Dear Bonnie: With a sloping backyard close to the same height as the first floor as yours, it is trickier to build the support structure for the deck. Another option is a slightly raised deck, but you ...

This article will explain how to build an elevated deck with common tools, even if you are on a tight budget. My husband and I built this ourselves—mostly it was him, but I helped. Technically, we are ...

There is a misconception regarding ground-level decks that often comes as a surprise to potential deck clients: “The lower the deck, the easier the build.” This is rarely the case. Low-level decks ...

Q: We recently purchased an older home with a large yard. We’d like to install a deck for entertaining guests this summer and save some money by doing it ourselves. What do we need to know before we ...

Contrary to common belief, a low or “ground-level” deck can often present bigger and more time-consuming challenges during the framing stage. Unlike the higher elevation deck built with joists that ...