goaliedad
Member
Registered: 12/18/06
Posts: 9134
Loc: northwest Michigan
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We need to build a deck- nothing fancy. I could do a parts list by hand, but wonder is there a decent design software- free or very cheap?
Menard's has a self serve kiosk, but it is limiting in options- such as the stair way will not be going to the full depth of the deck- it runs into a hill.
I want a material list so we can shop prices and know a final budget
thanks
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We are all manufacturers. Making good, making trouble, or making excuses. -- H. V. Adolt
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daveferg
member
Registered: 02/19/02
Posts: 39816
Loc: Cloverdale, CA, USA
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By far, your biggest expense will be the decking itself. You can have a pretty good handle for comparing costs by figuring the dimensions of the deck---figure the width and divide by the finished width of the deck boards for the number of boards---then multiply that by the length in feet, which will give you linear feet, which is how they sell decking around here at least. Add 10-15% for waste---20% if you have many stairs. The PT for the structure will be fairly standard though you could price 4x4s and 4x6s etc. to check PT prices. Then the only issue would be the railings and the material you want to use.
You might go to the library and check the Sunset Deck Building book----that's what I used as a guide for mine. Pretty helpful, but I'm sure there are loads of plans available for little or no cost. Good luck.
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Dave
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OlBen
Member
Registered: 11/10/07
Posts: 44
Loc: Goshen, Indiana
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Here You Go
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goaliedad
Member
Registered: 12/18/06
Posts: 9134
Loc: northwest Michigan
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Thanks!
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We are all manufacturers. Making good, making trouble, or making excuses. -- H. V. Adolt
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Woodenfish
Member
Registered: 01/13/07
Posts: 2832
Loc: Chi-raq
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I just completed a huge PT deck build for a friend and found all of the needed materials priced at Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards to be near the same with a slight edge to Menards. Menards carries USP structural connectors where the others carry Simpson Strong Tie. The USP connectors were priced much less. Lumber, concrete, sonotubes nails, screws, etc., all about the same. PT 5/4 decking is much thicker at Menards. Lumber quality was fairly even. Lowe's was the closest to the site so that is where we wound up.
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Any free advice given is worth price paid.
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daveferg
member
Registered: 02/19/02
Posts: 39816
Loc: Cloverdale, CA, USA
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As to vendors, I'd certainly include a local independent lumber yard. That's where I got my materials. None of this having to load the wood onto a cart and then load it into my truck---and then again from truck to material pile at home----all those steps eliminated by the lumber yard's delivered order. Plus the wood was way better quality than Lowes or HD.
I happened to be in Lowes the other day----while it could be just our store, their aisle of PT and dimensional was about the saddest I'd seen in a long time----twisted, split and warped.
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Dave
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Woodenfish
Member
Registered: 01/13/07
Posts: 2832
Loc: Chi-raq
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daveferg said:
I happened to be in Lowes the other day----while it could be just our store, their aisle of PT and dimensional was about the saddest I'd seen in a long time----twisted, split and warped.
All of them twisted, warped, bowed, split PT boards you saw were the boards already culled by other buyers. The quality of wood available at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc., has nothing to do with the way PT reacts as it dries.
You can special order PT that is KDAT or ADAT and hope for the best albeit at a significant price increase or you can choose to do what so many others are doing, switch to steel. Galvanized light gauge steel framing is going to lead new deck construction in the coming years.
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Any free advice given is worth price paid.
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daveferg
member
Registered: 02/19/02
Posts: 39816
Loc: Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Woodenfish said:
daveferg said:
I happened to be in Lowes the other day----while it could be just our store, their aisle of PT and dimensional was about the saddest I'd seen in a long time----twisted, split and warped.
All of them twisted, warped, bowed, split PT boards you saw were the boards already culled by other buyers. The quality of wood available at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc., has nothing to do with the way PT reacts as it dries.
You can special order PT that is KDAT or ADAT and hope for the best albeit at a significant price increase or you can choose to do what so many others are doing, switch to steel. Galvanized light gauge steel framing is going to lead new deck construction in the coming years.
Let's just say I get way better quality PT from my local lumber yard. I've also found Borg stuff is sometime mis-labeled as to grade--unfortunately, you don't find that out until it's been in ground contact for a while and rotted out faster than redwood.
Totally agree about new use of steel. We were up against a time limit and ordered a Tuff Shed. Their foundation is light weight steel web. Our shed has been up two years and the foundation is as solid as if I'd had it built on a slab.
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Dave
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