How to Build an 8 x10 Deck for Beginners

[@OriginallyShay]

I’m struggling with the steps

[@Deckbuilding]

Well they are easier than you think. It took me awhile to learn back in Erie County Vo- Tech School. I took the classes at age 14 in the summer, plus the government paid me. So i'm giving back after 42 years and teaching you how to build your own outdoor stairs on KZbin kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6G3YZ1vrsmdkKs

[@OriginallyShay]

@@Deckbuilding I’m also in school, not sure when I’ll be able to take the stair course, Thanks for your reply. I’m still trying to get my measurements right on the stairs you did. It goes really fast in the video and I think I’m confusing myself lol

[@ameliajimeno9322]

@Craig Heffernan I’m so motivated to do this project. I’d like to make it 12 x 10. I’ve watch both this video and the 12x12 trex deck video. Should I follow the beginner video for 8x10 and just increase the measurements or copy the the trex video.

[@kiaradougherty3397]

@@Deckbuilding do you do it all in one day?

[@DaveDrawing]

@@kiaradougherty3397 Layout, dig holes and pour cement day one, build day two.

[@Zerofx]

With absolutely no woodworking skills at all, I spent 5 days copying this video almost exactly, with only 2 small changes to suit my needs. My deck turned out absolutely amazing. Thanks!

[@cathiwim]

Zerofx congrats on a job well done!

[@timportlock2594]

Do you have a pic to show?

[@MC-pg2ko]

Great work. Looks very professional! How many days did it take you to complete the project?

[@Zerofx]

@@MC-pg2ko Thanks. It took me and a buddy about 30 hours to build it. That’s with neither of us having any woodworking skills at all, and lots of trial and error figuring stuff out.

[@MC-pg2ko]

@@Zerofx - Pity you did not video the installation as it would have inspired others without any working skills to do likewise. A pro is experienced and has probably forgotten the "trial and error stuff' which is just as important, and as you yourself discovered. Next time perhaps? Having said that, there is an element of natural ability that has to be factored into the equation!

[@suziqt8389]

Im 54 year old female with severe rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis. I made this deck in 3 weeks, taking rests.Thank you for giving me the tools to complete this, Im so happy. looks great.

[@suziqt8389]

@mike hennessy I didnt put steps in. I just have it enclosed. Works for me. many thanks

[@stephanie1265]

good job. I don't let my vagina and boobs get in my way. I build anything.

[@susieblanco2722]

Oh wow I’m inspired

[@DiannaAtherton]

How refreshing. A wood builder who is actually building and not selling anything. Just subscribed.

[@Deckbuilding]

Thanks for watching. I even have a few deck plans on my website craigheffernan.com I do get compensated from folks landing on the website and I’m grateful to have that money to pay some of the upkeep. 😊

[@joelweinstock2993]

This man covers the timing of all the steps to correctly complete the task. Awesome job.

[@fishbake7]

This is the most practcal, no nonsense, simple, no overkill video Ive seen on how to build a deck. I followed most of this video and used it as a reference for my 8x16 foot deck. Huge success. Thank you for this well produced video.

[@kathyretherford3965]

This is beautiful. I have never seen anyone cut into flooring boards to accommodate the framing posts. That really took this craftsmanship to the top.

[@Geotrist]

I love this. You don't talk too much, the music isn't too loud, and you get right to it. Good information.

[@villeinwilliam6239]

You know 😆

[@christinaduckworth4481]

Still could have done without the background music. Difficult for us seniors to hear the talking in the video.

[@SharonSmith-l8g]

I built my deck using the instructions given in this video and I completed my deck in just 5 days. Amazing video. Very informative.

[@Aaron_Scissorhands]

Out of all of the 10+ DIY deck videos I've watched today, this is by far one of the best. The "for beginners" is what really caught my attention, and it lives up to it 100%. If I had to change anything about it it would be a little more detail, but it's good enough for me to start building a deck on our first house. Can't wait! Thanks so much for this awesome video!

[@myrtlebeachmohicanxx]

You know, out of all the do it yourself deck videos I’ve watched over the last week. This fellow definitely takes 1st place. And the final product looked amazing!!!

