Decks

Step by step guide with everything you'll need to take your deck from footings and framing to finish.by Rick Arnold

Simple details help this low-lying deck make a graceful connection to the outdoorsby Scott Grice

Notched stringers make strong stairs that are easier to build than you thinkby Scott Schuttner

Protect yourself from collapse, rot, and nasty splinters. Inspect these 8 critical areas every seasonby Mike Guertin

by Chris Ermides

A prize-winning deck, art in the garden, a house with a waterwheel, and more. . .

Herringbone corners and hidden fasteners require slight framing modifications, but the results look spectacularby John Michael Davis

by Joshua Copp

Most stains are engineered to color and protect wood in a single coat and are available in oil-based, water-based, and water-based epoxy-fortified mixturesby Matthew Teague

Keep an eye on the stringline, and have a handful of spacers and a board straightener within easy reachby Mike Guertin

Ledger brackets, flexible flashing, and a joist-hanger jig are a few field-tested tricks for overcoming construction challengesby Mike Guertin

Soyguardby Justin Fink

An architect offers safe, practical tips for building this open-air cooktopby Paul DeGroot

Walls fold away at one corner to let this room mingle with a hillside meadowby Geoffrey T. Prentiss

Integrated with posts, railings, and stair risers, a new generation of exterior-light fixtures provides a wide range of deck-lighting optionsby Justin Fink

Smart framing eliminates the ledger and adds a shady seatby Michael Ayers

by Rob Yagid

Architect John Hopkins takes you on a tour of the big little backyard house

Homeowner Billie McKig takes you on a guided tour of her big little backyard house