Article - Decks

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=197 BGCOLOR="#669999" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="1a700ca0ermwsq.gif"> <div> <I><B>Myron Judkins Enterprises</B></I></div> <div> <B><U>Article - Decks</U></B><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Calisto MT" ><I><B> </B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Calisto MT" ><I><B> </B></I></FONT></div> <div> <B>Licensed and Bonded Specialty</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#330033" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#990000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>Contractor / Handyman</B></I></FONT></div> <div> <B>Serving the Inland Northwest from</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#330033" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Spokane Valley, WA</B></FONT></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=120 BGCOLOR="#DDDDDD" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <A HREF="index.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="M Judkins.com Home Page"><U><B>Home Page</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U><B>About Us</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id21.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Job Photos"><U><B>Job Photos</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="References"><U><B>References</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id44.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Article Security"><U><B>Featured</B></U></A><A HREF="id44.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Article Security"><U><B> Article</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Sponsoerd Links</B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.mjudkins.com/resources/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mjudkins.com/resources/"><U><B>Other Resources</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto:myron@mjudkins.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:myron@mjudkins.com"><U><B>E-Mail US</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>Call Myron</B></div> <div> <B> (509) 370-0354</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=283 BGCOLOR="#EEEEEE" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="163" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 171 ><NOBR><div> <B>Other Articles </B></div> <div> <A HREF="id44.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Article Security"><U><U>Security & Locks</U></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id44.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Article Security"><U> </U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id44.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Article Security"><U><U>(06-2006)</U></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id43.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Article Decks"><U><U>Decks</U></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id43.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Article Decks"><U> </U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id43.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Article Decks"><U><U>(03/2006)</U></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id35.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Articles Egress Windows"><U><U>Egress Windows</U></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id35.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Articles Egress Windows"><U> </U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id35.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Articles Egress Windows"><U><U>(01/2006)</U></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B><U>The Summer Deck</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>By Myron Judkins </B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >Mar 22, 2006</FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Owner of White Knight Home Repair (Spokane, WA) (</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.whiteknighthomerepair.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.whiteknighthomerepair.com"><U><B><U>www.WhiteKnightHomeRepair.com</U></B></U></A></FONT><B>)</B></div> <bR> <div> With summer weather coming around every year, many of us want to spend more time outdoors. There is nothing more relaxing then watching the neighborhood from your own wood deck. Decks are a relatively inexpensive way to increase floor/living space. They have their own line of furniture, and they can be a decorative and a lasting asset to your home. However in planning your deck, you should keep a few things in mind. </div> <div> First, deck material must stand up to the weather in all 4 seasons. So from blazing summers to icy winters, even snow shovels and picnic spills or pets, your deck takes a lot of abuse. Standard lumber is the least expensive way to build your deck. But going the cheapest route usually buys you high maintenance and early replacement. To keep it nice, you should plan on the yearly ritual of good paint or stain to protect it.</div> <div> Second, the main support structure can rot, or be eaten away in the matter of just a few years if proper steps and precautions are not taken when you build your deck.</div> <div> Third, your railing is the most important safety feature of the deck. It needs to be stout and stay strong. A few easy tips can also make your deck much more convenient to maintain.</div> <div> Here are some ideas from the ground up to make your deck last longer and look better.</div> <div> Dirt and wood don't mix. You see it all the time, buried wood fence posts rotting off at the ground. When the soil touches wood the moisture and natural microorganisms start working to decompose the wood. Cedar, redwood, and (even better) pressure treated wood all resist the breakdown better then natural wood, but it's only a matter of time. The answer is to partially bury concrete blocks, or even a concrete foundation. One step better is to get the ones with steel brackets for the wood. They should be carefully buried, and leveled, on solid well compacted ground. If you have soft ground, you may need them more often, or look at compacted gravel pads to stabilize the deck. This is especially important if you ever plan on heavy items on the deck, like a hot tub.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> The frame and support of the deck should be pressure treated lumber. It is the most resistant structural lumber. Be sure there is plenty of blocking to keep the floor joistes straight. Be sure of your cover material, depending on the style and manufacturer, you may need floor joists every 12 inches. For me I would not go any further apart then 16 inches on center. If you are very high, be sure there are cross bracing and the deck is mounted with metal hangers attached to a header that is attached firmly to the house.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Though cedar or redwood is better then standard wood, I like the pressure treated "sun wood" for a wood surface. But if the budget is there, there are many composite materials that last longer with lower maintenance. The whole frame can be covered, and composite railing materials can make your deck almost maintenance free and last for years and years. </div> <div> Be sure that the deck cover material is installed with a gap between the boards. Heat and cold mean expansion and contraction. Usually a 1/8 inch gap is sufficient. </div> <div> Railing. My tip is to use a picket railing there the bottom rail is 2 or 3 inches off the deck. This will make sweeping or blowing off the deck a lot simpler to keep clean. The gap should be no more then about 3 inches between the pickets. This keeps the children from getting their head in and is more protective and less likely to contribute to injury. The posts need to be secure. Use carriage bolts, or metal brackets. It may be a good idea to make a section of rail that can be taken off if you need to get a big item on, or off the deck. Remember that rails are especially important along any steps.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Steps are usually used on decks. I like the pre cut step boards available at the local home improvement store. I use metal brackets to attach to the high point, and carefully installed and leveled paving stones to keep the wood a little up from any dirt at the bottom. The rest will be easy. </div> <div> Lastly sealing, stain, or paint etc for any wood. Careful research is needed for your area to choose what will stand up to the elements. I have found that in general you get what you pay for with sealing products. Low cost products with great claims have been disappointing for me.</div> <div> Well it's done, just in time for the hot tub, or summer relaxing. Maybe next year we'll look at a cover for part of it, but that's a different article.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" ><B>About the author:</B></FONT> Myron Judkins is Owner of White Knight Home Repair, a specialty contractor and handyman. He is a 3rd generation contractor, and also Webmaster of his business website (<A HREF="http://www.whiteknighthomerepair.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.whiteknighthomerepair.com"><U> </U></A><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.whiteknighthomerepair.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.whiteknighthomerepair.com"><U><U>www.whiteknighthomerepair.com</U></U></A></FONT>.) Please leave article in tact with links to the website when publishing this article.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>