BEFORE YOU START searching for deck furniture you have some decisions to make. Should you hire someone to build your deck or tackle the project yourself? Where should your deck go? What kind of building materials should you choose? How much will it cost?

Neil Bailey, project manager for Lynn Donaldson and Associates Renovators & Interior Designers, says most contractors can provide you with creative ideas, a one-year warranty and the peace of mind that your project won’t run into any unexpected issues. But even if you decide to build the deck yourself Bailey recommends seeking a contractor’s advice for complex designs.

Do-it-yourself advocate Rob Calvert, who is also the customer training coordinator for the Shawnessy Home Depot, says building a deck requires a “medium skill level.” But he also says that the people who attend the annual deck-building seminar he offers through Home Depot University, are surprised at how easy building a deck can be.

Of course, the biggest factor in the type of deck you build will likely be the cost. How much are you willing to spend, in money and time? When it comes to hiring a contractor Bailey explains that a straightforward, rectangular, pressure treated wood and cedar deck will cost about $10 to $25 per square foot. A custom designed and built deck will cost you $30 to $50 per square foot.

As Calvert explains, most do-it-yourself decks, on the other hand, range between an average of $1,200 for a 10 x 10 foot deck to $5,000 or more depending on the size and complexity.
Whether you opt for the convenience and security of hiring a contractor or decide that the glory and pride of tackling the job yourself are for you, there are some things to consider and some steps you or your contractor should take to ensure your new deck suits your needs and lasts for years to come.

HAVE A PLAN
Take a book out of the library, drive around your neighborhood, search the Internet, there are plenty of ways to see what types of decks are out there. Find out what appeals to you and then describe it to your contractor. Or Calvert recommends using the free deck design computer service at Home Depot. The service will provide you with a guide that includes a list of materials and a pricing outline to help you build your deck.

CONSIDER THE LOCATION
Most commonly decks are attached to the back of a home, but you could put a deck on the side of your home or maybe you want a freestanding deck– the choice is yours. When you’re deciding, think about how you want to use your deck. If you want to do a lot of entertaining and barbequing it’ll be more convenient if your deck is close to the kitchen. If you want to enjoy your garden, build your deck in a private corner of the yard. Consider the direction your yard faces and think about placing your deck in an area that takes advantage of the sun your yard gets throughout the day. If you know you’ll get intense sunshine during a large portion of the day you may want to have your deck wrap around the side of your house to provide some shade during the sun’s most intense hours, or you could consider adding a roof or an awning.   

NEED A PERMIT?
Once you’ve decided on the type of deck you want and where you’ll put it, you’ll need to check with the City of Calgary’s Residential Building and Renovation department (http://www.calgary.ca/dba) to find out if you’ll need a permit. The city’s website explains that you’ll need a building permit if your deck is going to be more than 600 millimetres (about two feet) above grade at any point. Depending on the height and size of the deck and the community you live in, you might also need a development permit before you get your building permit.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT MATERIALS
Both Bailey and Calvert stress that pressure treated wood is best for the base or superstructure of your deck. “The beams, the joists, the ledger plate should all be pressure treated lumber,” explains Calvert. For the rest of your deck you can opt for spruce, cedar or a low maintenance composite material.

For decks that are two or three feet above ground you’ll also want to use pilings or piers, which are concrete supports that you sink a few feet into the ground. Pilings or piers will prevent your deck from shifting and heaving due to moisture freezing and thawing over the winter.

Although you can use cheaper alternatives such as deck blocks or even or sidewalk blocks, Calvert recommends only using these materials for platforms, which are decks that just sit on the ground in your back yard. Even then you should tamp the blocks down with sand and gravel to stop moisture from causing the platform to shift.

DO YOUR PREP WORK
Before you start to build your deck you should prepare the ground that will be under the structure. Remove all the grass, lay down landscaping material and put a bed of rocks over top. The landscaping material will stop any weeds or grass from growing up through underneath the deck and the rocks will help the moisture dissipate when it rains.

If you’re using pressure treated lumber, Calvert recommends that you don’t paint or stain it for at least 90 days. “The pressure-treat chemicals are trying to evaporate out of that lumber and when you put a coating on it you have a conflict, your coating or paint will never sink in properly.”

Calvert says the biggest mistake most people make when building a deck is failing to properly prepare their wood – both the superstructure and the wood being used on the rest of the deck. “In the pores of that fresh new wood that you get is got mold mildew, dirt, mill glaze from the milling process and sticky saps,” Calvert explains. “These are all things that will clog the wood.”

You need to apply a wood wash with a good stiff bristle brush and then work it into the wood and let it sit for a 15 minutes before washing it off with a pressure washer and letting it dry. “The pores will be clean and ready to receive a good product stain. Then when you put a good stain product on it’s going to really soak in and it’ll last. It’ll wear off before it comes off,” says Calvert.
The 90-day rule doesn’t apply for spruce or cedar decks, however. Wash these woods right away and coat it once it’s dry. With cedar it’s especially important to use a coat that has a nice UV protectant, otherwise the sun will bleach your cedar grey.

Calvert also recommends that you don’t close in the bottom of your deck. He explains that you need air circulation underneath the deck to keep the wood dry, otherwise moisture from rain and snow will take a long time to evaporate and start to rot the wood. If you want to close in the underside of your deck use a material like lattice that allows air to flow through.

Now that you have the basics of deck building under your belt you can decide whether you want to hire a contractor or do it yourself. Whichever route you choose, you’ll have a great deck ready for a barbeque and some relaxation in no time.  NL