Step Three: This deck was framed with Douglas Fir. If I were building
it today, I would use treated lumber. First, a ledger board was attached to the
side of the house with lag bolts and then steel joist hangers were nailed to it.
Next, the posts and beams were set in place, making sure that the tops of the beams
were level and at the correct elevation. The joists can then be slipped into the hangers and
attached to the house while the posts and beams hold them up. They are then toe-nailed
to the tops of the beams. Don't forget to mark your layout on the ledger and beams before you start.
This lot is on a curving street, so the deck will be built to follow the same curve.
The joists are laid up long and then are trimmed to an appropriate length when they
are all in place. The rim joist (on the outside edge of the deck) will not curve, but
will be attached in short pieces that will allow the framing to stay inside the final
line of the deck.