[@1998pop]

craig. i've built more than a few decks over the years. this video is the best demonstration of professional deck building i've ever seen. great job! richard

[@professorphysiology2081]

+richard williamson any advice on how to modify this design to accommodate a hot tub? Could use all of the advice I can get as I am a bit of an amateur.

[@Deckbuilding]

+richard williamson Wow Richard !!! Thanks for the great comment

[@khaldrogo9451]

Hey Richard, hold this W.

[@shadowmatrix0101]

Professional deck building? Yes. For Beginner's? Hell no. In order for me to build this thing I'd need at least 5 different power saws plus a router. If I had the knowledge and money to have all those different expensive tools, I wouldn't be a beginner.

[@effinchad]

Rose C You can rent these special saws at a local home improvement store, minus the bits or blades of course. It's what I will be doing for a deck approx half the size as in this video. It is a good video. If you're not math or measurement challenged it's a fun task.

[@Chuckles..]

As someone who has experience as a pro carpenter, this vid is amazing, no wonder it is closing in on 8 million views.

[@charleshoward2685]

Treated board will eventually , Rot. In Florida we have sand. We paint on liquid tar to cover all the board that touches dirt. Some use creosote to prevent future rot. Looks good.

[@misslucky5474]

Sir, you did the damn thing. No short cuts were taken. Bravo!

[@Deckbuilding]

Thank You, working on editing more videos to post soon

[@dianafeydresser3104]

Thank you for the easy to understand video .I know I CAN follow your directions,but it might take a couple of try"s to match your skill and precision . I also appreciate that you did not cut corners and did everything right. THANKS.

[@Deckbuilding]

You can do it!

[@Bridget2460]

How could anyone give this video a thumbs down. People are so hard on other people. This was a great video.

[@thomasalley4944]

Because framing best practices wre not used

[@ctbt1832]

I must say this is probably one of the best deck built with the perfect explanation about everything behind the built. not too much talking not too much loud music and not too much nonsense.

[@justinburch]

We used your plans to build a deck last month. Our deck was on uneven ground with a steep slope away from the house so the posts were all different lengths from the ground. With your method it was trivial to deal with that. We did the back band with one side attached, set it in the ground and then marked where the other side should, higher up on the post. We removed the back band, added the second post at the measured height and then put it back in. We used ground blocks instead of burying the posts due to our local conditions (rural much father north in Canada) and codes and reversed the location of the steps. We had to make the balustrades closer together and use screws, not nails due to local codes. We did not put in a skirt, again as a concession to local conditions. Enclosed decks attract wildlife, especially skunks, around here. Otherwise it went exactly according to your plan and it worked. We are delighted with the result. The building inspector was happy with it too. This is a great plan but anyone thinking of using it needs check local regulations and codes and learn from locals about what not to do (like the skunk issue) before starting. Well done and thank you!

[@samboom9262]

This is quality work...and to be honest.....this video is almost 10yrs old and I'm actually pretty impressed with the editing! Other videos this old look hurtin' ! 😆

[@Elvis241000]

WOW, such craftsmanship. Hard to find anyone today that takes pride in what they do. I wish I could beam you to my house to assist me in building a deck. Awesome work.✝️🙏🏻

[@purevibemedia]

Laying the floor panels seems like such a satisfying step.

[@RoadstoRivers]

Used your video to help build a small deck at my house. Your video was spot on! Took me 3 days and it looks great. Thank you.

[@charlievanwindt7145]

2.4K dislikes? What is there not to like about this awesome video? I learned a lot. Thanks!

[@Deckbuilding]

Mostly jealous builders that build it differently, lol

[@brianzoll2433]

Just got done digging the holes. Thanks for the encouragement! I just kept thinking of you saying. "You don't need a power argue. You CAN do this".

[@joshuawood1436]

Or young laborer you pay minimum wage.

[@twittaofficial]

This video has been very helpful. Just finished an 8 x 8.

[@jeffcenters4969]

Although I have built several similar decks, I learned a few structural as well as cosmetic tips and tricks to make a deck easier and nice looking from this video. Thanks for posting!

