Located on the garden or entrance of detached houses, the deck brings many advantages in terms of both aesthetics and usage. Nowadays, many people want to build a new deck in their homes. Besides, building a deck costs are often wondered. Is building deck expensive? How can you build a new and useful deck for your home?
Deck emerges as a floor type in terms of architecture. It represents a surface being walked on and has a certain height above the ground. Although there are examples inside houses, in general, the deck is located outside the house in front of it. The deck, also known as the veranda, is derived from the term “deck” on ships and is known as the walk-on area.
Deck costs are not quite high due to the space and ease of use it offers. Building deck in the United States is around $ 7,500 on average. These costs may increase or decrease depending on the size of the deck and the quality of the material used.
In addition to the material used in deck costs, there is also labor cost. Considering the overall costs, an average cost of $ 45 per square foot arises. This means that if you build a standard deck, you will pay around $ 6000.
Costs are decreased and if a very cheap deck is built, it costs at least $ 5,800. If a large deck made of luxurious and quality materials is being built, 10800 $ should be willing to pay.
Thus, it can be deduced that building a new deck is not expensive. It’s cost may vary between 5.800 $ and 10,800$. For other countries, costs may vary.
Essentials of Building Deck
Wooden materials are often used in the construction of decks. The verandas of the houses are usually located in the garden part. Therefore, by using wood, the deck becomes a part of the garden. Decks may not contain only wood. Composite materials and aluminum can also be used when building deck. Using polystyrene and plastic materials also has a lowering effect on costs.
If wood material will be used during construction, softwoods are used. Unnatural materials are often used to protect the deck against external influences. Such materials prolong the life of the deck by preventing wear and deterioration.
The wood material used is processed using pressure. This type of wood lasts longer than others. It is known as a material resistant to cold and wetness in harsh winter conditions, especially in the northern regions. Besides, it provides a protective skeleton against insects and creatures that damage the wood. Considering all these situations, it is understood that the use of pressure-treated wood is quite advantageous.
What Are The Steps of Building Deck?
First of all, it is necessary to take the measurements of the place where the deck will be built. Calculations are made according to the measurements taken and an average material cost is deducted for the building deck.
After the costs are calculated, orders are placed and the materials and tools to be used are made ready.
The ground on which the deck will be built must not be too wet. Built on very wet and soft floors, the deck can sit on the ground after a while. This will cause an elevation difference between the house and the veranda.
The deck floor is properly connected to the floor of the building. Beams supporting the deck are extended from the walls of the house.
The process is completed by placing the deck platform on the deck floor with appropriate operations.
Building Deck By Your Own
Many people think about building deck on their own. Although it is recommended to get help from a company, this construction can also be done by you and your assistants. But the steps must be followed correctly.
The wooden materials you will use should be wide in length. The lengths of all parts are calculated and the deck design is drawn. Then, the necessary cutting processes and deck components are prepared one by one. To speed up the workflow here you can set up a quick and simple miter saw station that will allow you to make repeatable cuts.
Then you should start to layout a frame of the deck. You can use three-inch deck screws for the setup process.
Timber beams of the same length are arranged side by side on the inner part of the floor frame, which is formed in a rectangular shape. These beams are attached to the deck floor frame by screwing from their edges. Floor beams coming out of the building should also be screwed to the deck floor.
There is no need to add too many beams. A deck floor can be supported by 5 additional timber beams. Thus, you do not increase the weight of the deck. The deck should be both light and strong.
Approximately 50 cm deep and 20 cm wide pits are dug in the middle of the beams on the floor and filled with coarse-grained gravel inside. This will aid the drainage process. Long planks are placed vertically in these pits. Then, they are screwed to the floor beams. Thus, the deck will be located higher than the ground and will not be in direct contact with the soil.
The other important point in building deck you should mix up some concrete and pour it into each hole of planks.
The Next Step of Building Deck
The building deck process should be done properly. Because it will be a new part of the house and used by your family. After the floor beams are firmly seated on the ground, the remaining beams are also added.
You can take a scrap piece of lumber and mark out a location where the joist will sit. It is possible to perform faster operations by using these scrap pieces. After all, joints will be in their place “step construction” begins. Here it will be sufficient to use a step about 30 cm wide. The step construction process can be performed at the cutting station. After creating the frame of the step, beams are added to the frame. Then the created step is placed in front of the deck. In this placement process, pits must be opened and the step floor must be strengthened by filling stones and concrete in it. This process is the same as the one applied on the deck floor construction.
In addition to the beams formed, extra supports can be made for security purposes. This is important for the safety of you and your family.
You can take a set of clamps and force that out. Then you can add some bridging in between joists. This should help with the bowing. There is a way to take away two flicks from the individual joist is by adding bridging through the deck. After this stage, the deck floor construction has been completed. The next step in building deck is to put on joist tape to extend the life of the joist and the beam itself. Before applying joist tape, make sure you send down the top part of the structure.
The Last Step Of Building Deck: Weed Barriers and Adding Deck Boards
In the last step, the weed barrier is placed on the ground at the lowest part to cover the deck and step floor. Although it is not a very important process, it will stop the air circulation under the deck. Therefore when building deck, this process is done, and a complete deck is built. The last action is adding the deck boards. Composite deck board can be used because of its long life and less noise when walking on it. Thus, a new deck is built that will create additional space by completely changing the atmosphere of your home. You can also use wood adhesives together with screwing while performing the joist hanging process.