If you’re looking to get into the picture framing trade, you might want to consider building your own deck. A picture frame deck isn’t just a place to hang pictures – it’s an open space where friends and family can gather together. These decks are great additions to any home and can help boost its value when you put it on the market later down the road. Building a picture frame deck is similar to framing a picture in your home. The material for a picture frame deck is pressure treated lumber, the type of wood used for exterior decks. It is important to sand the boards before you start building to provide a smooth surface for staining and painting. Use construction adhesive when connecting the boards together because it stays flexible, allowing the wood to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity.
Picture frame decks are very nice. They take a little bit more time to build, but they look great — and they can be built with pressure-treated lumber, just like many other decks. The picture frame decking technique is a simple way to make your deck beautiful without much added expense or additional framing. We’ll show you how to do it here, from start to finish.
What Is A Picture Frame Deck?
A picture frame deck is a deck that has a frame around it. It can be made of wood or metal. The frame can be painted or stained, solid or lattice, attached to the deck or house with brackets and concrete screws (or not).
The framing material can be as simple as 2x4s for simple framing, but it’s best if you use engineered lumber because it resists warping better than dimensional lumber. If you choose to stain your wooden frames instead of paint them, make sure they are pressure-treated so they don’t rot away over time.
The Inner Border
Now that the outer border is attached, it’s time to build the inner border frame. When constructing this frame, keep in mind that you want to make sure it is square with the rest of your deck. You also want to make sure it is level and plumb; this will ensure that your picture frames are aligned properly and look nice when they’re hung up on display.
Start by attaching one side of your inner border frame at each end of the outer border frame using a nail gun (or hammer). Next, use a measuring tape or ruler to measure from where you just attached one end all around until you reach its opposite end point so you know exactly where your next corner needs to go (this should be right above where your first attachment was made).
Repeat these same steps for all four corners until they’re firmly attached but not too tight so they’ll crack over time—you don’t want them falling apart after just a few weeks! It’s important that everything remains level throughout building this deck because if something gets out of line later on down the road due to bad construction now then things will start looking crooked pretty quickly once everything else goes into place around them later down road when installing new boards etcetera…
The Outer Border
Once you’ve completed the perimeter of your deck and checked for square, apply a bead of construction adhesive to the inner border frame.
Attach both ends of the outer border frame to the outer perimeter of your deck. Use a speed square or tape measure for an accurate fit.
What Type Of Wood Should I Use?
When choosing a wood for a deck, there are several factors to consider:
- Strength and durability: You want a wood that’s strong, durable and long-lasting. A good choice would be cedar or redwood. These woods tend to be more expensive but will last longer than other types of lumber. If you’re looking for something less expensive, try pressure treated pine boards.
- Ease Of Working With (EOWW): You’ll also want to consider whether the type of wood is easy to work with when building your deck. Some woods simply aren’t as easy as others; they have knots that need extra care not just during construction but also later on down the road when maintaining them with oiling or staining. For example, pressure treated pine boards tend not only last longer than other types of timber due their preservative qualities but also because they are much easier in terms of working with them compared to say redwood which can be very difficult due its density level (low).
Attaching The Inner Border Frame
- Use the right tools.
- Use the right screws.
- Use the right drill.
- Use the right hammer.
- Use the right drill bit (and not a screw bit).
- Use a screwdriver with an appropriately sized head to fit through your frame’s holes, and a Phillips head if possible (the latter will help keep everything level).
Attaching The Outer Border Frame
Now that your inner border frame is attached, you can easily attach the outer border frame.
Use a nail gun to attach the outer border frame to the inner border frame. Be sure to use a nail gun that is appropriate for the type of wood you are using. Be sure to use nails that are appropriate for the type of wood you are using as well; it’s important not to go overboard with these things because they can cause your decking material to warp or crack if there isn’t enough space between them and they’re too long or too short.
You’re ready to build your deck.
You’re ready to build your deck. Once you’ve made the decision to build a deck, the first thing to do is decide on its size and shape. You can make it anything from a small porch area to a large open space with multiple levels.
You’ll also need to create a plan for any additional structures that are part of your overall design, such as steps or railings. The last step will be choosing materials for your project.
Final words
Now you have a complete understanding of what is required to build a picture frame deck so that you can enjoy your backyard for years to come. The main thing to keep in mind with building your deck is that the foundation must be level and stable. Then, you can build your frame from there and start adding on additional features such as stairs, railings, or benches.