[@ryankim7771]

This is flawless. Thank you for making this video. I gotta say, your level of measurement/cut accuracy is incredible. I love woodworking so i recognize how experienced you are. Like damn man!

[@Gendo3s2k]

Great job! and it only took 15 minutes start to finish!

[@FLOODOFSINS]

Wish I could build a full deck in 15 minutes LOL

[@GonzE1993]

😂

[@bbwbuildingbeautifulwomen8805]

If you think it took 15 to build you a different type of stupid

[@Artistikk]

BBW Building Beautiful Women r/whoosh

[@JayRiemenschneider]

Absolutely terrific. I’ve built some decks professionally but not as a main gig and you make it look easy. I have no shame in saying none I ever built went as smoothly or came out as good as this. Complete pro, no corners cut. I guess they are synonymous

[@cg77539]

EXCELLENT presentation! Your speed thru the repetitive stuff was just right and you were very good at covering all the bases....going to be starting a decking specialty in my biz here in the Houston area...THANKS!

[@towmotornoises]

Hey Craig, just wanted to tell you that your videos are the absolute most helpful videos I have ever seen to this day. Thank you so much for making them.

[@Prosecute-fauci]

you guys are extremely professional and it is obvious that you care about your reputation

[@kevinkoestler]

Great job! VERY CLEAR AND TO THE POINT INSTRUCTIONS. (I really appreciate how you did not waste words and try to be "cute" or waste time with extra commentary.)

[@r.1362]

Really nice job! I'd like to see a video of a 12'x20' deck being built, you can even use my backyard to film it.

[@Coachlen24]

I see what you did there... hahahaha

[@Bridget2460]

Lol

[@monicabct]

Right! I second that emotion. My front yard would be great too! Lol!!

[@Dike2011]

Good try

[@k.b.woodworker3250]

How about my side yard?

[@tlojewelrylove]

This is great! I wish I could build a small deck (4x8) all by myself. My deck is literally a death trap so I don't use my back door anymore. I think I'll come back and reference this video when I can find someone to help me. Thanks for sharing!

[@DEADWRONGx]

What state are you in

[@anjelasanchez9769]

Great job Craig, I'm a female and this is explained so detailed that I feel like I can definitely make this by my self. Thank you , God bless 🙏💓😇

[@kirsteenniven5111]

LOL ...

[@jonathanferguson9226]

You can make a sammich by yourself.

[@SH-fz9dy]

How did it go, did you manage?

[@BarbaraDoodyjay]

Best how to video for building a deck thus far in my search for a simple way to build it.

[@louisskidmore7273]

What an awesome job! I like the way you went the extra mile! You're a true professional!

[@Harry66B]

What an amazing project! Honestly, this is the best deck building project I've ever seen. You Americans make it look easy. The expertise and professionalism throughout the process were outstanding. And seeing you make the staircase was a work of art. Fabulous!

[@francesedwards2533]

This is so amazing Craig made it look easy .Craig do you do private jobs? I was thinking of doing it myself but i had a car accident and damaged my back and hand .

[@staceyborgardt5551]

WOW, you made it look so easy, I guess that's what happens when you know what you're doing.

[@James-ny6ex]

I’m bout to build a deck and this video is the one I’m going to go with. I learned a few new techniques and all I can say is you build the sturdiest deck I have ever seen. A hurricane would blow the house away and the deck would still be standing lol! Dang. Great video

[@sarahhughey3524]

You made this look so easy. I'm thinking about trying to build a deck, what makes me nervous is having to buy all of the tools first and never having used them before.

[@Stock.619]

Smart man time is money and you definitely don’t waste time

[@bz1128]

Tell you what, if I hired you to do my deck, I would no complaints whatsoever! NICE JOB!!! Love the attention to making sure it was so solid and it's a BEAUTIFUL deck! Congrats!

[@Methodical2]

I love the final touches where you sand the edges and loose splinters. This reminds me of my attention to details. I've yet to see this done or the edge routing in the many videos I've watch on decking building. Two thumbs up.

