The Complete Guide to Decks: A Step-by-step Manual for Building Decks (Black & Decker Outdoor Home) [Paperback]

I am in the midst of building my first deck which is in fact the first major home project of my life and this book is just perfect. At all levels, especially for beginners! I spent 2 weeks researching almost half a dozen deck building books before I bought this one and so far no complaints. Pros: 1. Step by step directions with tons of glossy magnified photos (not sketckes but actual photos). 2. Complete list of materials required before each project. 3. Gradually increasing difficulty level of projects..the chapters are layed out perfectly with an individuals learning curve. 4. Comprehensive chapters on how to care and repair your deck. I can already see using the care section once my deck is built. 5. Includes everything on decks - design, posts, framing, decking, stairs, railing, hot tubs, levels, simple to complex designs. You name it and this book has it. --G Gupta<br /><br />First off, I'm not a builder. I'm a guy with an office job who sits behind a desk all day long. I think the last thing I built was a birdhouse in third grade and it didn't even last long enough to hang it on a tree. So, I knew building a deck was a BIG project. But, this book made it SO easy! The photos are incredible. They don't use sketches and drawings, they have actual photos. The steps are easy to follow and the instructions are clear from the tools needed to the types of screws to use. If you're looking for a how-to guide on decks, this is the best one! --Shawn Mulligan<br /><br />This book is fabulous for anyone who wants to build a deck but doesn't know where to start. My husband and I used this book to build a deck even though we had never built anything this complex before. After looking over the detailed pictures (not drawings) and easy descriptions, we constructed a 16'x22' deck with angles. This book was a great help and I would recommend it to anyone looking to save money by doing it yourself. --Angela tilley<br /><br />First off, I'm not a builder. I'm a guy with an office job who sits behind a desk all day long. I think the last thing I built was a birdhouse in third grade and it didn't even last long enough to hang it on a tree. So, I knew building a deck was a BIG project. But, this book made it SO easy! The photos are incredible. They don't use sketches and drawings, they have actual photos. The steps are easy to follow and the instructions are clear from the tools needed to the types of screws to use. If you're looking for a how-to guide on decks, this is the best one! --Shawn Mulligan<br /><br />This book is fabulous for anyone who wants to build a deck but doesn't know where to start. My husband and I used this book to build a deck even though we had never built anything this complex before. After looking over the detailed pictures (not drawings) and easy descriptions, we constructed a 16'x22' deck with angles. This book was a great help and I would recommend it to anyone looking to save money by doing it yourself. --Angela tilley<br /><br />decks are a popular addition to a home, extending living space outdoors. This revised edition does an excellent job assisting a confident homeowner throguh nine decking projects --Library Journal, March 2009<br /><br />This book is fabulous for anyone who wants to build a deck but doesn't know where to start. My husband and I used this book to build a deck even though we had never built anything this complex before. After looking over the detailed pictures (not drawings) and easy descriptions, we constructed a 16'x22' deck with angles. This book was a great help and I would recommend it to anyone looking to save money by doing it yourself. --Angela tilley

decks are a popular addition to a home, extending living space outdoors. This revised edition does an excellent job assisting a confident homeowner throguh nine decking projects --Library Journal, March 2009

This book is fabulous for anyone who wants to build a deck but doesn't know where to start. My husband and I used this book to build a deck even though we had never built anything this complex before. After looking over the detailed pictures (not drawings) and easy descriptions, we constructed a 16'x22' deck with angles. This book was a great help and I would recommend it to anyone looking to save money by doing it yourself. --Angela tilley --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Chris Marshall is the author of dozens of books and hundreds of magazine articles on fine woodworking. He is a contributing editor at The Woodworker s Journal. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.