How to Build a Deck You'll Love for Years to Come

Lay out the deck using batter boards—temporary wood frames made from 2-foot furring strips and screws—and mason string. This step will help you create the deck frame and figure out where the deck posts need to go. 

1. Use batter boards to mark the location of the corners of your deck. Place the boards beyond the corners of your planned deck area, and tie mason string to them to mark the corner edges of the deck. 

2. Lay out the deck perimeter using batter boards and mason string. Run the mason string parallel to the house, then run perpendicular string. Cross the string at the corners to complete your perimeter. 

3. The layout is square when the diagonal measurements of the area are equal. Adjust the strings until they are level, using a short level to check your work. Mark where the strings are square so you can put them back in the correct spot after taking them off to mark the post locations.

4. Use your design to figure out how far to place the deck posts from your house. Mark the locations with paint.

Before tackling this step, temporarily remove any layout strings, but keep your batter boards in place. 

1. Use a post-hole digger or power auger (you can rent one) to dig holes for your posts. Be sure to dig below your soil frost depth to prevent the posts from moving up as the ground freezes. 

2. Place concrete tubing forms in the holes. Level them so they stick up about 1 inch above the ground. Use mason string and a tape measure to center the tubes. Adjust your holes as needed.

3. Backfill the holes by packing soil around the tubing forms, tamping it down as you go.

Mix your concrete according to the instructions and place it in a wheelbarrow using a small shovel.  

1. Fill the concrete tubes halfway. Remove air pockets with a small shovel or 2x4, then fill the tube the rest of the way.

2. Place a post anchor bolt in the center of the concrete tubes. Place them before the cement begins to harden, leaving an inch of the bolt’s threads out of each concrete tube. This will create your deck footing. And the base of the posts will connect to the bolts via post brackets. Use mason string line stretched across the tubing forms to align the anchor bolts. It’s very important to keep these straight. 

3. Let the concrete cure, then set post bases on the bolts. Follow the concrete manufacturer’s instructions for concrete curing time. When you set the post bases on the bolts, don’t fully tighten them. That way, they can be adjusted if necessary.

Depending on your plans, you will likely set posts into each post base. However, if you don’t have posts in your plan, you may instead place a beam directly into the post bases. 

1. If you’re using posts, set them into the post base. Attach them with the nails or screws designed for this task—typically structural screws. You may need to cut them down so they lie a few inches above the final height of the deck frame (you can cut them flush later on). 

2. If you are not using posts, set a beam directly onto the post bases. 

3. Attach using structural screws. Make sure each beam is square.

More complex decks require a ledger board, a long beam that gets screwed into the house to help support the deck’s weight. Because this is a simple floating deck, it will instead rely on rim joists for support. Rim joists are the boards that make up the perimeter of the deck. 

1. Attach the first rim joist to the posts. Use one galvanized deck screw. There’s no need to use more right now as this is a temporary attachment. Use a long level to ensure the rim joist is level. Ask someone to help you hold the level if necessary. Repeat with the remaining rim joists. 

2. Once you have your perimeter created and square, secure the rim joists to the posts using the appropriate hardware in your design plan. If necessary, cut the deck posts flush to the top of the rim joist so the deck boards can go on top easily.

3. If you have beams instead of posts, install a rim joist on either side. Consult your deck design, but you may only need to install two rim joists on the sides and leave the beams by themselves on the ends. 

4. Add additional hardware if necessary, including angle brackets. 

Note: Each rim joist may have a crown—a slight arc along its edge. If so, be sure to install it crown-side up.

Now it’s time to install the inner joists. These help hold up the deck boards that you’ll use to create the main surface area of the deck. 

1. Use a tape measure pulled across the rim joists (or beams), and mark the rim joists where the inner joists will lie. Each inner joist should be spaced every 12, 16, or 24 inches on center (measured from the center of one joist to the center of the next). Your deck design will tell you exactly how far apart to space them. 

2. Use a framing square to mark where the inner joists will be attached. Draw lines down the face of each rim joist/beam. Then, draw an X on the side of the line that is opposite from where you pulled your measurement. So if you pulled your measurement from the left, place the X on the right side of the line. If you pulled it from the right, place the X on the left side of the line. The lines are where the side of the inner joists will go, and the X is where the ends of the joist will go. 

3. Install joist hangers, which are made from metal and designed for your joist to fit into it securely. Make sure the first joist hanger is placed at the proper height. Once inserted, the joist should be flush with the top edge of the rim joists/beams. Check to see if it’s flush, then screw the joist hanger into place. Fasten the rest of the joist hangers along the rim joists, making sure they’re level. 

4. Set the joists into the joist hangers and screw or nail them into place. Be sure you install the joists crown-side up. You may need to cut the joists to length if you didn’t have them precut.

Now it’s time to create the main surface area of your deck by installing the deck boards. You’ll want your deck boards to run parallel to the house. 

1. Align the first deck board parallel to the house and install it using fasteners. Drive the fasteners through each board into the center of each inner joist. Each fastener should also be positioned ¾ to 1 inch from the edge of the board. If you didn’t cut your deck boards to size, let the end of the board run long on one side. You’ll cut this off later on. 

2. Install the next board parallel to the first. If you’re using hidden fasteners, they should have spacing built into them. Otherwise, leave a ⅛-inch space between boards. This step will help with drainage and leave space for dirt and debris to fall through. 

3. Repeat the process with the rest of the boards. As you near the end of the deck, make sure you will end parallel to the rim joist by measuring the distance at each corner. 

Your deck is now complete if you precut all your lumber! If you didn’t, move on to Step 8.

Now that all your deck boards are in place, it’s time to trim off the excess wood. 

1. Measure about 1 inch at each corner, then snap a chalk line. This will connect the two deck ends. 

2. Cut along the line with a saw. Use a circular saw with a temporary guide or a track saw.

3. Smooth the cut edge with a router or sander. Use a router with a bottom-bearing ¼-inch round-over bit or a sander and 120-grit sandpaper to smooth the rough edges. 

Congratulations—you’ve officially built a deck.