How To Build A Simple Diy Deck On A Budget

A deck is a valuable addition to any home. Once built, you’ll have an outdoor living space that you can use to entertain guests, get some fresh air and enjoy the tastes of summer. If you’re looking for a great way to add usable space to your home without breaking the bank, then building a DIY deck is the perfect solution.

You can build a simple DIY deck on a budget, either by yourself or with help from family and friends. You won’t need any fancy tools or lots of cutting or measuring skills. All you need is time and energy—the same hands-on work ethic that has kept people working with their hands for hundreds of years. When you build a simple DIY deck, it feels good to know that you can take care of your own home. Your investment in a simple DIY deck will add value to your home and also give you extra living space outside where you can entertain family and friends.

There are several ways to build DIY decks on a tight budget, but to get the job done properly, begin with the right materials and design. A good plan combined with adequate materials will make all the difference between a sturdy, long lasting deck and one that is likely to require attention down the road.

Building your own DIY deck shouldn’t be a daunting idea. We’ll show you exactly how to build a simple deck without spending a ton of money.

Check Out Our Decking Materials Calculator

The deck calculator will help you determine the materials and cost of your deck project. You can find local suppliers, compare prices and even get help estimating the time it will take to build your deck.

Once you’ve entered all this information into our online calculator, you’ll be able to get a quick estimate of what it will cost to build your deck. The estimates are based on a number of factors including:

The size of your project (square footage)
Type(s) of wood you plan on using (i.e., redwood vs cedar)

When it comes down to it, decks are one of those things that look nice when they’re done but otherwise aren’t all that interesting or complicated from a construction standpoint. There’s also no shortage of free plans out there if you don’t want yours looking like everyone else’s; just Google “free deck plans” or go to Pinterest for ideas.

Step 2: Place The Concrete Deck Blocks

To position the concrete blocks, use a level to check that they are all in line and level.

You can use a normal carpenter’s level or you can buy one specifically for decking. A carpenter’s level is more accurate but costs more money; it will cost around $20 from your local hardware store or tool rental shop like Home Depot or Rental Town. If you have access to a circular saw (or know someone who does), this might be an option as well—just set it up so that the blade is flush with the ground, then run it along each side of your deck frame as you work your way around positioning each block.
Once everything looks good, mix some concrete according to package directions (most likely 1 part sand/lime mix) and pour into buckets until full (you’ll want at least two buckets worth). Then take one bucket over at a time and pour between each pair of blocks using either a shovel or trowel depending on how loose or compacted the soil is where you’re pouring into place; try not to spill any concrete outside of where its supposed go because this will cause problems later when leveling out surfaces like pavers need perfect levels so they won’t slip out under foot while walking across them).

Step 3: Check The Blocks Are Level

After you have laid the deck blocks, you need to check that they’re level. To do this, set a spirit level on top of each block, then adjust them as necessary until all four sides are even. If it’s not possible to get all four sides completely level at the same time (for example if your ground is uneven), then make sure each side is flat before moving on to the next one.

Once you’ve made sure all four edges are straight by using a spirit level, use another tool called a carpenter’s level—this looks like two pieces of wood attached together vertically by hinges—to check whether or not any individual blocks are crooked from front-to-back. Now that every single one is straight and level from side-to-side and front-to-back, we can move onto step 4.

Step 4: Lay The Floor Beams

Pre-drill the beam holes, and then use lag screws to secure each floor beam in place. Check for level using the laser level, spirit level or carpenter’s level before screwing down each one.

Step 5: Start Setting Your Joists

Now you’re ready to start building your deck. This step is pretty self-explanatory, so we won’t bore you with a lot of details here. But one important thing to know is that the joist is the main support for your decking, and it should be spaced evenly across the entire surface of your structure. You can use a power joist tool or a power saw to cut these boards into pieces (a skill that becomes easier as you practice), and then place them into position on top of your posts and beams in order to support additional flooring such as plywood or OSB (oriented strand board).

If you are using pressure-treated 2x6s for this project, make sure that they are at least 16 feet long—otherwise they won’t fit properly between each post without being cut down in size first! And don’t forget about those 45 degree angles either: if you don’t do this correctly then none of your measurements will align correctly either…which isn’t good news because now all those hours spent building will go right down drain.

Step 6: Add A Center Beam And End Joists (if Needed)

The center beam is the largest beam in your deck, usually made of pressure-treated wood. This beam connects the two end joists and supports all the weight of your deck’s flooring, so it’s important to plan how much pressure it can handle. If you’re building a large deck that will be used for parties or events, you may want to make this beam larger than normal to withstand heavier loads without sagging or breaking over time.

The end joists are smaller beams that hold up the outer edges of your deck; they’re usually not as long as the center beam and are often spaced closer together than their counterparts on each side (the center and intermediate beams).

Step 7: Continue Setting Joists Every 16″ On Center

Continue to set joists every 16″ on center. Pay attention to the orientation of each joist, and make sure they are level before you drive in the nails or screws.
You can use a spirit level to check for levelness, but the best way is to put your foot on the board and see if it sags in any spot under your weight (you don’t have to stand up very far). If there’s a little bit of sag at one end when you step on it, then that end will become higher than the other end as it settles into place over time. That’s okay; just adjust accordingly by driving one or two more nails into that side so they’ll hold it down until you get back around with another row of joists later.
For straightness and squareness checks, use a 4-foot carpenter’s rule—you know: something like this—to measure between opposite sides of adjacent joists at various points throughout their lengths as well as across their tops when viewed from above.

Step 8: Cut Your Wood Boards To Length

Use a miter saw to cut the wood boards to length.
Make sure all measurements are square, straight, and perpendicular.
Use a nail gun to attach the wood boards together. Make sure they are level and parallel, as well as straight up-and-down (perpendicular to each other).

Step 9 Finish By Attaching The Decking Boards

Once the joists and joist hangers are in place, you can start attaching decking boards to the ledger board. Use a power drill to drive screws through each joist and into the ledger. You’ll also need to attach some extra screws on top of your existing ledger so it doesn’t move around when you’re walking on it later. Make sure that all of these screws go into pre-drilled holes in your board so they won’t come loose over time.

To speed up this process, use a power screwdriver instead of using manual drills or screwdrivers by hand—the extra pressure will make driving them in much easier because there’s less chance they’ll slip out while they’re being driven down into their hole with brute force (which is especially important if you have limited experience with tools like these before).

Building your own DIY deck shouldn’t be a daunting idea. We’ll show you exactly how to build a simple deck without spending a ton of money.

A basic wooden deck can be constructed in less than one day, and with the right tools, it can cost as little as $100. While we’re not going to recommend you try this yourself unless you feel comfortable with power tools and building things, there are plenty of other ways to get started on your DIY journey.

Final words

We just showed you how to build a deck in a day. While we may not have the same level of expertise as some professional contractors, we (and many other DIYers) can still get the job done without any issues.