Deck Building Forum - Ask The Pro!

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Welcome to our Deck Building Forum - for all of our information thirsty visitors looking to find answers AND to share their wisdom and experience in all things relating to how to build decks.

The Deck Building forum, or community as I like to call it, started first as a trickle of emails directly to me and I responded to every single one trying to help out. After all I do have over 20 years experience swinging a hammer and building for folks.

It's called Ask the Pro because I answer almost every question - not everything though. And lot's of other talented folks (who I also consider Pros) chime in which really makes this fun and valuable!

But it soon became overwhelming. I was repeating answers to hundreds of common building questions. And so began the concept of creating a forum on how to build decks and all things related.

Here's How it Works

It's broken down into the most common building topics that people want to learn about. The forums below are sub-categories of topic that are likely to be of interest.

If you don't find a category that seems to suit your question, click here and submit a general question. We'll categorize it later.

Start Building Your Knowledge

DIYers:
Ask the Pro a question in any of the categories below OR comment on a question if you have the answer.

Builders:
This is great exposure for deck builders or contractors as you can leave your name and company info. After all, if you give quality advice I think it's only right that you get acknowledged for your wisdom and good will to help others.

So enjoy!

Check out the list below to see if any of the categories help you out. If not, feel free to fill out a general inquiry.

Forum Categories:

Deck Design and Construction
This is our most popular forum where you will find a wide array of questions and answers concerning building techniques, tips and unique ideas and solutions people have used to build decks that perfectly suit their environment.
Framing and Decking
This forum is a bit more specific and you will find topics that get right into the technical issues and carpentry questions and more.
Stairs
This is a topic that seems to generate a lot of interest. Stairs are one of the most challenging structures to build and do require some math and accuracy in order to both function well and look good.
Railings
Another important part of any deck are the railings. Railings have to perform to certain minimum standards and also can add tremendous beauty and style. So no forum would be complete without a discussion on this topic.
Ground Level Decks
We created this forum because there is clearly a great interest in building decks with are much lower to the ground. These kinds of decks have to be built a bit differently and there are a lot of questions, tips and solutions offered in this forum.
Deck Maintenance and Repair
Everyone wants to ensure that their investment in their backyard is protected and is going to last as long as possible. Lots of helpful discussion found here.
Pools and Hot Tubs
It seems water and backyard decks go well together so we started this to help people find a place to meet and share ideas and comments on hot tubs and pools in and around a deck.
Composite Decking
Composite decking materials continue to advance and the number of product choices grows annually. As a result there are a lot of consumers wondering what is what. Here is a good place to ask your question.
Titan Post Anchor
If you have used or are thinking about using the Titan Post Anchor for one of your projects you will find lots of information and all kinds of applications discussed here.
Visitor's Pictures
Check out the story behind some of out visitors decks. Or go straight to the Deck Photo Gallery.

Deck Building Forum

Any questions you have about building decks that might not fit into any of the above categories can be asked here. If we feel that your question is best suited for one of the other categories, it will be moved.

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Other Visitor's Questions

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Covering joists with #15 felt paper
I am in process of building attached deck. I am using Trex Transend with hidden fasteners. I have the framing done and starting to lay decking. I would ...

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 ...

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 ...

Creating space under second story deck.
Our home has a walk out basement. We have a deck on the upper level. Do you have a suggestion on how to create a waterproof type ceiling on the underside ...

Why is my deck falling apart after cleaning?
Last year I paid my neighbor to clean and paint my backyard deck. Ever since he did it i see holes popping up and cracks appearing. Might he have done ...

Deck Rails and baluster spacing
I have built a deck around our above ground pool but am not sure how far apart the rails need to be so a child cannot get his/her head stuck. Can you help ...

Can we extend our deck past the house?
We plan to build a deck on our house. The back of our house is straight all the way across. Extending out of the middle of the back of our house is an ...

Novice Deck Builder and Joist Span Question
Can I use 2 x 6 joists for a deck with 7 ft. spans between beams?

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 ...

Roof top deck Question
I am building a roof top deck 2x4 on flat with 5/4 cedar decking onto a torch on roof. What material can i use to put between the roof and the 2x4?

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 ...

Stair Hand Rail Height Requirement
What is the height requirement for the hand rail on deck stairs in Ontario?

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/...

What color to choose???
We just built a cedar wrap around deck. Our house is a light gray with a hint of blue in it. Most times it looks mostly light gray and other times of day ...

Deck Support Beam Size for Second Floor Deck
I want to build an 8'x16' deck off my second floor but I don't want to have 3 columns. The middle one would ruin my view. What could i use?

Rim Joist to Ledger on Inside Corner of the House
Just a quick question.

They say to screw the rim joist to the end of the ledger. One side, no issues. The other side is on the inside corner of the ...

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 ...

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".

HD ...

Code and/or Requirements for minimum size of deck
I live in Atlanta Ga. Is there a minimum required walking surface area to be considered a deck?

Building in wet area
I have a customer requesting a walkway from his house to the lake he lives on. It is a very low and wet area and I am concerned about longevity of the ...

Disguising a Vent Pipe on a outer brick wall on a deck. Not rated yet
We have a gas fireplace which vents outside on the brick wall on our deck (it protrudes out from the wall about 10 inches).

It's a eyesore, to say ...

Feedback on deck price ???? Not rated yet
I'm recently built a deck in New Jersey and was just wandering what the general consensus would say about what I charged a client for a free-standing 12 ...

Converting a vinyl deck to wood Not rated yet
I have a 16 x 20 foot existing deck that has vinyl covering. At this time there are areas with rot under the vinyl in the plywood.

It requires new ...

Hot sun and composite decking Not rated yet
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?

Ipe vs. Composite Decking Not rated yet
I read over and over again that composite/synthetic decks are more expensive than pressure-treated pine decks.

But what about the cost and maintenance ...

Upper Deck Porch Flooring Options Not rated yet
We have an upper deck porch with old plywood flooring and have painted a few times... Would like to cover with a different material. What are some options....

Building cabin on 6 x 6 Posts. Load? Not rated yet
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 ...

Building a deck on a sloped roof Not rated yet
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 ...

Room below roof deck and sealing deck Not rated yet
Our deck is mainly covered and is the roof of two new bedrooms below. It is made of plywood. We are looking at a paint on primer and coating, "Hardrock"...

Attaching Railing Posts to Rim Joist Not rated yet
I have a very well built 16x14 deck, or deck surface that is, and I am looking through my options for attaching my railing posts to the rim joist which ...

Patio cover 20x20 Wood Help Not rated yet
How do I build a patio cover 20x20 wood, footings, framing, roof? Any tips much appreciated.

Spans for 2x6 Across 4x12 Beams Not rated yet
I would like to know if I can span a 2"x6" dug for # 1 - 14'-0" across two 4"x6" posts with a 4"x12" header?

The space between the headers is the 14'...

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