8 Tips to Build a Deck that Will Last For Decades

Start With a Proper Foundation

Getting the foundation wrong will compromise your entire deck and could lead to premature structural failure. Avoid the common, fast approach of laying down a couple of paving stones and building the deck directly on top. I used 12-inch Sonotubes to pour concrete piers that provided a solid foundation.

First, dig below the frost line in the spot where each foundation pier will go. When you pour, make sure each pier is plumb and reinforced with concrete fiber.

You can make the piers even stronger by using a concrete vibrator during the pour to increase density. It’s also vital that each pier sticks up above the soil enough to leave at least eight inches of space between the ground and the underside of your deck. Build too close to the ground and moisture rising from the earth will rot your deck quickly.