6 Tips to Minimize Deck Board Cupping and Make Your Deck Last Longer 
I’ve recently had a large deck built by a professional decking company. Only a few weeks ago we began to notice the boards are cupping and twisting. It …

Deck built on top of coping of above ground pool 
We hired a deck builder who came highly recommended. We need to build a deck one 21 inches down from our existing deck to get into our above ground pool. …

Rising deck every year from frost 
I have a deck which was built about 20 years ago. The problem it is rising in the corner every year more and more. At first I thought it was the cold …

Hot sun and composite decking 
How does the sun and composite decking do? Does the composite decking get too hot in the sun? Does it get too hot to walk on with bare feet?

Floating or Ledger Attached Porch Deck? 
I want to make landing at our front entrance which is four feet above grade. The size will be 8' along the house and coming out 10'. Do I need to attach …

Building cabin on 6 x 6 Posts. Load? 
I am building a cabin on top of 6 x 6 high above the ground. My calculations for dead & live weight load are questionable. Will my 6 x 6 every 6 feet …

Installing a ramp in a porch 
I have a porch across the font of my small house facing the street. My front yard is small and right on the street. My property line on one side is only …

2 x 4 for floating deck using Deck Block Possible? 
I am building a small (about 5 ft by 11 ft) rectangular floating deck to butt up to an already existing concrete block using these Deck Blocks. http://deckplans.com/how-i …

Stain Color of Deck in Picture Gallery? 
What is the stain color of the deck picture shown in the picture gallery at this URL. There are a couple of pictures with this rich type of stain …

Wood Post and Footing Foundation Question 
I took apart an old deck. The deck posts were placed onto concrete with a J bolt sticking out (rusted) and into the posts. When i took the deck apart …

Ipe vs. Composite Decking 
I read over and over again that composite or synthetic decks are more expensive than pressure-treated pine decks. But what about the cost and maintenance …

Roof deck and Outdoor fire place 
Our new house is located in a major city. We have a roof deck with a gas hookup (I assume for a grill). My question is can we safely put an outdoor fireplace …

Building a deck on a sloped roof 
I want to build a deck on a sloped roof. My plan is to open up the roof and sit a couple of 4x4 posts on top of the outside wall. How do I flash between …

framing and decking 
I am installing Doug fir for my decking and have been told to hold each board tight with no gap. Then when the lumber dries out there will be about a 1/4" …

Need help finding replacement LEDs 
I purchased post cap lighting from Home Depot. The brand of the lighting, and also the aluminum balusters I used in the deck railing, is "Stiles". …

Beam hanger for Concrete Deck Footing 
I cannot seem to find a deck "beam hanger" or structural connector that has "feet" that can be placed into the wet cement of a footer. I can find that …

Building a Free Standing Deck Footing Question 
The problem I have is that my proposed deck spans from my basement french doors that has a 4 step walk up. I would like to build a free standing deck. …

Pressure Treated Deck Boards - what side up 
Going to put down the deck boards. Wondering what side should be up? The bark side or the other side?

Installing a ledger board without a rim joist on 2nd story 
I have older home that was built using 2x4's and noticed there is no rim joist between the 1st and 2nd floors. what additional considerations are there …

Installing decking with grain curving up? Not rated yet
I'm in the process of building a western red cedar deck. I've been installing the decking boards such that the end grain forms a dome (bark-side up). …

Screw piles for stair footings? Not rated yet
I have a deck about 2' high and I'm planning to build stairs along the entire 18' side away from the house. I'm looking at about 4 steps with 10" treads. …

Can someone help me tell the difference between ipe and cumaru Not rated yet
I am a homeowner who contracted a guy to do build a 16x40 foot deck using ipe decking. The deck is almost done but the ipe doesn't look like what was …

Spacing of the last two deck boards Not rated yet
Just finishing last 2 boards, and I have a spacing problem. I have not fastened down the last 5 boards so I could do some adjustments. As you see in …

Is a deck considered part of the building? Not rated yet
In order to determine if I build a pergola on my deck, I need to determine if the deck is part of the building or if it is to be considered separate from …

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Ledger lateral load system questions Not rated yet
I am building a deck and my township requires the use for a lateral load system. I guess you need to tie your deck through your foundation into your floor …

Extending deck beyond existing beam Not rated yet
I have a deck that is 49' by 10' and want to extend to 16'. Another 6' further out from the house. Do I have to move the support posts and beam the …

Deck Support Posts Rotting at Base Not rated yet
I own a seven year old townhome with a 2nd floor deck with log posts and railings that need replacing due to rot. The log materials are untreated …

Successfully UN-planned DIY Project Not rated yet
UN-Planned? So, how does that work? Like this: After years of doing 99% of all remodeling, etc, between my lovely wife and I, we found ourselves …

Our "Visit to the clouds" 5 terraced deck Not rated yet
A little more than two years ago my wife and I bought our new home which was large enough for our large family of 8, yet boasted a back yard of solid bedrock …