How to Build a Basic Wood Deck

Hold an 8-foot treated board against the side of the house, 2 inches below the bottom of the door. Place a 4-foot level on top of the board. Adjust the board until the bubble in the level rests between the indicator marks. Attach the board to the house by driving a 6-inch lag bolt every 15 inches with the hex driver on your drill.

Dig a line of holes 3 inches from the front of the house. Place one hole at each end of the ledger board you attached to the house and a third at the center of the board. Dig two more lines of holes parallel to the first. Leave 4 feet of space between each line of holes. Make each hole 36 inches deep and 12 inches wide with your shovel.

Drive three pieces of rebar into the bottom of each hole with your sledgehammer. Add six inches of gravel to the bottom of each hole. Mix concrete and water in the wheelbarrow with a hoe. Use the ratio of water to concrete recommended by the manufacturer. Half fill each hole with concrete. Let the concrete cure for 72 hours.

Stand a treated post in each hole. Square each post so that it is parallel with the house. Mix concrete in the wheelbarrow and fill each hole with concrete, keeping each post in the center of its hole. Hold the level against the side of the posts. Maneuver each post so that it is plumb in its hole.

Hang a 2-by-12-inch treated board on each of the outside edges of your posts. Keep each board level with the ledger board on the house. Hang another board along the center line of posts from the front of the deck back toward the house. Drive 16D nails through each board to attach them to the posts.

Cover the top of the frame with 1-by-6-inch deck boards. Drive two screws through each deck board and into the frame board at every juncture. Drive and countersink the screws with the Phillips bit on your drill. Leave a 1/8-inch space between each deck board and the one next to it.

Cut the top of each post 3 feet above the top of the deck boards with your reciprocating saw. Lay a 2-by-4-inch board along the top of the posts. Keep the top edge of the boards even with the top of the posts. Attach boards between the posts 3 inches above the deck boards. Attach the boards to the posts with 16D nails.

Lay a 1-by-6-inch board flat on top of the posts. Attach the handrail to the posts with 16D nails. Place treated pickets from the top 2-by-4-inch board to the bottom 2-by-4 with screws. Leave a 2-inch space between each picket and the one beside it.