Tips For Building Wood Decks

Q. What type of wood should I use for my swimming pool deck?

Redwood is the most popular of choices, but more expensive than other options. If stained and treated properly, a white wood deck will fulfill the look and needs of most homeowners. Although Redwood 4 x 4 support posts should be used and pressure treated 2 x 4's for around the bottom for attaching the skirting. Another option for the decking itself would be composite board. It is virtually maintenance free for many years but quite a bit more expensive.

Q. What type of lumber should I use for my mobile home deck?

Since most of the decks we build for mobile homes or park models get carpeted with some sort of indoor outdoor carpet basic white wood is fine for framing. Remember to use treated lumber when coming in contact with concrete or dirt. The sheeting should be a 3/4" treated plywood {tongue and groove is recommended}.

Q. How long will my deck last?

That would depend on several factors, like whether or not the deck is under the shade of a patio cover or covered with carpet, or, like in the case of decks for above ground swimming pools, exposed to direct sunlight most of the time. The most common problem people have with carpeted decks is the plywood warping. Once it is carpeted there is not much maintenance you can do, but in the building stage, make sure you use high quality plywood and good deck screws, lots of them {and frame on 16" centers}. Pool decks that are made of white wood and exposed to direct sunlight will require some maintenance. Every year or two the deck should be well cleaned or pressure washed and a coat of good quality sealer applied. If these tips are followed you should expect at least 10 - 20 years of enjoyment from your wood deck.

Q. How long does it take to build a wood deck?

Normally our deck projects take from 2-4 days to complete. After your backyard or patio has been turned into a construction site, the size of the project, the weather and the ability of the contractor building the deck will be your main factors. If you are doing the deck project yourself it is best to set aside a block of time to do the major portion of the work, mainly because of the amount of time spent cleaning up and putting away tools every time you quit for the day.

Q. How stable will my wood deck be if it only goes partially around my above ground pool?

If you use plenty of cross bracing on the underside you should be just fine.

Q. How high should the deck go on an above ground pool?

I have seen above ground pool decks built in many ways at many different levels. I like multiple level decks. The largest portion of the deck would be 6" to 1' off the ground with a small entry deck at pool level. Here are a few things to think about with regards to deck height. A large deck area at pool level might give you a somewhat uncomfortable few around the neighborhood or allow the neighbors a great view of you and your family. The second concern for building at pool level is how a new liner will be installed. If the liner is a beaded liner they normally attach to the wall in a groove under the pool to rail. In this case building a deck up to or over the top railing is not a problem. If your above ground pool has an overlap type liner the pool rails need to come off when it is time to replace it. The screws for the decorative top caps and the top rails and usually the upright caps all need to be accessible. The deck can either be built to pull away from the pool or set just below the top rails. Other wise a lot of dismantling and rebuilding will take place every time a liner needs to be changed. The way I prefer to change liners is to stretch the liner over the existing frame of the pool until the center of the liner is off the ground. To do this I either need a deck that is at least a foot down from the top rail or one the can be pulled back completely away from the pool.

R.L. Fielding has some great tips for wood deck owners.

Winterize Your Deck
Deck Prep Tips
Restore Your Deck