But, it’s hard to do that if you don’t have a deck or an area to lay out. And let’s face it, it can be very pricey to have one built by a professional. One homeowner decided to take it upon himself to make a welcoming place to spend time by the pool. He started his own DIY project, building his very own summer oasis.
First, he trimmed all the weeds and cleared out the large rocks that were surrounding the pool area, but they left massive holes that needed to be covered. So, he did the easiest thing…he filled them in with dirt. Soon the area where he planned on building was clear and he was ready to start his project.
Once the ground was leveled, he set up the frame of the deck, which ran the length of one side of the pool. He used pieces of wood to line the outside of the frame. Then, he pulled out a handy tool known as an earth auger, which is basically a giant corkscrew that has the ability to make massive holes in the ground. He needed these holes to serve as a base for the support beams of the deck. His goal was to make them extremely deep so they could support the weight of several people on the deck.
Next, he installed the beams. He used a nail gun to secure the wood before dropping it into the holes. In order to prevent concrete from rotting the bottom of the would, he placed plastic standoffs to the bottom of the beams. After adding the protected beams to each hole, he added concrete to make sure they were fastened in place.
In order to fill the concrete filled holes in, he used stones. He opted for stones instead of dirt because they help with drainage and keep the area moisture free. He then, placed brackets on the cross-beams, getting them prepared for the next part of the project. Stairs were marked and added to the frame and secured in place.
Now, onto one of the most important steps in the project…the wooden beams that attached to the support beams. This was all needed before the platform was ready to be installed. He had to add joints to keep them in place. When things appeared to be sturdy, he removed the temporary supports. In order to make the deck appear more aesthetic, he trimmed down the support beams because they were far too tall.
After making sure the floor boards were cut evenly, he laid them out on top of the frame. Using a drill he secured the floor boards in place.
Finally, after making sure everything was secured with his handy tools, he was able to show off his finished project..
Via: Awm.Com
