Deck construction: Materials, plans & maintenance
Separate the visible deck boards from the supports, connections and inspections that make the project a complete job.
Start with an accepted design for your site. The American Wood Council DCA6 reference is based on the 2015 IRC; it does not establish the code adopted at your address.
Define replacement or new construction
Record whether you are replacing surface boards, repairing framing or building a new deck. Measure the footprint and height from an existing plan or safe ground-level survey. Identify stairs, landings, railing and unusual loads. A surface replacement quote should say who checks the existing support before new boards cover it.
Confirm the design boundary
AWC DCA6 has defined materials, geometry and load assumptions. Concentrated loads such as hot tubs are outside its scope. Ask the local building department or designer which approved details apply. Do not choose beams, footings or connections by working backward from the calculator’s example joist spacing.
Plan the house connection
DCA6 distinguishes acceptable ledger attachments and prohibits attachment to certain features, including veneers and cantilevered overhangs. Give the installer the actual house-wall construction. Ask how the connection and flashing will be inspected before being covered, or whether a freestanding design is required.
Build the purchasing schedule
Use the accepted plan to list framing members, connectors, fasteners, footings and railing. Plan decking direction, stock lengths and supported seams separately. Record the selected decking maker’s gaps and fastening instructions; wood and proprietary composite systems need not share details or hardware.
Check stages before closing them
Agree which footing, framing, connection and final inspections the project needs. Keep drawings and approved changes together. Resolve stairs and guard details before ordering finish pieces. The stair tool divides a rise; it does not certify stringer size, footing support or a compliant finished stair.
Keep a maintenance record
Retain product names, care instructions, permits and covered-work photos. Look for loose connections, damaged surface pieces, blocked drainage and movement, and arrange repair assessment when found. Use the chosen coating or decking product’s cleaning instructions rather than assuming a treatment for one material suits another.
See the measurement become an order
Example only: a 16 × 12 ft deck surface, boards along its length, the editable board and gap dimensions, and 10% extra.
This example gives 29 deck surface boards.
- ceil((12 + 0.010417) ÷ (0.458333 + 0.010417)) = 26
- ceil(26 × 1 × (1 + 10/100)) = 29