How to Build a Ground-Level Wooden Deck
Construct a solid, square, and level outdoor wooden deck from ground preparation and footing layout to joist framing and decking board installation.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
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- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Miter saw or circular saw
- ✓ Cordless drill and impact driver
- ✓ 4-foot spirit level
- ✓ Speed square
- ✓ Tape measure
- ✓ Chalk snap line
- ✓ Post hole digger or shovel
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Pressure-treated 2x6 or 2x8 lumber (joists and beams)
- ✓ 5/4x6 decking boards (cedar or treated pine)
- ✓ Precast concrete deck piers or concrete mix
- ✓ Joist hangers and 1-1/2 inch structural connector nails
- ✓ 3-inch exterior structural wood screws
- ✓ Butyl joist flashing tape
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Call 811 to locate underground utility lines before digging any footing holes.
- • Wear an N95 dust mask and safety glasses when cutting pressure-treated lumber to avoid inhaling chemical dust.
- • Wear heavy work gloves to handle rough framing lumber and prevent large splinters.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Lay Out Footings and Establish Square
Drive batter boards outside your deck perimeter and run masonry string lines to define outer frame edges. Measure diagonal corners using the 3-4-5 rule or cross-measuring to verify the perimeter is perfectly square. Dig footing locations below the topsoil layer and set concrete piers firmly on leveled gravel beds.
- • String lines form tight 90-degree intersections.
- • Concrete piers sit level in compacted gravel beds at uniform heights.
- • Setting piers directly on loose topsoil or uncompacted dirt.
- • Skipping diagonal cross-measurements before digging.
Assemble the Outer Rim Joist Frame
Cut the perimeter rim joists and end joists to final plan dimensions. Fasten the corners together using three 3-inch exterior wood screws per joint, checking corners with a speed square. Rest the frame squarely on the concrete support piers and verify the entire perimeter is level across both axes.
- • Rectangular box frame resting solidly on all pier blocks.
- • Level bubble centered when placed along all four perimeter boards.
- • Placing boards with the crown facing downward.
- • Driving screws too close to the end grain without pre-drilling, splitting the wood.
Install Field Joists with Joist Hangers
Mark the rim joists every 16 inches on center starting from one side. Fasten metal joist hangers at every mark using rated structural connector screws or nails. Slide each interior joist into its hangers and drive fasteners through all designated hanger flange holes.
- • All joists parallel, sitting flush with the top edge of the rim joist.
- • Every nail hole in the metal joist hangers filled with approved hardware.
- • Measuring 16 inches between joists rather than 16 inches on center.
- • Using standard drywall or general gold construction screws in structural metal hangers.
Apply Joist Flashing Tape
Peel the backing and apply butyl joist tape along the top edge of every framing joist and rim board. Center the tape so roughly 1/4 inch overhangs on each side, then press down firmly along the wood. Smooth out any bubbles or folds using your thumb or a wooden scrap block.
- • Continuous dark waterproof tape covering all exposed top lumber grain.
- • Tape smoothly adhered without loose lifting edges.
- • Applying tape over wet, muddy, or dusty framing lumber.
- • Leaving large puckers that will cause decking boards to teeter.
Fasten the Decking Boards
Lay the first deck board along the outer edge, aligning it with a 1-inch overhang past the rim joist. Fasten it down using two exterior deck screws at every joist intersection. Lay subsequent boards across the frame using an 1/8-inch spacer gap (or an 8d nail) between runs, letting excess board length run wild off the sides.
- • Uniform 1/8-inch gaps running cleanly between all parallel deck boards.
- • Screws driven flush or countersunk exactly 1/16 inch below the surface.
- • Over-driving screws deep into the wood, creating moisture-trapping craters.
- • Butting wet, treated deck boards too tightly together without factoring in shrinkage or expansion.
Snap Chalk Line and Trim Wild Decking Ends
Measure the desired edge overhang from the rim joist at both ends of the deck and make pencil marks. Snap a taut chalk line across all overhanging board ends. Run a circular saw smoothly along the line using a steady hand or a clamped guide board to cut all ends flush in a single pass.
- • Single razor-straight cut line across all board ends.
- • Uniform 1-inch overhang past the framing rim joist.
- • Letting the circular saw blade wander off the chalk line.
- • Cutting completely through the rim joist underneath by setting the saw blade too deep.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Third Coast Craftsman — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Precast concrete piers? Poured concrete sonotubes with galvanized post brackets
- No Joist tape? Strips of self-adhering asphalt/rubber window flashing membrane