Plank State
Posted by ReadyMade
Project by Tracy Ginsberg and Theodore Lillie
How to build a modular deck.
Skill Level
Hard
Active Time
Weekend
Cost
$$$
- Shims (if necessary)
- Pressure-treated fir 2" x 4"s (for the two layered substructure)
- Cedar planks in 4", 6", 8", or 12" widths (6" is standard; we used 12")
- 1 box of 3" stainless-steel screws
- 100-grit sandpaper
Materials
- 48" to 60" level
- Tape measure
- Sawzall-style saw
- Safety glasses
- Chop saw
- 1 4" #16 galvanized steel nail
- Power drill
- Sander
- Square
Tools
Figure out your deck size and mobility needs. The modular size should be dependent on the deck dimensions and your ability to carry each section. We built our deck in 3' sections.
Start with firm, level ground. If you’re laying the deck on solid material (such as concrete), use shims to level the substructure.
Set up the substructure in a grid: First, lay down the 4" side of the pressure- treated fir pieces about 40" to 41" apart (for 2" x 12" planks). Measure from the edge of the fi rst beam to the center of the next. Then level in both directions to ensure a flat deck. Shore up or remove material under structure as necessary to level.
Next, create the substructure’s crossbeams by laying fir pieces, 2" side up, 18" to 24" apart (you will later cut these into sections as cedar planks are laid).
Temporarily screw the structure together with a spare 2" x 4" on top to ensure that your crossbeams don’t move and to keep the equidistance between pieces intact. You can doubly reinforce the substructure by drilling, at a 45˚ angle, a 2" screw 1" from the bottom of the crossbeam into the substructure base. (Don’t forget to remove this when laying the planks or you will lose the ease of mobility.)
Wearing safety glasses, use the chop saw to cut the cedar planks to the proper lengths.
Lay down the planks using an upright nail as a spacer to set small gaps between the boards. Remove the nail after screwing in the boards
Using the drill, screw three 1'-wide cedar planks (to make a 3' section) into the crossbeams using four screws per section. Do not use center screws as they cause splits in the board. Cedar is a soft wood, so there is no need to pre-drill your screws, unless one of the planks has a knot. If that is the case, be sure to pre-drill.
Cut the crossbeam at the center of each substructure brace.
There should be enough space remaining on the fi rst section of the substructure’s base to overlap the top cedar plank of the next 3' section to interlock the sections together with at least one or two screws into the deck while in use. Remove these few screws when you want to move the deck.
Continue laying planks and cutting crossbeams at each section. When you get to the end, cut the crossbeams to the edge of your last top cedar plank, and move the bottom substructure fully under the crossbeams to finish off the end.
Once you’re finished with the construction, sand the wood and coat the decking in a clear sealant. If you’re going for a more organic look, skip the sealant and leave the wood to the elements. As unsealed cedar ages, the wood fades from golden tan to silver.
