How to build a deck onto your house
KEVIN MCCLINTOCK GateHouse Plus

We all want 'em, but some of us don't have 'em, primarily because we think they're hugely expensive projects, akin to adding a new addition to the old homestead.

Wrong.

A deck is one of the most popular additions to the house. Unlike a new garage or a fourth bedroom, decks can be constructed without a lot of hassle. It simply takes some planning, patience, and a pinch of elbow grease.

When you think of a deck, it can be as simple as a fivesquare foot slab lying just outside the back door or garage side entrance. But one can also think bigger. Much bigger. Like super-sized big. Varieties can be endless. Better yet, these porches create a whole new area that can stretch enjoyment out for decades.

For something simple, let's go back and look at that fivefoot porch shooting out from the garage. Most entry doors are roughly 36 inches wide, so a five-foot porch offers some much-needed elbow space on either side.

Before you hit the hardware store for wood, first make your detailed measurements, particularly how large an area you want your porch to cover.

Nabbing pressure-treated wood - or wood that's been protected in some manner against the elements - will help your new porch last plenty of harsh winters and summers. At the end of your project, some protective stain or paint is also a good idea to implement.

To decide how much wood you may need is pretty easy to do. You will need two five-foot sections against the house to act as a securing plate. These will connect the porch to the house. Another three five-foot sections will create the outside box frame. Four more five-foot sections will form the interior crosspieces. These will help strengthen the porch floor. To get all of these fivefoot section, simply purchase ten-foot long, 2x8 boards - cut them in half - and there you go. Good as new and ready to set into place.

But you're wood-buying days aren't dead yet. You will also need to purchase 1x6 floorboards to go on the porch floor. This is the section you'll actually be walking on. And getting an extra board is never a bad idea, just in case one of the boards is rotted or snaps or you don't cut it to the proper length.

You will also need four 4x4 posts for the corner posts on the porch. Getting another 1x6 board can create a nice flat railing top. Some 1x1 ballasters will go up and down under the railing board to complete your new porch's railing.

As far as porch steps are concerned, each should be a little less than two floorboards in width.

Getting all of these various sized boards together with some much-needed screws will enable you to piece your outdoor project together safely and easily. Connecting your plate to the wall of your foundation will require either a Hilti gun or some concrete screws. Look in your home improvement store to find these materials.

Putting the deck together is quite easy. Sometimes there are first-time nerves. Don't sweat. Get some family members or friends to help you out. Learning is much easier as a collective. Or maybe you can be the one to help out a friend in his or her time of need. That way, you gain needed experience.

Enjoy the process, recruit a handy friend or family member and you'll see how easy it can be.