By Ron Bronzel / Dec 14, 2020
One man decided to DIY his own backyard deck. Here’s his original design for the project.
No home is complete without a deck. There’s really nothing like being able to relax on a backyard patio in the summer, grilling burgers and spending quality time with your friends and family. So when one man was tired of not having a place to sit outside, he created his own mock-up of the ideal deck. And since it would’ve been expensive to bring in professionals, this amateur builder decided to do it all himself!
Properly laying out the posts was one of the most important elements of the design.
After the initial measurements, he then set up some lounge chairs to see if he was comfortable with the dimensions.
The only part of the project that he subcontracted was the digging of the post holes. It was just too much of a pain!
The holes were drilled four feet deep; he inserted Sonotube forms, filled them with concrete, and let them dry.
The homeowner picked out gorgeous cedar planks for the deck; for the framework, he used treated hardwood.
The man’s next step was to set the beams.
This bare yard really did need a makeover, didn’t it?
He made the structure stronger by doubling up on the main beam before properly plumbing and leveling everything.
With 16 inches on center and two-by-eight joists, this deck was going to last a long, long time!
It took more than 70 joist hangers—with 10 screws each—to set up the frame. Not surprisingly, he broke two drill bits.
Uh-oh. He ran into a problem due to the house not being a perfect square. What to do?
Because of the house’s imperfect edge, the stairs on the right would be shorter than the ones to the left. This would’ve created an awkward triangular-shaped step on the corner.
So the homeowner had to improvise a bit…
Thankfully, his tweak worked, and he was able to fashion the frame for the stairs.
He even added a thoughtful touch: a vegetable garden!
For extra support, he doubled up on the border.
He then added skirting so he can get fresh veggies straight from the deck.
Next step: blocking and nailing strips.
Nothing compares to the smell of fresh cedar.
A double border added a touch of elegance.
Those miters were pretty perfect!
The raw wood stood out thanks to hidden fasteners.
The homeowner didn’t even use a tape measure. Instead, he simply lined up the boards and made a clean cut.
Save for some scraps and the unplanted vegetable garden, the deck was pretty much finished.
Just look at those steps!
There’d be plenty of space for an outdoor dining set and grill.
It looked even better once it was washed up.
The dogs certainly seemed to approve!
