All Decked Out: Decks for All Kinds of Spaces
Decks are a beautiful and profitable addition to a home. Are you prepared to do it yourself or do you think you'll hire a contractor? Either way, you'll need to do some research to determine location, size, design, pattern, and the type of wood or composite decking you favor. Railing and stairs? Built-in seating or planters? What will you use your deck for?
You've decided to do a deck, but what kind, where, and who's going to build it keep crowding into your weary mind. Not to worry. This article serves as a springboard for the deck novice, helping you to assess the necessary steps, research, and questions to ask of the key people in the world of decks.
Let Lowe's Deck Design Tool help you design a deck on your computer. With the user-friendly tool on their web site, you'll design, plan and prepare your materials list. This helpful program gets you to thinking about wood, shapes, sizes and additional features, like seating and built-in planters.
You don't want a "slab" of concrete -- you'd like your outdoor space to rise up to the level of your back door, creating a near-seamless transition from indoors to outdoors. Sounds like a deck is the right choice for you. Decks work well on sloping, uneven, or poorly draining sites. A wood deck is cool underfoot and also dries quickly
To build a sturdy, attractive deck, choose a natural wood known to withstand time, the elements, and frequent use. Here are five of the finest woods available for deck construction.
If you've built a deck or other pressure-treated lumber project since 2002, how can you tell whether you have a corrosion problem? Is there any reddish, rusty discoloration near your fasteners or brackets? If so, you may have a serious problem to deal with. Chris Baylor, About.com's Guide to Woodworking, offers solutions in this in-depth article.
If you're working on an outdoor wood project, you may want to consider using weather-resistant woods such as teak or cypress. However, these types of hardwoods are quite expensive. Find out other valuable suggestions from About.com's Guide to Woodworking, Chris Baylor.
Railings provide the finishing touch for your new deck. When selecting a deck railing, consider safety, maintenance, materials and whether the design goes with the architectural features of your home and the style of your deck.
