When fastening ledger/header boards to wood, the ledger can be held securely with nails or lag screws. Use aluminum flashing to keep water from getting behind your ledger board. This should tuck up under your siding and bend down over the ledger, then down the face of the ledger board. Where aluminum or vinyl siding is in place, carefully cut siding away from house so that ledger/header board can be secured directly to the house.

Deck Building Part 2

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Q: I am erecting a 12x14' deck and would like to know if using 2x6 joist hangers spaced 16" on centre with approx. a 5' span will be strong enough to support the decking without too much bounce

find out more in Deck Building Questions

Follow these links to our archives of past Q's & A's:

Deck Building

Deck Cleaning and finishing questions

Elevated decks have generally been supported by 4x4 and 6x6 solid timber posts. Under a properly designed deck, these can provide very satisfactory support. Deck posts support the deck above, they are its foundation. The first consideration, then, should be the ability of a post to support the structure and the people on it.

How to Build a Deck (Part 1)

Use these
tables to calculate beam, joist and post sizes when designing your deck.

Tables

Prepare the site.
With a spade or sod cutter, remove sod to a depth of 2 or 3 ". Uncover an area approximately 2 ft. larger than the planned deck. It's unlikely that grass would be able to grow in the shadow of your deck, so you might as well transfer the sod to a bare spot in your yard where it would be useful.

Deck Building Part 2

Build our Deck Benches
These sturdy, attractive benches will really add to your deck!

Bench Plans

Supporting your deck
with posts set properly in the ground will ensure it lasts

Deck Supports

Wood doesn't last forever,
but its life can be extended considerably with a little help and know-how on your part. There’s something for almost any deck owner here, so please read the following information on caring for your deck.

Cleaning and Staining your deck

This Spring, Spruce up your Deck,
Tips from the Wolman Company on cleaning and protecting your deck this spring.

Spring Deck Tips

All Decked Out
A humorous story relating one of our veiwer's deck building experiences.

All Decked Out

Deck Care
The FLOOD Company, the deck wood treatment folks have shared a series of articles with us.

How to Care for the wood on your new deck

Cleaning your deck

Creating a designer deck

Applying a Clear Finish

Applying Semi-Transparent Finishes

Applying Solid Stains

Removing clear finishes finishes

Removing latex and oil stains

Dealing with wood
and how it expands and contracts, is a practical necessity if you want your project to last.

Wood movement

Need a Screen?
Just built that deck and want to screen it in? Check out our review of Screen Den's Products.

Screen Den Review

Need more info on decks?
Here is a collection of our hints and tips on decks.

Deck Tips

Our Complete Article Index