[@ivorygilyard2243]

Wow, you did a great job. Thank you for the clear and detailed information about how you built this deck. Thank you again.

[@webstercat]

Very well presented. I get all the info, the presentation moves along so viewers aren't bored with watching someone in real time drilling or digging holes. Music I could do without but I'm not paying so I can deal with it or turn it off. Thanks again, very good video!

[@ode2reading]

I'm 63 yr. old female. You make this look quite do-able. Thank you for this post.

[@cathiwim]

ode2reading you can do it. I’m 64 and I have helped renovate two houses. Hubby does the financial, electric and plumbing(both to code), and i do the painting, landscaping,stonework and tile. We both do rough and finish carpentry, and cabinetmaking. We actually sold ourlast house in3 weeks, after working on it for 3 years! It needed top to bottom renovation!

[@govinda104]

This is outstanding video by a carpenter than knows his stuff. So clear I have no questions!

[@robertcombs1518]

Best deck design from begining to end ...so nice and smooth edges too!!!! Best construct and we'll built!!! Thanks will use your design !!

[@jamesdjesse]

That was great...cool that you made it fun and not boring.

[@liddlemountain7245]

This is a really well organized video. Great job!

[@jameslangford4748]

Thank you so much. Your video got me through a pre-winter job jar task in one day. The temperature plummets tomorrow.

[@gdhiker]

just wanted to say nice job and I appreciate your work ethic. Good to see there are others that put care and quality into their tasks! great video also, keep it up

[@seanabbottband]

Great job easy to understand and to the point, this will make my deck built so much easier, thanks!

[@haidarabdallah]

Great video guys! It's informative and entertaining. Thank you. I just don't get why there are some dislikes for this video; there shouldn't be.

[@missytenn3503]

I love your work. I don't have all of the tools. I'm a senior female and do most of my work. I'm going to try my best to accomplish my task. You are awesome. Thank you.

[@Aglassact77]

Hi Craig, good job on this instructional . Here in Washington I think i would have to pour the concrete for the footings all the way to ground level like fence posts, because of rain and snow rotting them would be a certainty . Here a lot of people even use those beveled concrete blocks without even post hole digging at all . I'm gonna do my deck very similar to what you did here, it looks pretty cost effective, and solid too ! . Thank you sir for your expertise and insight, its much appreciated 👍

[@jamessommer6077]

Great job,learned a few things that you showed and when I'm ready to build my mothers back deck I will remember what I've seen,thanks

[@danhall5745]

One of the most outstanding and well done videos I have seen on You Tube. Thanks for keeping it simple and clear Craig.

[@nasha952]

The best DIY deck video I have seen! Your steps are simple and precise.... i will build the exact same deck size starting tomorrow and feel very confident following your steps on this video.... thanks man and God bless, thank you for your service...

[@merlinslair1]

My God this is the exact video I’ve been looking for !!! Thx for making it for us diy guys!!!

[@Fieldeluxe]

Really satisfying to watch, wish I'd learned this in my late teens. Maybe after this 'pandemic' I'll take up a trade, I know a fella that has a decking business maybe he'll let me be his apprentice 😅

[@da324]

Great video and very well done. I live in central Florida, if you gap wood that isn't completely dry, which is never from the box stores, you'll have huge gaps. For people concerned about no concrete in the top of the holes. It isn't needed because the wood is square, plumb, connected with hardware, and he packed the dirt. Anyone ever try to pull a pole out of dirt that has been packed and settled? If you have, you'll know what I'm talking about, especially the kind of hard earth he's removing. Personally, I never use concrete in Fl. unless it's to secure a big post for a large gate when I can't attach it elsewhere. I use gravel on the bottom of the posts for most applications so water that runs down the middle of the post and around it will have a place to drain at the bottom. Even with concrete at the bottom; the posts will last a very long time.

[@mike9122]

One of the best and quickest way to build a deck, I'm ready and confident to get ours built, thank you for your time

[@tedg3721]

I like the "for beginners" in the title. however they have seasoned pro's who've done triple digits of projects like these in their careers. They make it all look so easy!

