Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 14, 1995, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press sunday Homes Section Philip Anwyl 6977017 b1 May builder i t s Ken Knight constructs 50 to 60 decks a year Marc gaunt Winnipeg free press Zoeck this outdoor living space could be in your cards by Kelly Taylor business reporter Ken Knight builds 50 to 60 decks a year and almost always succeeds in talking the customer into using guess which Wood irritates his asthma in allergic to he i carry my inhaler All the time and try to Cut but that Doest Dampen his enthusiasm each Spring As he fires up his dec building opera come i dont care if i Ever see a deck come i cant wait to get Start on this the deck Man is putting up a 160squarefoot deck in the gravel and landscape fab Ric Are Down and the joists Are hanging off the Ledger Board while Knight fights one of two beams into Knight installs the beams but this deck has a number of 45degree Corners and one angled Section where stairs will on such a Knight prefers to tack the joists in Square the deck and then measure and install the maybe one Day ill be smart enough to figure out the angles but at least this Way there Are no he spend time on design while a deck May be Little More than a Square floor to Knight would rather build More intricate it just makes the Job Knight says homeowners look ing to build their own deck should spend As much time designing it As doing anything decide where it How big it should be and How it will fit into the Overall scheme of the dont let things like dryer vents or water faucets dictate Richelle and enjoy then new your he if you have alter not the Brad building consultant at Kiliona said deck builders should choose their materials the Best he Are Cedar or press retreated Cedar has the advantage of being a Rich Wood while press retreated Pine has decay resistant properties similar to both Are among the easiest Woods to work Spruce can be a poor Choice without heavy though Knight says Douglas fir is Fine for the a Way to economize that Doest degrade the structural Quality of a deck is to use Cedar for decking Only and use pres sur treated Wood or fir for the Orr says that Cedar int necessarily it Doest make much sense to go to the expense of using Cedar if youre going to cover it up with a solid since you cant Tell whats under the stain he warns that even on higher end there Are differences in not All lumber is created he when getting be sure to understand what the Salesman is he the Best Cedar for decks is the coastal Cedar grown away from coastal or Interior Doest last As Orr a Good deck starts with a Good the ultimate foundation uses either 16inch columns of Concrete at least 15 feet deep or 10inch columns resting on foot Ings six feet but for that not in the if youve got six that Hama ahead take Tittl things to keep in mind when designing or building a deck what will deck be used for Are there future plans to enclose the deck for most that half the Cost of the Knight for there Are 12inch Square Concrete deck pads that rest on these sup port Fourby four posts that hold up the main but a couple of systems Are available that allow adjustments when the ground settles or adjust posts Knight has his own deck Man Jack system that allows Home owners to adjust the posts from above the other systems resemble Small re levelling a deck is almost Knight piles Are required if there Are plans to enclose the deck later either As a screened porch or Sun pads should be spaced so that they Are no More than eight feet from the next either another pad or the longer spans Are possible if the Wood is and a motto in housing is deeper is that Means that smaller amounts of larger Wood Cost Knight uses 2x10 framing almost it just works better in the Long he says while toe nailing a the City of Winnipeg issues a Booklet on Wood decks that lists minimum beam Joist spans and building code its available at 395 main Orr also said the fewer the the less problem with heaving youll gravel should be compacted Well before pads Are he once the pads Are in its a Good idea to Lay landscape fab what minimum size meets your needs How big is too big design to minimize the use of this cuts Down on problems when levelling the deck after heaving or but requires larger cuts of dont forget to order the gravel and landscape fabric for under the How do you want to finish it this determines whether you should spend More for Cedar decking or can get away with less expensive press retreated Ric Over the ground under the deck and cover it with this will help keep weeds and plants from springing up under the Orr if the deck is to be attached to the a Ledger Board fastened to the outside Wall is needed to support the ends of the deck this should be attached so that the top of the decking rests an Inch below the opening of the doorway to prevent water from entering the the Ledger either 2x8 or 2x10 pressure should be attached with lag bolts running through the facing material into the solid Wood of the Joist called the band which runs around the perimeter of the houses floor if the Ledger is installed on the Concrete youll have to Drill holes into the Concrete and use expand ing bolts As when looking for estimates for Orr said its Best to take some Good measurements of the proposed decks including jogs and Corners of the House and any Yard features that might interfere with the from draw a design com plete with measurements and take that to the lumber too Many people come in with Only rough ideas of what they want and expect a Bangon Esti he Orr also suggests staking out the Corners of the deck to see if it will be big a building permit is needed for any deck higher than eight Inch attached to the House or ;