It's been 30 years since I built a deck-Here I go again...

I tore my rotted deck down a couple years ago with no plans to rebuild. However, I am on a 1 year plan to get my house ready for market and potential new buyers will want a deck. Why? Because apparently access to the back yard is needed and my screened in porch has no egress(8' off the ground). So no place to set a grill and traveling through the garage to get to the back yard.

I will be mimicking the deck I tore off: 10' X 22' attached to the house via ledger board and attached to the screened in porch where I will put a door in.

This deck is over a slope that will slope from 8' to about 1' over the 22' of length.

I like to do things right and beyond any code requirements.

I'm looking for input on:

1. Where is the best place to buy wood? In the past I have used Bender Lumber because they had the nicest treated lumber.

2. Where should I buy fasteners? I'm planning on screwing this deck together, probably using mostly Simpson fasteners. I will be using hurricane ties, joist hangers, etc. where needed. Tell me if I'm crazy and what I should use.

3. Can I pour about 6" of concrete in my footer, let it cure a bit, then use some of that post saver wrap and stick the post in the ground and backfill it with more concrete? I have heard that folks are getting away from doing that and using mechanical supports to keep the wood off the ground, but I have also heard that it is just the top few inches of post that is subject to rot and that the post savers work. I am hesitant on using mechanical stuff on top of a poured post hole because in my mind, it's not as secure as burying it 3' in the ground.

4. What about the decking? Do I go composite? Cedar? I'm only going to be here a couple more years but I still want it to really stand out since my asking price for the home will potentially be $500K or more.

5. Give me some railing ideas. I see all kinds of cool stuff out there. I do know I don't want wood balusters.

Any other input you can give me will the greatly appreciated. As well as any help you want to give me lifting beams and setting posts!

Good luck Greg.

After putting money after money into my deck, I had a stamped, custom color patio slab poured. No more maintenance. Of course I was only dealing with 18 inches of elevation to fill.

I was always shy of composite decking materials because the early ones got so hot in the sun. One of our neighbors got a new technology composite that stays ambient temperature. I went over there on a bright, sunny 90 plus degree day, and the decking was the same temp as the wood supports.

I built decks on my prior three homes, but never lived in them long enough to need more than a touch up on the stain.

Leo said:

Good luck Greg. After putting money after money into my deck, I had a stamped, custom color patio slab poured. No more maintenance. Of course I was only dealing with 18 inches of elevation to fill.

I built decks on my prior three homes, but never lived in them long enough to need more than a touch up on the stain.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't get building ground level wood decks. I will always opt for a slab, something that just needs be hosed off once in awhile.

I don't care if its hard, I don't sit on my deck boards either, I sit in chairs. lol.

Everyone I know got rid of their rotten wooden decks and replaced with Trex or similar recycled plastic composite material. Initial cost is much greater than lumber and somewhat more difficult to work with.

I have no knowledge or experience, but my gut tells me composite would add greater value to the home upon sale (ROI).

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

When I built my multi level decks 15 years ago, I got everything from Home Depot, everything looked great, I’m very particular about the lumber I use for any project, and I was satisfied with what they delivered, but, although it looked great when new, a lot of the decking didn’t hold up well, and had to be replaced starting about 5 years in.

I redid one entire section of decking with boards bought from Menards, and so far, maybe, 7-8 years in, they are holding up well.

I eventually want to redo everything with the composite stuff, but that’s expensive, and I don’t know that I would go that route if I were planning to sell soon. I wouldn’t know where to begin to do a cost analysis vs how much more you’ll get in return when you sell.

I know you're not staying long term, but I still say do the composite. We did so in 2011 and every other year we power wash it off and it still looks new. The old pressure treated lumber deck would warp half a dozen or more boards every year. On our 16(deep)x32(wide) we used two rows of supports and because it was composite put a 2x10 joist every 12". It's completely over built but I will never have to worry if it's going to support weight or collapse.

Lumber quality is crap these days.

Over the past few years I've bought a handful of boards from time to time and finding straight boards has been difficult.

I just bought 20ish boards to replace the entrance to my dock, a mix of pressure treated and ground contact rated. Even after checking them at Menards, sitting out in my yard for two days caused a few to warp.

Composite might not be a bad way to go. Our deck has quite a few boards needing to be replaced over the next few years, I have yet to decide if I want to piece meal it or just replace it with composite...

littletommy said:

I eventually want to redo everything with the composite stuff, but that’s expensive, and I don’t know that I would go that route if I were planning to sell soon. I wouldn’t know where to begin to do a cost analysis vs how much more you’ll get in return when you sell.

Click to expand...

I don't know that I could determine any kind of ROI in this case. I do think that at my price point, having a nice deck will help it sell quicker with potentially less negotiation.

firecadet613 said:

Lumber quality is crap these days.

Over the past few years I've bought a handful of boards from time to time and finding straight boards has been difficult.

I just bought 20ish boards to replace the entrance to my dock, a mix of pressure treated and ground contact rated. Even after checking them at Menards, sitting out in my yard for two days caused a few to warp.

