Another item to take into consideration would be the downspout of a gutter as no one wants to have water pouring into the deck during heavy rain as it will eventually cause damage to the boards.  Even if there is an opening thru the deck for the downspout, make sure that it properly runs away from the deck posts as it will cause them to rot overtime.

How Big Should Your Wooden Deck Be?

Of course the size of the deck will have a large affect on the cost of the deck but it should also be large enough to accommodate your needs.

For example, is you deck just an add-on to go from the house to the backyard or will it be used to hold barbecues?  If it is the later, you need to estimate how much space you will need for tables and chairs.

If you intend to have a hot tub or Jacuzzi on your deck then the deck will probably need to be reinforced to hold the weight of the water and the tub.

One way to estimate the size of the deck is to get some rope and some stakes and start outlying the shape of your deck in the backyard.  Once you have the shape and size you want measure it and make a rough sketch of it.  This will help when you start taking bids from Atlanta deck contractors or for when it comes time to buying material.

Using these estimates, you can then go to the local hardware store and the local lumber yard to get prices on material which will help you create a budget for the deck.

Type of Wood to Use

They are many types of wood that are great for deck building just be wary that not all woods are equal in different climates.  Do remind yourself that wood will turn grey over time unless you maintain it on a regular basis.

Some of the most popular types of woods for deck building are:

Pressure-treated woods – Pressure treated wood is just wood that has been injected with chemical preservatives to keep make it more resistant to termites, rotting and fungus.

Western Red Cedar – A reddish brown colored wood that has a good resistance to the elements.  It tends to turn a silver color over time when not treated and maintained properly.

Redwood – Much like the Western Red Cedar, Redwood is resistant to the elements and is a bit more rot resistant.

On a last note, it’s always a good idea to check with the local government and home owner association before you start as some places may require you to get a building permit or may have restrictions on size and deck colors.