DIY Network

Finishing the Deck Finishing the Deck From "Weekend Landscaping" episode WKL-405

The deck frame is in place, and now comes the flooring. Because the deck isn't very high, no railing will be necessary, and this will provide a great place for al fresco dining when it's finished. Then, once the trailer's parked, the deck's finished and there's a nice set of stairs in place, what the campsite needs next is a pretty pathway to tie them all together!

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

1. The team starts attaching deck boards to the frame, alternating 12' and 6' lengths

Expert tip: (John Kerr, the Trex Company) Composite decking offers excellent traction, wet or dry, especially in environments that offer a lot of rain or in areas where there's a lot of water, like boat docks and marine applications. A lot of people like using a composite because it's manufactured from recycled, reclaimed material; it's environmentally friendly because it's not manufactured from trees.

2. As a memento of the family's travels around the U. S., Jessie is using license plates from some of the many states they've visited to edge the deck and steps. She lays them in place and then attaches them with screws (figure A).

Expert tip: (Scott Daigre, garden designer) I love the use of the license plates around this outdoor deck. It's fun, it's whimsical and most of all, it's unexpected. If you've got a collection of something gathering dust in the attic or in a trunk somewhere, and it would hold up outside, use it in your outdoor space. It's fun, it's imaginative -- and it's what people will remember most about your yard.

Pathway

1. First Jessie and a helper remove the existing gravel to expose the sandy layer underneath (figure B).

Expert tip: (Scott Daigre, garden designer) Steppingstones are a great tool to use in the landscape, especially for a path: they're very inexpensive, they're easy to install and they come in all sorts of colors, sizes and shapes. So you can choose exactly what you want to see in your landscape, and you can create a great way to get from one place to another.

2. Once all the pavers are in place, the gravel is added back to stabilize them (figure C) and smoothed between the stones.

3. On either side of the pathway, hot-pink carpet roses (figure D) are planted to create an inviting entryway (figure E).

Expert tip: (Frank McDonough, botanist) Planting roses in the middle of gravel may look harsh, but the gravel is an excellent mulch. It keeps the soil evenly moist and helps prevent the roses' roots from drying out.

Time spent: 11 hours.

RESOURCES :

Ace Hardware Supplies
To locate the nearest Ace Hardware to your home, click here.
Ace Hardware
2200 Kensington Ct.
Oak Brook, IL 60523-2100
Toll-free: 866-290-5334
Website: www.acehardware.com

Plants from Monrovia Horticultural Craftsmen
Monrovia Horticultural Craftsmen
Website: www.monrovia.com

DeWalt power tools
DeWalt
Website: www.dewalt.com/us/core/

Soil amendments by Kellogg Garden Products
Kellogg Garden Products
Website: www.kellogggarden.com

Landscaping Services by D&J Landscaping
D & J Landscaping
E-mail: DJLandscaping@sbcglobal.net

Wood composite deck
The Trex Company
Website: www.trex.com

Stainless-steel grill
Barbeques Galore
Website: www.bbqgalore.com

Equipment rentals
United Rentals
Website: www.ur.com

GUESTS :

Frank McDonough
Horticulturalist
Roger's Gardens
2301 San Joaquin Hills Road
Corona del Mar, CA 92625
Phone: 949-640-5800
Website: www.rogersgardens.com

Scott Daigre
Phone: 323-462-2881
E-mail: sdaigre@aol.com

John Kerr
Sales representative
E-mail: jkerr@trex.com
The Trex Company
160 Exeter Drive
Winchester, VA 22603