6 Little Changes That Will Make a Big Difference in Your Deck Construction

After mastering the art of building a deck, a pro deck builder can impress even the most discerning of homeowners. Unfortunately, mastering a skill often involves learning from one's mistakes, whether you're in the trade or you're a do-it-yourselfer. Let’s take a look at six areas that will improve constructing a deck so contractors can stand out from the competition, or you DIY’ers can get some "ooo"s and "ahhh"s from the neighbors.

1. Deck Fasteners. If you don’t believe us, then listen to Better Homes and Gardens. Their #1 (and #2) recommendations for building a deck suggest using both quality and hidden fasteners. They are one of countless industry resources that advise against using low-quality screws that will corrode, discolor and shorten the life of a deck.

2. Conceal Supports. A truly professional deck will use hidden fasteners. Create the look of a clean, smooth surface by using the InvisiDeck^® Hidden SCRAIL^® Deck Fastening System. This system will save time and labor costs and is designed for use with wood, PVC or composite materials.

3. Use a Grid Board. Crooked decking boards are unattractive and scream "unprofessional." The easiest way to lay decking boards straight is to install a grid board (every fifth board) to a straight chalk line. Fasten all your grid boards completely. Now go through and install the remainder of the boards using timber wedges cut from decking off-cuts to evenly space the boards in between the grid boards.

4. Avoid the Sag. Sagging decks can be attributed to the wrong type or size of timber being used. DIY’ers can get themselves into a bind with this problem when they try to save a few bucks and erroneously swap hardwood for softwood.

6. Make Geometry Fun. Geometry class was no day at the beach, but angles could come in handy now. No one says a deck needs to always be a square or rectangle, so go ahead and work "outside the box" if you're feeling quirky. Use angles or curves to liven up its appearance.

For more than 100 years, the BECK Fastener Group^® has been manufacturing and distributing innovative and versatile construction fasteners, including the family of SCRAIL^® fasteners. All of the BECK Fastener Group^® product lines were created with one goal: to make it easier and quicker to complete projects without sacrificing quality. That means that even during the busiest deck construction season, contractors can complete a quality job fast, then move quickly to their next client.