If building a deck is on your home improvement wish list, consider using recycled building material instead of lumber. These composites can be made of recycled plastic grocery bags, reclaimed pallet wrap and waste wood—anything material reclamation engineers discover. The material is used by home and commercial builders, as well as what do-it-yourselfers can find at home centers and lumber yards. The material is splinter-free and won’t rot or crack; no stain or treatment is needed, so it requires little or no maintenance except a good power washing at the beginning and end of the season.
Create a make-believe deck to decide the size of a new deck using lines of rope or some garden hoses to make an outline of the space. Use pretend furniture like a table and chairs and any other things you envision on the deck. Push out the chairs to see how much room is needed, and wheel out a grill, planter box, or children’s wading pool to see how much space is required….