Tips For Building Wood Decks
Answering Questions About Wood Decks
Tips For Building Wood Decks Q and A.
Q. What type of wood should I use for my swimming
pool deck?
Redwood is the most popular of choices, but more expensive
than other options.
If stained and treated properly, a white wood deck will
fulfill the look and needs
of most homeowners. Although Redwood 4 x 4 support posts
should be used and
pressure treated 2 x 4's for around the bottom for attaching
the skirting. Another
option for the decking itself would be composite board.
It is virtually maintenance
free for many years but quite a bit more expensive.
Q. What type of lumber should I use for my mobile
home deck?
Since most of the decks we build for mobile homes or park
models get carpeted with
some sort of indoor outdoor carpet basic white wood is fine
for framing. Remember
to use treated lumber when coming in contact with concrete or
dirt. The sheeting
should be a 3/4" treated plywood {tongue and groove is
recommended}.
Q. How long will my deck last?
That would
depend on several factors, like whether or not the
deck is under the shade
of a patio cover or covered with carpet, or, like in the case
of decks for above ground
swimming pools, exposed to direct sunlight most of the time.
The most common problem
people have with carpeted decks is the plywood warping.
Once it is carpeted there is not
much maintenance you can do, but in the building stage, make
sure you use high quality
plywood and good deck screws, lots of them {and frame on 16"
centers}. Pool decks that are
made of white wood and exposed to direct sunlight will require
some maintenance. Every year
or two the deck should be well cleaned or pressure washed and
a coat of good quality
sealer applied. If these tips are followed you should
expect at least 10 - 20 years of enjoyment
from your wood deck.
Q. How long does it take to build a wood deck?
Normally our
deck projects take from 2-4 days to complete.
After your backyard or patio has
been turned into a construction site, the size of the project,
the weather and the ability of the
contractor building the deck will be your main factors.
If you are doing the deck project
yourself it is best to set aside a block of time to do the
major portion of the work, mainly
because of the amount of time spent cleaning up and putting
away tools every time you quit
for the day.
Q. How stable will my wood deck be if it only goes
partially around my above ground pool?
If you use plenty of cross bracing on the underside you should
be just fine.
Q. How high should the deck go on an above ground
pool?
I have seen
above ground pool decks
built in many ways at many different levels. I like multiple level decks.
The largest portion of the deck would be 6" to 1' off the ground with a
small entry deck at pool level. Here are a few things to think about with
regards to deck height. A large deck area at pool level might give you a
somewhat uncomfortable view around
the neighborhood or allow
the neighbors a great view of you and your family. The
second concern for building at pool
level is how a new liner will be installed. If the liner
is a beaded liner they normally attach to the
wall in a groove under the pool to rail. In this case
building a deck up to or over the top railing is
not a problem. If your above ground pool has an overlap
type liner the pool rails need to
come off when it is time to replace it. The screws for the
decorative top caps and the top rails
and usually the upright caps all need to be accessible.
The deck can either be built to pull away
from the pool or set just below the top rails. Otherwise a
lot of dismantling and rebuilding will take
place every time a liner needs to be changed. The way I prefer
to change liners is to stretch
the liner over the existing frame of the pool until the
center of the liner is off the ground.
To do this I either need a deck that is at least a foot down
from the top rail or one the can be
pulled back completely away from the pool.
R.L. Fielding has some great tips for wood deck owners,
not tips for building wood decks, but tips for how to maintain them.
Winterize Your Deck
Deck Prep Tips
Restore Your Deck
top of Tips for Building Wood Decks