[@j.j.6535]

This is simple as it gets and I'm no carpenter at all.

[@zjohnluke8823]

That grin after mentioning not wanting anything falling in the holes...hahaahah Love the vid short nd to the point ❤

[@Deckbuilding]

Hello viewers !!!!! I have a floor plan drawing of this deck on my web site at craigheffernan.com I hope it helps you build it yourself and save.

[@JustinD312]

+Craig Heffernan - Why didn't you use any spacing between the deck boards? Don't you need to allow for expansion/contraction? or because it is treated/already saturated you are assuming will shrink?

[@kesciabelbin6169]

+Craig Heffernan is there a general guideline for how many posts vs how large the deck is?

[@amyboyd33]

+Justin Docter he says in another video that the boards are still wet straight from the factory and they will dry out/shrink.

[@Spiritwolfs-35]

+Craig Heffernan Thanks Craig, I keep coming back to this video for reference on how to build my own deck as a novice. One question though: What was the reasoning behind putting the deck nearly level with the door threshold? What kind of offset would be reasonable to keep stuff like snow from spilling into the house when opening the door (and avoid adding a step out the door)?

[@lelanieroch4084]

Craig Heffernan

[@miamiracer]

You, sir, are a master at this! I wish I could find people that worked this well, most of my projects are finished shabbily and it seems to be everyone I hire to do work. I am going to try to do this one myself to see if I end up unhappy with my own work too!!

[@lunhil1264]

I like the skirting, it looks a lot better than the usual cheap lattice you usually see.

[@kattrak1738]

lunhil12 way to true

[@robynclarkdrums]

hey Craig. Thankls so much for your video, Well explained both visually and verbally. Much appreciated. i liv eifn Melbourne Australia ans am going to build a similar deck at some stage so vey apprecited of your skill and mehtod, thnaks

[@GenoLoma]

Honestly, our BCA regs are quite a bit different to the US standards.. and I'm not overly impressed with the finish of this particular deck, (but it is a bit better built than the one they built around the pool from august 2012) I'm from Melbourne originally and have family there, so I'm in town quite often for my own deck building business, so, if you're still looking to have something built, check out my work at Lomaco(dot)com(dot)au and drop me a line either via the email or on my fb page, you can find me :)

[@savoyeperception9205]

Hi Craig! Really enjoyed watching your techniques ~ Most decks that I have seen or been part of building, typically dig the holes and place the post in the hole with dirt at the bottom and then fill the entire hole with concrete . Noticed that you dig the hole, pour concrete at the bottom and then backfill the hole with the post in place with dirt... Can you please elaborate on this particular method that you use? Greatly Appreciate You ~ Watching your performance motivates me to come build with you!!! Thank You

[@stevenowens4511]

I've been told by contractors that you really don't want wood to rest directly on soil, regardless of how its treated it will wick up moisture.

[@joshchaffin3267]

thanks craig; i watched like 4,534 deck build videos and this was the most useful.

[@candykane5046]

Absolutely beautiful though, flawless finish...you are very meticulous in your work. You earn whatever you charged for this project.

[@Louisiana1975]

Excellent work!

[@hafeezurrahman1000]

Hi Craig, Thanks for the awesome video tutorial. I am a newbie to construction scene. Can you please explain the difference between a full cement coming above ground post piers vs how you have done ot i.e. the wooden post inside the ground on a cement base?

[@nathanhulick]

cement piers are stronger and will last longer but are a lot more labor and materials cost so in a small deck like this would kind of be overkill.

[@ianmcleod6428]

Thank you so much. I now own my home. I've spent my years in the service and I never got around to learn this.

[@David-ko8hu]

Great job. Very inspirational, but it will probably take me more than 15 minutes.

[@ascosche]

David I laughed so hard at this....

[@wummerG]

Love the look. Couple of questions though, I see you have no spacing between the boards. Doesn't that cause issues when the boards swell when wet and rot because water gets trapped. The other question is about using soil around the posts. Doesn't it rot pretty quickly when in direct contact with soil?

