How to: Build a deck

Design techniques
Decks can quickly become expensive, and when people creep over their budget they begin to cut corners. How can you tell if the deck of your dreams is in your budget?

"Live on the deck before you build it," says Eakes. He suggests laying out the parametres of the deck you think you want with rope or a garden hose, including stairs and an entrance. Place pickets in the corners and host a barbecue. "Make a rule that anyone who steps over the rope has fallen off the deck and gets no more beer," he jokes. During the party, guests will move the ropes and stretch the deck into what's naturally comfortable. You'll be able to see traffic paths: where the kids are running and how to route them, whether the chef is in an awkward corner, or if the steps are in the wrong spot.

After the barbecue, take a look at the revised space and see if it truly fits your budget. If a tiny deck is all you can afford, maybe build a few steps and create a patio instead.

The foundation
The most beautiful deck is worthless atop a bad foundation. Dust off the old shovel and prepare to dig four deep holes for your posts. Generally, the postholes must be below the maximum frost depth to ensure frozen soil doesn't heave the posts upwards. Check with local codes to see exactly how deep they must be.

Eakes' perfect post tip: Pour concrete in the bottom of your holes - just three to four inches deep. Let it dry.

Place your 4x4 or 6x6 on top of this dried concrete. Don't lock the posts into place -- let everything just stand. Build the basic frame of your deck while your posts are still loose. "This way the tops are all nailed together and it's just the bottoms that are twisting. Small mistakes are always made in the post digging, but now the posts will line up perfectly," he explains.

Secure your boards to hold the basic framework and then fill in the holes with concrete to stabilize the structure.