Materials reviews, instructional articles, and inspirational photos to help you to build a durable and beautiful deck
Whether you’re searching for inspiration when planning your new deck, or you just need the details and techniques to get the job done right, this collection of how-to and design articles is for you.
Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products
Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
N95 Respirator
PPE is a must, especially when cutting and sanding. We recommend you always have a box of respirator masks on the job site.
This time-saving tool is the fastest way to install hardware. The tip is designed to locate the hole in the hardware, then all you have to do is pull the trigger.
This tool is nice to have for fitting in tight spaces when fastening hardware. While you may not use it often, you'll be glad you have it when you need it.
Decks that look past their prime aren’t necessarily candidates for replacement. In this article, editorial adviser Mike Guertin shows how he assessed a shabby-looking deck but decided it was worth saving—which he did, with an outlay of $600 in materials and three days’ labor.
Deck illumination falls into three key categories: safety lighting, task lighting, and security lighting. Accent lighting for decks can serve all those functions, depending on how it is deployed.
Deck stain keeps new wood looking good and helps to refurbish old, weathered boards. In this article, you’ll learn what the differences are between oil-based, water-based, and water-based epoxy-fortified deck stains.
In this article, NADRA technical adviser Glenn Mathewson shares his top 10 deck-building mistakes that you’ll need to avoid in order to build a longer-lasting, safer deck.
In this Master Carpenter article, editor Mike Guertin explains how to make an underdeck-drainage system from EPDM rubber-roof material and an aluminum gutter.
If you are planning to build a deck these days, chances are that you will want to use hidden fasteners. These fasteners, which make for a blemish-free deck finish, come in a variety of styles but the most popular are grooved-decking fasteners. Editorial adviser Mike Guertin takes a look at a variety of the options now available for grooved-decking fasteners.
Follow veteran deck builder Bobby Parks and his crew in this online-member article, as they construct a new raised deck on a Georgia home. Parks explains his approach step-by-step, with advice on framing, building stairs, setting posts, and adding railings.
So, where are the articles? This website seems to have a lot of these issues whereby content is promised but nothing of value is received. A slide show? Really?
Whether you’re searching for inspiration when planning your new deck, or you just need the details and techniques to get the job done right, this collection of how-to and design articles is for you. Yeah, right.
Prescriptive codes don't address the connection at less common angles, so base the connection off more typical ones using bolts, structural screws, blocking, and steel tension ties.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently
say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.
View Comments
So, where are the articles? This website seems to have a lot of these issues whereby content is promised but nothing of value is received. A slide show? Really?
Whether you’re searching for inspiration when planning your new deck, or you just need the details and techniques to get the job done right, this collection of how-to and design articles is for you. Yeah, right.