Did you know? An expert's advice on decks.

Discover 5 Tips for better deck design. [DIY University website]( [Premium Workshops]( [NEW! DIY Quick Class Subscription]( [Quick Classes]( [Top Expert Reveals What You Need to Know About Backyard Decks]( [Family Handyman DIY University brings the experts directly to you. Steve Maxwell shares what you need to know about decks—whether you are building a new deck or refinishing your existing backyard deck.]( [Learn More]( [Premium Workshop]( Q&A with Steve Maxwell Ready to improve the quality of your current deck design or want to build a deck from scratch? Steve Maxwell is here to tell us a little bit about his deck workshop and share his best advice for building a backyard deck. Q: What are the top 3 things you would tell someone who is planning to build a new deck? The first thing to understand is that most decks are simply not built as well as they should have been. This includes both appearance and rot resistance. If you go with the kind of construction methods most people do (even most professionals), you’ll be getting less deck life and beauty for your dollar than you otherwise could. The second thing to understand is that the sun and weather will turn any unstained wood gray in time. Go ahead and use fancy tropical hardwoods for the walking surfaces on your deck, but just realize that it will look pretty much like barnboard if you don’t also keep that wood finished. And third, don’t be deterred by the cost of good deck wood alternatives. They do cost more than basic, pressure-treated lumber, but alternatives such as plastic lumber or composites also never rot and they never need to be finished. More and more people are seeing this as a good deal. Q: What advice would you give someone with old deck that’s too much work to keep finished? Too much work staining and re-staining is the #1 complaint of wooden deck owners everywhere. I hear this complaint all the time. Part of this problem stems from the fact that many deck stains just don’t last all that long. They’re bad right from the start. Applying products that have proven themselves in independant testing is a great way to reduce the maintenance load. Different finishing products demand different maintenance responsibilities. Some are simply much easier to maintain than others. Q: What top 5 technical details does this course promote for making any deck design better? The five most important details for a great, long-lasting deck of any size and shape are: - A support structure that’s reliably solid and has the smallest possible areas of rot-promoting wood-to-wood contact. - A deck railing system that will always remain solid. - A deck stair system that’s comfortable, safe and reliably solid over the long haul. - 4. An informed choice of deck surface materials to suit your expectations and needs. - A deck finishing strategy that suits your idea of good looks and minimal maintenance. Instructor Steve Maxwell Steve Maxwell is also a carpenter and home builder living on Manitoulin Island, Canada. Steve's been teaching people to succeed with hands-on how-to skills through his articles, courses, videos and teaching seminars since 1988. Courses by This Instructor [Premium Course]( [Power Your Home with Renewable Energy »]( [Premium Workshop]( [Build Your Own Tiny House »]( [Premium Workshop]( [How to Build Kitchen Cabinets »]( [How to Build a Deck]( [Premium Workshop]( Enrollment Closes: September 31, 2019 Workshop Length: 5 weeks Course Start Date: September 19, 2019 Course End Date: October 4, 2019 Price: $149 [Learn More]( Quick Class Learn how to add outdoor outlets and create a backyard oasis with this online quick class from the Family Handyman experts. [How to Add Outdoor Outlets]( [Quick Class]( [Price: $19.95 All too often, outdoor outlets are either not where you need them or not there at all. Fortunately, the fix is usually just a matter of running new wire from an existing outlet, junction box or breaker box. Of course, one size never fits all, so at each step we’ll show you alternative ways to accomplish what you need to do and explain relevant code requirements. After this course, all you’ll need to do is buy your materials and start wiring!]( [Enroll Now!]( [DIYU Quick Class Subscription: Start Your FREE 2-Week Trial - Learn More >>]( [DIYU Quick Class Subscription: Start Your FREE 2-Week Trial - Learn More >>]( [DIY University website]( You are subscribed to this email as {EMAIL} To unsubscribe or update your Email Preferences, [click here](. View our [privacy policy](. Trusted Media Brands, Inc. 1610 N. 2nd St., Suite 102 Milwaukee, WI 53212 Copyright © 2019 Trusted Media Brands. All rights reserved.