[@chrislee6970]

wummerG wrong. The wood has moisture when the sun heats them up they will shrink leaving a 3/16 inch gap if you put a gap when you set them once the sun heats them and they shrink it will be too much of a gap

[@jacobwilson8151]

Deck boards are usually so high in moisture when they come out of the stores that they will shrink on their own. Separating them when installing will create an even larger gap. As for the posts being surrounded by soil, a certified appraiser for a house I'm under contract on mentioned that the deck sits on a slope, and someone had put more soil underneath the deck, causing it to come in contact with the post. He said that would definitely need to be taken care of, because even lumber rated for extreme outdoor use is far more susceptible to rot when constantly in contact with dirt. So no, I would not build a deck this way, especially if it's on a second story.

[@mechellekomraus5778]

1. Why don't you fill in the post holes with cement instead of dirt? 2. Why are the floor boards tight against each other rather than spaces like i've sen with other decks? Great video thanks!

[@Deckbuilding]

Hi Mechelle, 1) We never dig a hole and set a post and fill it up with concrete. The reason is the concrete wrapped around a post could rot the post over a period of time. Tamped gravel and concrete in the bottom of the hole below the frost line is the way to build this type of deck. 2)The decking in this video is 5/4 x 6 treated pine. The boards have moisture content when first purchased. When you install these decking boards you put them tight together. As the moisture in the boards dry out the boards will shrink leaving a nice 3/16" gap between them. If you space the boards you will end up having to large of a gap. If using any other material that is completely dried before you build, then you will need to space the boards. Thanks for watching and i hope this was helpful, Craig Heffernan

[@deanwood51]

Because he used treated wood which is soaked. When it dries it will pull apart to give you an 1/8th inch reveal.

[@ianmcgrath3412]

First class video with all bases covered no omissions. A bit of humour thrown in a a confidence boosting 'you can do it' message. Many thanks Craig!

[@JewellMichaelRealty]

"You can do this yourself, don't be scared." That's what I've been telling myself for the last two weeks while building a fence with my husband. About 2 more weeks and we'll be done.

[@brlycrn]

First off, I love all your videos. You and your team are amazing. My question: I don't understand how you were able to build the back band and post assembly completely and drop it into the back holes and have it be level?

[@fatdogtrading]

You asked like a year ago, hopefully you have your answer, if not, here you go. Notice the level line he has on the house, use this line to mark each post, respectively. The back band is cut to length, so you line it up on the edge of each post for plumb and the marks from line on the house for level. Probably best to drop in two nails on each end and double check in the holes before finish nailing it off.

[@diytypeofguy6502]

I lost count of all the ways I would fuck this up :)

[@mickeyminnie4960]

lmao

[@payduhman]

😂😂

[@neykodimov2786]

lol

[@NolomEbal44560]

I.P. - Too Funny!

[@StateofPeaches99]

Too funny!!!

[@toddhale5387]

Throwing together something similar tomorrow.Just a quick refresher before I begin.Great instructional video that doesn't waste your time.

[@Deckbuilding]

Glad it helped, thanks for watching

[@Supercorrects]

i just noticed this man comentated the whole thing before building it, lol insane

[@JD-uy7zt]

Thanks Craig..Really learned a lot on this video..The only question I have..How come are the 4x4 post are only packed with dirt and not cement?? I know theres concrete at the very bottom of the post but I’ve seen people fill the holes completely filled with cement..thanks again👍🙏🏽

[@stephanie1265]

dirt does degrade wood. It will happen eventually.

[@harpazotime2143]

Your good brother , nice craftmenship , God bless !

[@justinsander7654]

The no BS way you did this video is 100% the reason I subscribed.

[@pro_out_hph724]

this is the best step by step as of today! thanks

[@theuniscrause33]

Kelly Kirk opp

[@tobinprowant10]

Just found your channel ignore all the haters great job I did subscribe..

[@tobinlindsey4017]

I can't believe another Tobin watched this video and I was thinking the same thing lol.

[@Cris5598]

What a looser

[@joysanders188]

Does the deck floor boards need to be turned grain up , grain down, or it does not matter ?

