DIY Network

DIY People: Building a Deck

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DIYer Phil Onstott, seen working here, built a screened-in deck that has all the creature comforts of home. Figure A Figure B Figure C Phil's finished deck is an eye-pleasing addition to his home!

Phil Onstott's screened-in deck is a perfect example of the benefits of doing it yourself. "There's no way I could have afforded to hire someone to build this deck," he says. Phil wanted more than just a platform on which to place his barbecue grill. He wanted a deck with many of the creature comforts of home.

First, Phil sketched on paper the design for the deck. "I'm not an architect," he says, "so my design wasn't precise. It was really just a way for me to try and figure how much lumber I would need." Despite his calculations, like many do-it-yourselfers, Phil found it necessary to make several trips to his local home improvement store. "I just kept thinking of things that I needed," he says.

The dimensions of Phil's deck were determined by the size of an existing, but little used, patio in his backyard and by the height of his house. "I wanted to be able to walk out of the back door of my house and step onto the deck (figure A)," he explains. "That meant elevating the deck about 10 feet to match the elevation of the doorway. I used 4x6 and 4x4 posts to get the height I needed."

"The existing patio was to serve as the foundation for my deck," he says. "And I had to find a way to secure the support posts to the patio." He solved that challenge with the aid of a hammer drill. The drill enabled Phil to bore holes into the concrete. Into those holes he glued half-inch steel rods which protruded about four inches above the surface of the concrete. He then drilled holes into the base of the support posts and placed the posts onto the rods.

"All of the lumber that I used to build the deck was pressure treated," Phil explains. "Even though I planned to paint the deck, I felt that spending the extra money for pressure treated lumber would, ultimately, extend the life of the deck. I'm sure I won't regret that decision."

As Phil began construction, he quickly learned the benefit of having a power miter saw. "Without question, my miter saw was the most valuable tool I used in constructing this deck," he says emphatically. "It made cutting the lumber faster and more accurate than it ever would have been had I done the cutting by hand." Other tools that Phil credits with making his deck building job easier are a pneumatic nail gun (figure B) and a construction calculator.

Phil, who is a certified electrician, wired his deck for lights, a ceiling fan (figure C), a sound system and cable television. He installed floodlights on the exterior of the deck and used track lights for the interior. All of the electrical components are controlled by a series of wall-mounted switchers and dimmers.

Phil's deck is protected from the elements by a roof and screened windows. The lower part of the interior walls is paneled with bead board and the floor is covered with a rugged indoor/outdoor carpet. Window trim, along with floor and ceiling molding, add to the finished look of the deck. A fifteen-foot walkway with wrought iron railings connects the deck to his house. And a set of stairs lead from the walkway to the backyard.

"I'm really happy with the way this project turned out," says Phil. "It's better than I expected and it is providing my family and me with hours of enjoyment and relaxation. If I had it to do all over again ... I would," he proudly exclaims.