How to do Decking

Lighting info brought to you by LightingShowroom.com

A deck is a great place to have at home and most people want to have one. Unfortunately not too many homes do come with a deck already installed. In many cases you would just accept the home as it is, but if you aren’t afraid of bending your back a little, you can have a great deck installed in less than a day.

Before you do anything, you need to have the design of the deck in your mind. There are a number of shapes that a deck can have, and you need one that you like. Just going online and looking at different shapes will give you an idea of what you want.

This is the hardest part of all. If you already have posts, or pillars to which you can connect your deck’s bearers you’re lucky, if not you will have to install these posts yourself. The simplest way is to dig a hole a couple of feet deep, and install a concrete pillar there to the height that you need. Pour a little concrete around the pillar to hold it steady, and you are done.

You need to place the pillars so that they provide support to the bearer logs. Generally speaking putting a post between 5' and 8' from each other is recommended. The bigger the bearer logs, the longer can be the distance. For most normal decks 5' should be sufficient.

The bearers are the load bearing structure of the deck. These bearers connect the outer edges of the deck, and also rest on the pillars so that they form a rigid structure. The bearers are also connected to the home wherever you want the deck to be built. This needs some careful planning because you need to calculate how much distance you need between each bearer. Too much distance will make the deck weak, and too little will make the deck too heavy.

A simple rule of the thumb is to have bearers all around the edge of the deck, and have as many in the middle as you feel fit. Generally you need to keep a bearer around 4' from each other although this distance can be altered a little based on your desk’s design.

The joists are the connectors. They are basically smaller logs of wood than the bearers and are placed around 500 mm from each other. Extending this distance too much is not advisable because the planking for the deck will become too weak and “give” under you when you walk. You nail as many of them as you can, and alter the distance based on the size of the deck. The direction in which you nail the joists to the bearers should be perpendicular to the direction you want the planking to be.

This is the last step in the construction of your deck. You just nail in the planking. Ensure that the planks are all tight up against each other without any space, and nail them on to the joists. Generally two nails to the board on every joist that it sits on is recommended, and more is not needed.

The length of the decking boards needs to be correct so that they sit on a joist at both ends. If you have a board that stretches out over a joist, cut it down so that it sits on the joist at its end. If not, the extending portion will break off eventually.

Also when putting two planks lengthwise to make your deck, ensure that each plank sits on half of the joist. This is to ensure that the plank is supported on both ends.

All this needs some planning beforehand, and this will probably take you more time than the actual work. The mathematics need to be spot on, and even a couple of inches difference in size will only increase your workload when you do install the deck.

Take your time, plan everything out, get the measurements absolutely right, have the schematics done correctly with the lengths written in. Try to get sizes that are as close to what you need as possible, or try to work with premade sizes. This will not only reduce your workload, but will also save you some money because there will be lesser wastage.

View the original article here

Visit LightingShowroom.com for all your home lighting needs.


See all LightingShowroom.com Press releases here.

Decking Designs

Lighting info brought to you by LightingShowroom.com

Traditionally decks are wooden platforms that are raised from the ground and are open on top. These are a great place to relax and unwind after a long and hard day at work. Simply thinking of a time when we can lean back, pop our legs onto a table and take a leisurely sip out of our favorite beverage brings a smile on most of our faces. This simple pleasure has become a luxury that most of us don’t get to experience very often. So while you are still able, make yourself a deck where you can sit, relax and recharge yourself before you take on the next day

Relaxing is not the only thing you can do on a deck, you could entertain, have parties, an outdoor barbecue and basically have a lot of fun. If you live in areas where pleasant weather is the norm and you are someone who loves spending time outside your home, then it is a good idea to check out what the various decking ideas are.

Decking designs

The most common design for most decks is either square or rectangular. However, you can build your deck in almost any shape that you want. Structures with five and six sides such as pentagons and hexagons are becoming very popular. Decks can either be a part of your home or can be structures that stand alone anywhere on your property as any raised structure in wood is generally accepted as a deck.

Deck railings

The deck can either be bare without railings or have railings. The most common railings are wooden beams placed in the form of “X” marks along the sides of the deck. Railings similar to picket fencing are also common.

Deck lighting

Lighting your deck is one of the best decking ideas ever. Your deck and in turn your home can look spectacular if you install lighting on your deck. Strip lighting, recessed lights, lanterns and string lights are just some of the many lighting options that you can use to make your deck twinkle like the night sky.

The best decking designs are usually the ones that you come up with on your own. In order to enjoy your life to the fullest all you need to do is build a deck, light it up and you will never regret it.

View the original article here

Visit LightingShowroom.com for all your home lighting needs.


See all LightingShowroom.com Press releases here.

Decking Lights

Lighting info brought to you by LightingShowroom.com

Why do you need Decking Lights?

One of the high-points of having an outdoor deck is relaxing there in the evening or in the early night. When the weather is pleasant, just sitting back in a deck chair and looking up at nothing but the sky will not only relieve stress, but will also reduce eye strain. Obviously you cannot sit in the dark and you need some light there. If you have conventional wall mounted lights that will light up the deck, you will be defeating the purpose of having a deck because the light will just be shining down into your eyes. Installing decking lights will give just the right amount of light so that you can still see clearly, yet not find them glaring to the eyes.

What are the kinds of lights that I can use?

Decking lights come in very many different shapes and depending on the kind of lighting you want, you can choose the lights. Most of them will be floor mounted, but you get masked and open ones, as well as stairway lights to light up the stairs. The most common are the sunken ones, because they are the most convenient to install on a deck, but if you have a little imagination you can pretty much install any kind of lighting you wish.

Where do I get them?

Decking lights are very easily available in most lighting stores. If you want a wider range to choose from than what the store has, you can always look online. There are a number of places where you can browse either by type or by manufacturer and you can do it from home.

Do they cost a lot?

While not being too expensive, good quality decking lights are still quite expensive. You must remember that if you are going to install them directly on the floor, they should be weather proof, meaning that they should be able to take the heat from the sun, the rain and the cold, and still work. The glass on top also has to be thick enough that if you stand on them by mistake, they should not break. This results in them being on the expensive side. Of course you do get cheaper ones, but these are not as good quality, and will not last you as long as the good ones. If you are willing to pay anywhere more than $50 to $80 per light, you should get reasonably good ones, although there are ones that can cost in the hundreds too.

How do I install decking lights as cheaply as possible?

It is better to go with the good quality ones than the cheap ones because if they conk off, you will have to keep replacing the lights. Most manufacturers will say that their product will last a long time but this is only marketing drivel. Check the wires to see their quality, as well as the material of the glass and the reflectors. Better ones will obviously be better. If you find a cheaper one that you feel is as good then take it.

Another good way is to install solar powered ones. They are not too expensive and cost just as much as a normal one would, but you do not have the trouble of installing the wires etc. which brings down the installation cost. If you are willing to get your hands dirty, you can do it yourself. Although the cheaper ones may not necessarily be the kind of quality product that you are looking for, they have pieces ranging from a low $15 or $20 going up.

Going with solar lights also gives you more options in that you can think of installing other kinds of lights other than the usual floor mounted ones. Check online to see the different ones that are available so that you have an idea of what would look good for your deck.

View the original article here

Visit LightingShowroom.com for all your home lighting needs.


See all LightingShowroom.com Press releases here.