[@alisonfowler8193]

There was 8 posts including the steps! I can't do this i don't have all those tools. Not for beginners :/

[@markgaworski5426]

Craig, Why don't you cement the posts in instead of filling the holes back in with dirt? Mark G

[@spyder666111]

frost heave will pick them up and work them out of the ground when fully cemented in. the cement is below frost line so not affected and the wooden posts slide so little to know heave.

[@JQuito1070]

it makes sense, but wouldn't the wood rotten sooner as opposed to being cemented?

[@spyder666111]

Cement retains the moisture closer to the wood and for longer periods of time, as cement does not breath as well as earth does, also any moisture collected next to the post during a freeze risks cracking the cement around the post. So while the direct contact with the dirt is not ideal, overall depending on the conditions in the area it may be the best option. Frost heave destroys improperly built foundations, imagine what it can do to a deck that does not take that into account. Also for a small investment a mix of sand and gravel can be used to help with drainage thereby minimizing moisture along the base of the post, extending its life.

[@markdigger1768]

Gravel just creates a container for water to go to, Bad! Water will go to the least resisted place which would be to fill up your gravel pit. No gravel... The sandy soil he has will drain just fine. TO cement the complete whole without the freeze lifting effect, tube forms could have been used. All of which was not worth worrying about on this little cheap deck. For say an $8000 deck I would have put more into the footings. Way more.

[@williesworldofwheels]

If you cement the posts in, you can't replace them!!! Very easy to replace! All that's needed is a car jack or bottle jack and new post! More than one thing can happen to posts over time. A dog can chew it, it could get heavy mold, warp, etc. I've built and repaired decks and porches for years. Also, if something gets measured wrong, being that you're watching this video because most likely you're new to deck building, you have to deal with the posts cemented in which is very very hard to deal with.

[@timportlock2594]

I like the step by step instructions with explanations of why you are doing some steps. I am thinking of doing a 16'x16' floating deck with built in Pergola (BBQ shack) in my back yard. This video was helpful in my planning process.

[@61kokoloko]

That's what I call art ...very nice work friend. You deserve all my respect...soon I'mma start doin my own projects and believe me... your channel it's going to help me alot..and become very helpful as well Thanks for sharing such as valuable tips..

[@Andy-in8ej]

You deserve my respect,,,,,soon.

[@americanpatriot2789]

You said it's "time to wrap it up with all the railings" 10:31 Where did the deck flooring go :).... Great video.

[@grayghost7847]

😆😉👍🏼

[@JamBone30]

I always thought you spaced the decking so it can swell and what not with the weather change.

[@markmillers4491]

Boards will shrink

[@sntruck]

OK they will shrink but what about them expanding?

[@comancheclub3449]

@@sntruck As far as pressure treated wood is concerned, they will never be as saturated/expanded as when you first buy them. They will dry and shrink much more than they will expand from any absorbed moisture. Butt them tight, unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer. This DOES NOT apply to composite deck material. They MUST be spaced as they expand from heat exposure.

[@carolewhite760]

I love to watch you. You are Smart and work smarter and not harder.

[@skyforce2132]

I’m helping my dad build a 13x15 deck. It’s 50 inches off the ground. Wish me luck

[@timshirley8468]

Great video Craig. I'm wondering though... why no spaces between deck boards? Here it Tennessee, either 1/8 or 1/4 spaces are the usual practice to allow for expanding and contracting because of changing weather and humidity between sessions. Thanks, Tim

[@christiantruther9367]

I read today, NOT to leave any gaps, cuz when the pressure treated lumber fully dries, it shrikes to between an 1/8th and a 1/4.

[@danielstringer7607]

very nice deck and A+ skills, However I will say that I am not a big fan of wood touching dirt in any circumstance, even though it is pressure treated, in my opinion it greatly reduces the lifespan of the lumber.

[@CRLuggy7]

+daniel stringer Same here, saw some wood at the Dach und Holz-Messe in Germany covered with epoxy resin on the foot so you can actually bed it into wet areas-pretty nice.

[@ramiroperez411]

Chulada pinche compadre gringo