It's summertime (well, almost) and we just wrapped the spring semester at school… and I'm looking at the list of summer projects. The deck tops the list — it's something that didn't get finished before the rain (and fall semester) started last year.
But now, I'm starting the project back up, re-checking measurements and plans and picking vendors.
Support: The top of the deck will sit about 14in off of the ground — and
to keep as much air-flow as possible, I'm considering triple 2X6 beams
set on 4X6 piers. Another option would be doubled up 2X8 beams on 4X4
piers, but the slimmer profile of the 6in deck would be nice. Also, tripled 2X6s when glued and screwed will likely be stronger than double 2X8s as well — and since the joists will be 2X6, having all one size material will be nice. I'd ike to get the stiffer southern yellow pine (as opposed to fir), but shipping costs from the east coast might be prohibitive when the fir is available locally.
Decking Material: The market for decking material has exploded in the past few years. A decade ago, ipe (or "Brazilian walnut") — a new thing called an "ironwood" (because it literally sinks in water) — was the new guy on the scene, but since then, there have been a dozen new wood introduced from Asia and South America including Garapa, Balu, Tigerwood, Mangaris… and our current favorite, Cumaru. I have a concern with heat retention on the deck which makes the lighter-colored Garapa attractive and completely eliminates any synthetic options which tend to get much hotter from the sun than natural woods.
Vendors: Coupled with the woods, the vendors have become quite competitive and there are several online shops that can ship directly to your door… as well as a few small vendors (who generally advertise on Craigslist) that can score a deal. We've had good luck with this type of vendor in the past, so it's worth investigating.
So… still some decisions to make and some plans to finalize, but one step at a time, right?