How to Install a Deck Frame

Plant stakes at the corners of an 8-by-10-foot rectangle. Tie string between the stakes, and use the carpenter's square to ensure that the corners are exactly 90 degrees.

Dig holes 12 inches deep, 8 inches wide, using the post hole digger at the corners of the rectangle, centering on where the stakes were. Dig an additional two holes in the middle of the 10-foot span.

Pour concrete mix into the wheelbarrow and add water, following the instructions on the package. Using a shovel, mix it in a figure-eight pattern. Do this one bag at a time, as it will become very heavy. Pour concrete into the 8-by-12 holes. Give the concrete time to dry, as suggested on the packaging.

Drill into the concrete footings, using a drill with a masonry bit that is slightly smaller than the masonry screws. Drill holes in the places where the pre-drilled holes in the post anchors will later correspond. Place the post anchors on the concrete footings and screw them into place using the masonry screws.

Cut 2-by-6 boards to the following dimensions: four 10-foot pieces, four 8-foot pieces. Arrange these boards so there are two pairs of 10-foot boards and two pairs of 8-foot boards. Nail these pairs together. You should end up with four two-ply boards: two 8-foot sections that are two boards thick and two similar 10-foot sections.

Lay the boards in their respective places in the post anchors -- the 10-foot pieces in the 10-foot spans and the 8-foot pieces in the 8-foot spans. The one with the 4-inch sides should be facing up. Nail them into place by putting nails through the pre-drilled holes in the post anchors and into the boards.

Cut 2-by-6 boards to 7 feet, 8 inches long. Nail these joists in the frame by putting a metal mounting bracket over the ends of the joist, putting nails through the pre-drilled holes into the joist and into the frame. The joists will be parallel with the 8-foot span. There should be a joist every 16 inches, measuring from the center of one joist to the next.

Add decking boards in a wood of your choice. Alternatively, this frame can serve as the foundation for a hot tub or other similar installation.