Deck Builder in Grants Pass, OR

Framing comes first

Everything else rests on the frame, so that is where the first stretch of a job goes. Joist hangers tie the joists to their supports so the load goes through the hardware instead of resting on a few nails, and we use them at every joist connection, not just the ones that are easy to reach.

A square, level frame makes the boards easy to lay and keeps the gaps even. If the frame is off, it shows up later as a wavy surface, and careful fastening on top won't hide it. We check the frame before a single board goes down.

Laying the surface

Each deck board gets fastened to every joist it crosses with two ring-shank 8D nails or 2-1/2 inch wood screws, or whatever deck screws the board's maker specifies. We use two fasteners per joist, not one, because a single fastener lets the board twist and lift at the edge.

We lean toward deck screws on most jobs. They pull a board down tight, and they back out cleanly if a board ever has to be replaced. Ring-shank nails work too, but screws are easier to correct when something goes sideways.

Grants Pass only freezes now and then, but the freeze-thaw cycle still moves wood a little. Fasteners driven snug and straight ride that out. Ones driven crooked or left proud are the ones that work loose and catch a bare foot.

Stairs, and what four risers cost

Stairs and railings go in after the deck surface is finished, not before. That way we measure the real height from the top of the boards to the ground and cut the steps to fit, instead of working from the plan. A deck that ends up a few inches higher or lower than drawn can throw off a whole run of steps.

A set of stairs with four risers runs $700 to $1,300. A longer run with more risers costs more, and we count them when we see the deck. Width and what the bottom step lands on move the number within that range.

Railings

The rail goes on once the surface is down. It's the part people lean on, so we care more about how it's anchored than how it looks from the driveway. It's planned alongside the stairs so the two line up at the top step.

Covered decks and custom layouts

If you want a roof over part of the deck, now or later, tell us up front. A cover puts more load on the posts and beams than people and furniture do, and it's much easier to size the structure for it from the start than to add to a deck that wasn't built for it.

A deck with angles, levels, or a shape that follows the yard is built the same way as a plain rectangle, one joist and one board at a time. There is more cutting and more places for hangers, and we'll tell you what a shape adds before it shows up on the invoice.