A perfectly designed and built deck can be an excellent addition to your home. If you are a DIY enthusiast, building a deck on your own should not be challenging, especially if you follow the correct procedures. Unfortunately, you may run into some problems during your deck building project. You want to avoid as many pitfalls as possible to prevent redoing the work or calling a professional to do the perfect job. To help you, here are some of the common mistakes you should avoid when building a deck.

Using Improper Footers

The foundation of your deck will determine its structural integrity. Therefore, make sure you have the right footers. In addition, be keen on the depth of the footers. For your deck to be strong and durable, you must dig your footers deep enough. The best way to go over footers is finding out what you need by code. That is, find out what you will require based on things such as the slope of your land, the soil types and the design of deck that you want.

Using Wrong Materials

If you are building a timber decking, using the wrong type of wood can result in splitting of the posts and boards on your deck. Typically, softwood tends to split more than hardwood. However, hardwood is often more expensive. Therefore, if you are on a budget, consider going for treated softwood to help prevent the splitting.

Installing The Ledger Boards Poorly

If you install the ledger boards improperly, you increase the chances of your deck being separated from your house and collapsing. If possible, consider bolting the ledger boards directly to the floor joists. For your deck to be strong, make sure the deck fasteners are attached to the ledger boards, the rim board of your house and the ends of your wall studs or floor joists. However, be keen when installing the ledger boards. In many regions, installing the boards directly to your cladding or brick may be a violation of the building codes. Therefore, be sure to acquire any permits before you proceed with your project.

Setting The Posts Directly on Concrete

For timber decks, setting the posts directly on concrete can facilitate rotting. Concrete is porous, which means it absorbs and retains moisture. Increasing levels of moisture over time will rot the posts. Therefore, to prevent costly repairs of these posts, consider using stirrups to keep the posts to your deck above the ground.