Deck builder is a highly qualified industry professional in decking, design, construction and maintenance .His/her main objective is to raise a strong building taking quality into consideration. Deck builder gives a finished product giving a superior choice for years to the customers. They also make sure that the project undertaken is built to all safety standards and codes. Deck is a flat surface capable of supporting weight but typically constructed in outdoors, elevated from ground & connected to the building. It is usually enclosed by a railing for safety.
Planning a Deck: The major element in deck building is the plan of construction which can serve as a guide for proper construction and for providing lumber tolerance.
Key Issues in Deck Building
- Laying of deck in relation to the house: This is most likely the most vital issue, since there are many factors that should be considered e.g. home’s design, outside space available, backyard, entry and exit of the house and existing trees or gardens.
- Attachment of deck to house: In order to be convenient, decks must be attached to the house and there should be solid frame accessible at the point of attachment to support the deck.
- Footings and posts needed for deck support: Deck joints and deck boards needs to be supported by footings and posts. Bigger deck requires more footings.
- Size beams required for spans between posts: Use of more footings on a given space enables use of smaller beams and vice versa.
- Spacing between Size joints at the beams: Joist size ranges from 2x 6 to 2 x 10 and the spacing may range from 12 inch to 24 inch on center. Here again another formula comes into action for determining sizes and the spacing, that is bigger the deck, bigger the joists size needed and its needed to space them closer for better support.
- Size of deck boards : Usually sizes such as 2×6, 2×4 and 5/4×6 are popular, out of which 2×4′s produce more seams on surface of the deck surface than 2×6′s.Hence, more 2×4′s is needed to cover the surface but the overall price remains the same.
Hence deck building is an essential step that should be taken before any construction which will protect the building from serious damage due to climatic change.