Building a Deck on a Budget
Building a deck on your own will take time and planning, but can save you money in the end. We partnered with Evision Decking to bring you along on our process of building a deck on a budget!
We had never built a deck before and decided to research the process and materials to use, to make sure this was something we could handle. After looking up a lot of decking brands, we settled on Envision products to help us build our deck. We reached out to their marketing team to see if they wanted to partner with us on the process and were delighted when they agreed!
Educate Yourself
The first step in building a deck is educating yourself. We researched the color styles from Envision Decking that can be found here, and made a Pinterest Board of projects we liked here.
We found tutorials on Youtube that helped us understand the process as well. Since every deck is different, we just wanted a base idea of how to create this space. Here are some good videos to reference:
We initially had a small back deck that was large enough for one chair. After visiting with our family to decide what we wanted, we came up with a basic plan:
- Enlarge the initial patio space off of back door
- Create a landing for patio furniture
- Add a hot tub area
This is also a great way for you to get started!
Order Deck Materials
Now that you have a plan, you will need to order materials to get started. You can find a dealer here that sells the Envision Decking that we love. We ordered Black Walnut in the Ridge Premium found here.
We measured the square feet and added 10-15% overage for extras. The dealer will help walk you through all the materials you need for your build.
Prepare Your Ground
Permits
Your first step in preparation is to gather city permits or HOA approvals before you start. This is vital to getting insurance coverage. Each area has their own restrictions so call your city planning department for more details.
Remove Your Grass
We made sure to cut and kill the grass before starting. You can also tear out the grass and add gravel underneath if you prefer. Since our deck was low to the ground, we chose not to remove the grass.
Add Wiring
You also will need to add any electrical or plumbing at this stage. I recommend you have a professional do this part so that it will be as safe as possible and will pass inspections. We had help as we navigated it.
Build Your Concrete Base
There are quite a few ideas on how to create your foundation. We opted to use the cement deck block from The Home Depot found here for $9 a piece. We spaced them according to the strength of the wood and block capacity, which you can read about here.
You will dig down your space and add some gravel before laying the concrete block. Make sure it is level and even.
Build Your Deck Base
This is the most time consuming part of the project. But it is the most important. Your deck base will ensure longevity of your project. There are many ways to make your base, and use chose 2×8 wood beams that varied in length for our ours.
Using 4×4 boards that were placed inside each concrete block, we mounted the 2×8 boards to the 4×4 boards. We ensured that they were level using a string and level before we mounted. Not sure what brackets to use? Ask your local Home Depot employee and they can help you!
Mike had to custom build this deck according to the measurements we needed around our hot tub. This took patience and time, but it was worth it!
Add Your Decking
The final step is adding your decking. We love the Black Walnut Color from Envision Decking and how lightweight it was. We made sure we left a space for the edge, and just started adding in the planks. USE DECK SCREWS! Your local hardware store can help you find these.
Our kids were such a big help and the process was much faster with more hands. We added a side piece to cover the decking and you can ask your local decking expert on what piece you will need for your space as well.
Add Outdoor Furniture
This was the funnest part! We ordered our ourdoor furniture from RC Willey and absolutely loved it. The space was finally coming together!
We are so grateful for this fun oasis that we now have in our backyard to make memories on. Envision Decking has so many amazing options for deck builders, so make sure to check them out the next time you are ready to create your outdoor space and build a deck!
Check out these posts for more outdoor inspiration!
That looks amazing! Did you just use the cement deck blocks on the four corners??
Yes! And we also used them in different spots under the deck!