Installing the ledger
A ledger is a horizontal support attached to the house to hold up one side of the deck, It can be a safety hazard if it is poorly attached. You can attach the ledger with bolts or lag screws, after positioning the ledger the next step is laying out the site for footing and post locations. You will need to refer to building codes in your area regarding the footings you need, in some areas post set in concrete or tamped earth and gravel may be ok but other municipalities will require above grade posts set on piers and footings. To prevent moisture damage to the posts, it is necessary to set your finished footings and piers slightly above dirt level. The installation of the beams that support the joist and decking comes immediately once the ledger and posts are in place, the beams run parallel to the ledger, they are connected to the foundation posts, and their numbers increases or decreases according to their distance from the house.
The rim joists which are the outer joists of the deck frame are installed after mounting the beams on top of the posts. Then the inner joist should be installed for bearing the rate of the decking and everything that goes on it. Since decking provides the surface appearance of your deck, you should invest a little more for high quality lumber like cedar or red-wood. It is important to arrange the decking so joints are centered on joists and fall in a random pattern.
The general space between untreated lumber is 1/8-inch, each board is fastened with nails or decking screws, drilling pilot holes at butt joints to avoid splitting. When all the decking is fastened trim the ends of the decking with a circular saw. It is recommended to use a deck adhesive and spiral or ring shank nails or deck screws, to reduce squeaks and fastener pops.
Railings
When building railings usually you start with installing the posts, then the rails, then the balusters and finally any decorative trim. The minimum height for railing is usually 36-42 inches, there are some codes which specify the distance between posts, the opening under the railing, and the balusters spacing.
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