Part of the fun of a new deck is the planning! When you plan
your deck, you can let your imagination run wild and add all
kinds of fun features. As your planning process moves forward,
you can whittle down your design to a more practical (and
buildable) plan. Planning a new deck can be as simple as a few
sketches, or as complete as a blueprint. You can have an
architect or designer create plans for you, or you can do it
yourself. Also, there are many new software programs available
to make planning easier. Before you start planning your deck,
you may want to browse through some magazines for ideas. You can
also search the Internet for photos of existing decks to give
you some better ideas. There are also entire books written
specifically for decks and deck building. They usually have
hundreds of full-color photos to help you decide what features
you want to add to your deck. So the first place to start, is to
measure the area you have available for your new deck. This is
sometimes easier if you have a long tape measure; a 50 foot long
tape measure is usually best for a project like this. Using
wooden stakes, hammer them into the ground at the corners of
your deck. This will help you visualize where your new deck will
be. It's a lot easier to move wooden stakes around, then to
change the layout while building your deck. As you stake out
your new deck, take into consideration any changes in elevation.
You may want to consider a multi-level deck, areas for steps, or
special task areas on your deck. Task areas may include things
like a wet bar, a place for a grill, or even a private sitting
area. These special task areas are what will make your new deck
unique. Once you have your deck staked out in its final
position, you will want to draw some final plans. You can take
these plans to your local home center or building supply store,
and they can create a materials list for you. You will also need
a set of plans if you need a building permit for your deck. Most
townships or municipalities require building permits for a new
deck. They will want to have one or two sets of plans submitted
with the building fee. The more professional your plans look,
the easier it will be for you to get approval to build your new
deck. Once you have your final building permit and your plans
all finished, it's time to start building your deck. The next
series of articles will cover building your deck from start to
finish.
About the author:
Dean Novosat is an avid do-it-yourselfer and remodeler. He
writes for
http://build-decks-patios.com,
"http://for-gadget-guys.com"> http://for-gadget-guys.com,
http://gov-auction-advisor.com and
"http://www.the-kitchen-designer.com">
http://www.the-kitchen-designer.com.
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