Decks, Patios and Porches

14 ft x 16 ft post and beam supports. PDF nubmer 6406.

Stairs and railings for Outdoor Porch Deck. PDF number 6407.

If you match the siding and roofing to the existing house, the add-on will look like part of the original design.

An unbroken expanse of flat deck can be bland and boring. Here is an idea to enliven a deck area with multiple levels, stepping down to the pool area.

Cracked slab? No patio at all? The cure is easy; Cover the area with pre-built deck squares. You just drop the squares into position and nail them in place.

Decks add an outdoor room to the house and ties together the houses staggered elements and levels out an uneven yard that is unusable.

Doris deck offers a breathtaking view of the Santa Monica Bay. There is just one drawback. It can get very windy up here. Doris asked Ron to help her build a windbreak.

An unbroken expanse of flat deck can be bland and boring. Here is an idea to enliven a deck area with multiple levels, stepping up to a spa.

My mom wanted a patio. She wanted a nice, shady place beside her house to relax, read, sip lemonade and host the occasional barbecue. This meant Dad and I had a new project on our hands.

Mark off the deck area using string. The string will help you visualize the size and appearance of the finished deck and will also serve as a guide for excavation and post placement. But trust me, it will always look smaller this way than when it is done.

Build your new deck around an existing tree. Here is how...

Learn basic deck construction with this easy design.

Few home improvements can match a wood deck for usefulness, beauty and enhanced value to a home. For adults, decks offer outdoor living space for entertaining, sun bathing and dining. For children, they provide an excellent outdoor play area.

Take your pick of two easy-to-build decks that add safety, storage, and seating to the above-ground pool.

This is an ideal method of how to lay decking boards straight and is most suitable for extra long decks. It involves pinging a chalkline where every third decking board is to go, giving a perfectly straight line of where to fix that decking board to.

This is a step-by-step account of a deck, seat and pergola complex building project. It covers all aspects of construction, time frame, unforeseen problems (if any), owners and builders comments and more.

Construct an eye-catching cedar deck surrounded by a veneered stone wall that provides both privacy and seating. The article includes full plans and material list, along with complete how-to instructions.

A kwila deck, handrail and steps that requires a permit. All the details including the working plans, cost etc.

Here is the correct method of attaching a new deck to a house.

With the deck floor complete, build custom railings. The decks support posts serve as mounts for the new railing system.

Decks are a great way to add defined space to an otherwise-empty yard â and you can entertain in high style. Here is the building plan.

...One answer is a sunroof over your patio or deck. If designed properly, a sunroof can cut the summer sun, but still allow winter sun rays to warm the house. The sunroof shown is a typical do-it-yourself project, placed over a wood deck, although sunroofs can also be constructed over patios as well.

This see-through deck railing offers a clear view of your yard.

This Old House general contractor Tom Silva is method for constructing a handsome on-grade deck. Article by Scott Gibson.

A floating deck adds a great elevated place to sit and enjoy a view of a yard. Only a few inches off the ground, this platform takes a little time but is easy once you get going.

Decks are some of the most popular homeowner projects. They can be a small extension off a family room, bedroom or dining area; or they can be a spacious outdoor room large enough for a party. Decks can be single level or multi-level; they can be some of the simplest first projects for a beginner, or elaborate examples of sophisticated craftsmanship.

While they could have opted to replace the old redwood with new wood, doing this would only mean restarting the annual maintenance regimen. Rather than continuing to surrender one weekend per year, the Petersons chose ChoiceDek, a wood composite material made by Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies.

Decks can work wonders in many different ways...contemporary in style, yet simple and natural. They blend home and landscape with broad, inviting vistas creating a feeling of freedom and expansiveness and offer an oasis of comfort in the open air. Sometimes the best room of the house is outside on the wood deck. Scroll down the page and click on the download link.

So you want to build a deck but your yard is sloped. Here is what you do.

Built right, it can be an outdoor space that is easy to live with. Ask your local building inspector about possible exceptions to the code.