what is the best way to frame up a 10x12 deck

If you lot've always dreamed of building your ain deck, but were hesitant to tackle such a big, complicated construction project, nosotros've got some good news. We asked This Quondam Firm general contractor Tom Silva to demonstrate the proper techniques for edifice a small, simple on-grade deck. All you demand to be successful at DIY deck building are some basic carpentry tools and the desire to invest a little sweat equity.

Building a Simple Deck

The deck shown here features a pressure-treated flooring frame that'due south supported by a ledger board and concrete piers, and topped with 5/4-inch decking. And because the deck is just a one footstep high, no railing was required. Now simply follow Tom's tips and build your own backyard oasis. Information technology's a great way to make your neighbors jealous.

Anatomy of a Deck

An on-grade deck—one built just higher up the ground—doesn't require posts, steps, or railings. But it has the aforementioned structural elements as any deck—ledger, joists, beams and piers. Edifice one begins with determining the sizes of the framing cloth.

Tom Silva uses these rules fo thumb: for rim joists or beams made of doubled-upwards 2x lumber, the boards' nominal width (in inches) should match the span (in feet). So a rim joist spanning 10 feet requires two 2x10s. The ledger is made from a single board of the same width. For interior joists, Tom halves the span and then adds two—a joist spanning 8 feet warrants a 2x6. (In all cases, round up odd numbers or fractions to the next even number.)

Step 1: Attach the Ledger

Photo by David Carmack

Remove the building's trim and siding to 1 foot above the superlative of where the ledger volition sit. Cover the exposed sheathing with cocky-adhering waterproof membrane.

Mark the exact location of the top of the ledger. (By lawmaking, any pace downward to the finish decking, which sits atop the ledger, must be 4 to 7¾ inches beneath the door sill.) Snap a level chalk line.

Cut a 2-inch-wide, 1½-inch-thick treated wood spacer for every 2 feet of ledger length. Align the top of each spacer with the chalk line and fasten with a 6d nail.

Marshal the ledger with the tops of the spacers and nail information technology to the wall at each spacer with a 16d nail. (Joints between ledger boards should autumn on a spacer.)

Drill a three⅜-inch pilot hole through the ledger and into the house's rim joist at each spacer, following a zigzag pattern. In each hole insert a ½-inch lag screw and tighten it against a washer using an impact wrench or socket wrench.

Stride 2: Protect the Ledger

Photo by David Carmack

Cut a strip of cocky-adhering waterproof membrane 6 inches wide and the aforementioned length as the ledger.

Fold the membrane lengthwise along its middle line to grade a correct bending. Employ it over the ledger-to-business firm joint so one leg covers the top of the spacer blocks and ledger and the other leg extends up the wall.

Cutting a strip of metal flashing at least 6 inches wide and every bit long as the ledger. (If more than i strip of flashing is needed, overlap the ends by 3 inches and bed them in siliconized acrylic caulk.)

Fold the metallic lengthwise to form a right angle. Use information technology over the waterproof membrane.

Drive roofing nails through the flashing's pinnacle edge every 8 inches.

Fasten curtained-flange double joist hangers at both ends of the ledger and flush with its lesser edge, using joist hanger nails.

Step 3: Set Footings and Piers

Photo by David Carmack

Set up batter boards and bricklayer's strings and determine footing locations at the deck's outside corners and at viii-foot intervals along the front end rim joist. Mark each location, then temporarily remove the bricklayer's strings.

At each footing location, dig a hole wide enough to hold the ground grade and deep plenty to extend beneath frost line.

Assemble ground and pier forms co-ordinate to the manufacturer's instructions, and so position one in each hole. Gently backfill.

To determine each pier'southward finish acme, run a level line from the top of the ledger to the pier tube. From this line, measure down i/16 inch per foot of the pier'due south distance from the business firm, plus the height of the rim joist and post base. Marker the course at this point. Repeat for each pier. Trim pier tubes at these marks.

Check the positioning of the piers and suit if necessary. Make full with concrete, using a shovel to work out air pockets (above). Allow the physical to cure for one week.

Step 4: Install Post Bases and Side Rim Joists

Photo by David Carmack

Place a postal service base atop a pier, positioning it so information technology volition not interfere with joist hangers, and mark its location. Remove post base and bore into pier with a hammer drill equipped with a masonry flake. Reposition post base, insert an anchor bolt, and tighten with an bear on wrench. Repeat for each pier.

Cut pressure-treated 2x stock for the doubled side rim joists and beams. Glue them upward with construction adhesive and smash them together from both sides with 12d nails, spaced every 16 inches in a zigzag pattern.

Fit a side rim joist into a joist hanger at one end of the ledger, square the corner, and toenail through the hanger into the ledger with 16d nails. Rest the joist's opposite end on a corner pier. Repeat with the other side joist, removing mason's strings every bit necessary.

Cutting pressure-treated 2x stock for the deck's front rim joist. Stagger any butt joints by varying lath lengths, making certain joints fall in the middle of post anchors.

Footstep 5: Install Front Rim Joist, Beams, and Interior Joists

Photo by David Carmack

Fasten curtained-flange double joist hangers on the ends of the front rim joist's inner 2xs. Then fit the inner 2xs into the post bases.

Fit a side rim joist into a front hanger, and foursquare the corner. Secure the forepart rim joist 2x to the postal service bases with hanger nails. Then bulldoze six 16d nails through the face of the front rim joist into the end of the side rim joist. Echo with the other side rim joist.

Fasten face-mounted double joist hangers for beams every 8 feet on center along the front rim joist and ledger, flush with their bottom edges.

Fit and smash each beam equally described above.

Complete the doubled front end rim joist by gluing and nailing the outer 2xs to the inner 2xs.

Install 2x joist hangers along the beams, 16 inches on center. (Joists, once inserted, should be affluent with the top border of the ledger, rim joists, and beams.)

Step 6: Install Front Rim Joist, Beams, and Interior Joists (continued)

Photograph by David Carmack

So, fit and toenail the joists through the hangers.

TIP: If the joist has a crown—a slight arc along its edge—install information technology crown-side up.

Step 7: Attach Trim and Decking

Photograph by David Carmack

Nail paint-form trim boards as wide as the rim joists to their outside faces with 2 8d hot-dipped galvanized or stainless finish nails spaced every 12 to 16 inches. Scarf whatever joints in the run; miter joints at the corners.

Mensurate the distance from the wall to the outside of the trim board and add together 1 inch for overhang. Cut the deck boards to this length.

Clasp a bead of polyurethane marine sealant on the summit edge of a side rim joist. (This adhesive actually fastens the decking in identify.) Lay a direct deck board in the adhesive so its long border overhangs the trim board by 1 inch. Secure each end of the deck board with an 8d end smash.

Tack 8d finish nails into the joists alongside the first lath to maintain consistent spacing. Clasp dabs of adhesive onto the top border of each joist. Lay and boom the next deck board as before. Go along gluing and nailing until the deck is complete. (Add together more nails just if a board does non lie direct or flat.)

Replace the firm'southward siding to within ½ to 1 inch of the decking.

TIP: Decking laid at right angles to the house makes for a stronger front edge.

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Tools:

nelsontand1963.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/decking/21016509/how-to-build-a-simple-deck

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