If you live in an area where there are high risks of hurricanes, tornadoes, or other natural disasters, building a safe room out of cinder blocks is one way to protect yourself. The benefits of using cinder blocks include being able to secure the door with a strong metal bar and to protect yourself against flying debris by adding plywood to the interior walls.
If you’re preparing for a natural disaster like an earthquake or tornado, building a safe room is a critical aspect of your emergency plan. Cinder block is commonly used to build safe rooms because it’s inexpensive, durable and easy to work with. This guide shows you everything you need to know about building a safe room out of cinder blocks
When it comes to building a deck, 90-degree corners are the easiest, but rounded edges and curves aren’t far behind. A curved deck typically requires more materials than a square or rectangular one of the same size; however, if you’re looking for a challenge and don’t mind investing some extra time, you can save money by building it yourself. In this article, we’ll show you how to modify standard deck framing techniques to build an attractive curved deck with multiple levels that’s guaranteed to make your home the envy of the neighborhood.
Getting started
- Choose a site for the deck.
- Prepare the site by removing existing vegetation and soil, and grading it to provide a flat surface with good drainage.
- Determine the size of your deck by measuring your space and calculating how much space you need for each individual feature such as seating or storage areas, as well as walking paths between sections of the deck area if necessary.
- Check with local building codes to make sure that any building materials you plan to use comply with local regulations regarding fire safety, strength and stability requirements, etc.
Pouring the concrete support footings
To ensure that your footing is the proper depth and size, use a level to make sure it’s level, a tape measure to make sure it’s the right size, and a spirit level to make sure it’s straight. Once you’re confident in your measurements and layout, begin pouring concrete into the hole. If you have any doubts about how you should proceed with this step of building your deck frame—or any other stage—don’t hesitate to ask for help from someone who knows what they’re doing!
Once your footings are complete (and hopefully dry), it’s time for framing.
Building the substructure
The substructure is the supporting frame of a deck and can vary in size and complexity depending on your design. The substructure is built from the ground up, so it’s important to have an experienced team lay down a strong foundation before adding anything else on top.
To build your deck, start by framing out one section at a time—in other words, building from the bottom up instead of adding all parts at once. This ensures that all pieces are properly aligned before they’re connected together (and makes it easier for you to access tools if necessary). You’ll want to start by building two parallel walls that extend beyond where they meet with another wall or support beam so they can be anchored into place with stakes or braces later on; then work outward toward corners and ends until you reach those points as well.
Installing skirt boards
To install the skirt boards, you will need to first select a material that is lightweight yet sturdy. Cedar or redwood are popular choices for these boards because they are resistant to decay and insects. You can also use pressure-treated wood if you want something more affordable.
Then, cut the skirt boards using a table saw or circular saw with a guide to keep them straight and level. Once they’re cut, install them by putting them on top of the framing members at each corner of your deck or patio structure. Make sure they’re spaced correctly so that there aren’t gaps between them when someone steps on one end of it—this could lead to tripping hazards.
Installing posts and joists
When you’ve built your deck, it’s time to install the posts and joists. The next step is to add a skirt board (also known as an underdeck) around the perimeter of your deck. If you’re installing a railing system, you’ll want to install those first before attaching railings to your posts.
Now it’s time to start laying out and installing your decking boards. Before you begin laying boards, make sure that all surfaces are level or square by measuring from one corner of the square frame with a tape measure and marking where each board will be installed at each corner location on all sides of the structure; this will help keep everything even when you start putting up boards later on in this project guide.
Railings should also be installed during this phase because they take up some space within the perimeter frame–so if possible try not making them too big so as not have problems later when trying installing railings themselves.
Laying decking boards
Lay the decking boards in a pattern that minimizes the gaps between them. This will make sure your deck curves smoothly and looks good.
You should stagger the ends of each board so they don’t sit against each other. If you want to create an even curve, place your first board with one end against an existing post, then use that as a reference point for laying out all of your other decking boards. You can also use blocks to help hold things in place while you work on getting everything aligned correctly.
Make sure your footings are at least 24 inches deep (for most projects). The size depends on how big your deck is going to be – bigger decks require deeper footings to support more weight from people standing on them.
Building a rounded deck is more involved than building one with 90-degree corners, but the extra work doesn’t have to mean extra time. The trick is to cut in stages, which not only saves time but also reduces the risk of mistakes.
The trick is to cut in stages, which not only saves time but also reduces the risk of mistakes. You can do this by first laying out the decking boards around a curve and marking them with an awl before you cut them. Or you could simply set up a stop block on your circular saw and make one pass at each end of every board as it feeds through your sawblade.
- If you’re making multiple passes on each side of every board, it’s important to keep track of how far down into the board each successive pass cuts so that they all match up when they’re installed.
Final words
And that wraps it up, folks. We hope we were able to help make this process as easy and stress-free as possible, so you’re ready to start building your own rounded deck.
