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My first deck

mdon612, member

17 users recommend

Saving a shade tree so the deck went around it.

This was a fun stringer to make. Modeling it with cardboard helped.

Saving a shade tree so the deck went around it.

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This was the first deck I built. The challenges we had with this deck were preserving the silver maple tree that gave our house some westward shade and an uneven slope to the garage. Combine this with the angled garage made this really interesting to figure out.

I would consider myself a pro weekend warrior since I don't make a living in construction and carpentry, but I enjoy taking on the challenge. It took my wife, father, and myself about 6 weekends to finish this.

I learned how to build this by consulting many of Taunton books and some home improvement shows. I'm looking forward to build a deck on new home some day soon.

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Keauhou mauka replacement deck

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GardenStructure Deck pt.1

Comments (4)

MusicalRattie writes: Looks similar to my first deck! And as far as the patio comment, I tend to agree, patio first. BUT I built our deck off the back of the house because ground dropped off 7' from house and door was about 3 1\2ft off the ground. I built the deck sitting on the ground 2" away from the house and on pier blocks at the front that had the dropoff, and stairs down to the flatter ground from that front area. I made a box in the deck and the stairs from the door sit into this hole and look like they are all one piece. So deck is not a part of the house, needed no permit,is not taxable. 24' by 8',simply put there to give a finished look instead of lumpy ground.I'm going to run a low shelf around the front and side for potted plants, other side ties into terrace that rolls around the side of the house.Cheap,easy, can be removed replaced or remodeled as I wish.
Posted: 8:59 am on August 25th

oldmarine56 writes: This is a very nice deck, however, since it is within a couple of feet of the ground and the ground is fairly level, I would have constructed a small set of steps to ground level and then construct a patio using attractive paving blocks. This would have eliminated any possibility of falling off edges, provided a surface that requires NO treatment, does not rot and can be fully free form in shape and save the maple tree. in addition the patio allows free flow of traffic while the deck is a barrier.

When the distance from a home's main floor to the ground is less than three feet and the ground is fairly level I would always go for a patio rather than a deck - low maintainance, free form, and, in many areas is considered landscaping rather than a TAXABLE addition to a home. In most areas one will continue to pay for a deck forever through property tax, surface treatments, maintainance and repair while a well designed and installed patio has none of these continuing costs
Posted: 7:51 am on June 1st

ray727 writes: Nice deck. You did a nice job with the steps -- too often they're too narrow and appear constrictive. Yours are inviting, and you'll find that people at parties will use them as seats. Whenever I build something I think back on what I would do differently the next time. You might consider making the steps treads a little wider, and you might have been able to eliminate one riser on the steps near the garage by building up the base soil/grass leading up to the steps. Elderly folks will look for a handrail, especially on the steps leading into the house.
Posted: 5:48 pm on May 27th

sjdehner writes: Preserving that handsome maple added character to your project.

Nice job and congratulations on your first deck!
Posted: 2:43 pm on May 14th

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