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The Weekend Warriors Home Improvement Show · PARR

Building Your OWN Deck!

·49 min·3 clips
A handrail can cost more than the deck itself.
Tony and Corey pick up the deck conversation from the contractor side and steer it toward the DIY path. The basic idea is simple. A lot of deck work is within reach for a homeowner who wants to build it themselves. But not every deck belongs in the same bucket. A tall second-story build with engineered posts, footings, and other heavy structure is the kind of job they would rather hand off. That judgment call runs through the whole discussion. They spend time on framing because framing is what makes a deck feel solid. Joist size matters. Span matters too. Corey explains deflection in plain language, using the image of a board bowing in the middle when weight lands on it. The bigger the lumber, the stiffer the deck gets. Tighter framing spacing means less bounce between joists. Push the spacing too far apart and the decking starts carrying work the structure should have handled. Composite decking comes into the picture next, and they point out that products like Trex and TimberTech usually want at least 16 inches on center. Some setups call for 12 inches on center, especially stairs or odd-angle layouts. Cedar decking has its own spacing rules too, so the material choice changes the framing discussion. They also cover a common remodel move. If the old surface is tired but the framing is still in good shape, a homeowner may be able to replace the top layer without rebuilding the whole platform. The conversation keeps circling back to cost because decks are never just lumber and fasteners. By the end, the focus shifts to the fun part of the project: adding the extras and turning the back patio into a place people actually want to spend time in.

As heard by us

A grounded deck lesson about where confidence ends and caution begins.

The episode keeps DIY in its proper lane: a set of judgment calls, not a dare. Tony and Corey stay on the line between what a homeowner can handle and when a contractor should step in, which keeps the advice grounded.

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Why you'd press play

Build the deck yourself without wandering into the parts that are outside your comfort zone.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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