Composite might not be a bad way to go. Our deck has quite a few boards needing to be replaced over the next few years, I have yet to decide if I want to piece meal it or just replace it with composite...

Click to expand...

When I was renovating my home, I quit going to Lowes for wood. I bought my wood at Benders. At Lowes I would go through 50 boards to find 5 good ones. At Bender I could grab a armload and they would all be good.

I am thinking that finding decent treated deck boards will cost me more in frustration than spending the money on composite. Maybe I can stay at the low end of the composite offerings.

gregkl said:

When I was renovating my home, I quit going to Lowes for wood. I bought my wood at Benders. At Lowes I would go through 50 boards to find 5 good ones. At Bender I could grab a armload and they would all be good.

I am thinking that finding decent treated deck boards will cost me more in frustration than spending the money on composite. Maybe I can stay at the low end of the composite offerings.

Click to expand...

I'll have to stop by Bender, looks like it's closer to me than Lowe's and Menards.

gregkl said:

I don't know that I could determine any kind of ROI in this case. I do think that at my price point, having a nice deck will help it sell quicker with potentially less negotiation.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I definitely think it would be an attractive selling point. And it probably is, in the long run, more peace of mind just going with something you know will be consistent and easier to work with.

gregkl said:

When I was renovating my home, I quit going to Lowes for wood. I bought my wood at Benders. At Lowes I would go through 50 boards to find 5 good ones. At Bender I could grab a armload and they would all be good.

I am thinking that finding decent treated deck boards will cost me more in frustration than spending the money on composite. Maybe I can stay at the low end of the composite offerings.

Click to expand...

We went low end when we did ours and they still look good 13 years in.

firecadet613 said:

Lumber quality is crap these days.

Over the past few years I've bought a handful of boards from time to time and finding straight boards has been difficult.

I just bought 20ish boards to replace the entrance to my dock, a mix of pressure treated and ground contact rated. Even after checking them at Menards, sitting out in my yard for two days caused a few to warp.

Composite might not be a bad way to go. Our deck has quite a few boards needing to be replaced over the next few years, I have yet to decide if I want to piece meal it or just replace it with composite...

Click to expand...

I generally buy lumber here and there when I see decent stuff. I’ve gone to all three big box places looking for a fitting or some other small piece of hardware, and come home with a truck full of lumber. Sad thing is, I don’t even have any big projects planned anytime soon.

bobzilla said:

We went low end when we did ours and they still look good 13 years in.

Click to expand...

Bobzilla, what brand and "level" did you use?

The American Wood Council (AWC) has published a Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide, known as Design for Code Acceptance 6 or just DCA 6, at this link. We used this a couple of years ago to construct our replacement deck, it covers all the details necessary to build a strong and safe deck that meets and in some cases exceeds the building codes.

We bought our wood from Bender, used Simpson and many Spax fasteners to hold it all together. We had a contractor pour concrete piers to above grade, then installed the posts on a spacer on top of the piers with corner brackets. Makes it easy to replace a post if it ever becomes necessary. Used 2x6s for decking, which makes for a solid deck. We used aluminum railing, but that was by far the most expensive part of the project.

gregkl said:

Bobzilla, what brand and "level" did you use?

Click to expand...

Itwas the bottom level Lowes offered in 2011. I couldn't remember what it was called even if it was still being made!

Pressure treated lumber just isn’t what is used to be, that’s for sure.

We have a Bender’s here in Bedford. A few years ago when I was redoing my porches I tried buying from Bender and honestly, their lumber was no better than what I was getting at Lowes.

The thing about Lowes, especially with deck boards, is how old the bundle is that they’ve set down for people to pick from. If the bundle is newly opened, I had no problem finding plenty of good looking deck boards. If it’s been there awhile, you’re picking through the picked through boards.

One time I was buying a bunch and all that was left were the culls. I asked the guys there if I could get a new bundle to choose from and they got it for me. Not only that, they carried the bundle out to my truck so I could load them directly. (This was before covid so no telling what has changed since then).

LeverGunFan said:

The American Wood Council (AWC) has published a Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide, known as Design for Code Acceptance 6 or just DCA 6, at this link. We used this a couple of years ago to construct our replacement deck, it covers all the details necessary to build a strong and safe deck that meets and in some cases exceeds the building codes.

We bought our wood from Bender, used Simpson and many Spax fasteners to hold it all together. We had a contractor pour concrete piers to above grade, then installed the posts on a spacer on top of the piers with corner brackets. Makes it easy to replace a post if it ever becomes necessary. Used 2x6s for decking, which makes for a solid deck. We used aluminum railing, but that was by far the most expensive part of the project.

Click to expand...

Thanks! I just downloaded the file. It will be very helpful. I'll ask when I apply for the permit if I will remain in code if I follow it with some extras I'll do(like 12" OC joists).

I have used Spax at times. May use them or Simpson, depending on where I buy them.