Building the Ultimate Deck: Framing Day with ProWood Lumber
IT’S FRAMING DAY!
The demo is officially done, and wow, what a difference! Here’s what it looked like before, and here’s where we’re headed. But before we get to the fun part, we’ve got to frame it out. This new deck is going to be big—we’re talking 1,400 square feet of outdoor living space! I can’t wait to watch how they do this!
Just as a refresher, we’re keeping the screened-in porch portion the same size, but we’re adding stairs onto the outdoor deck for better access, creating an outdoor kitchen, and expanding the outdoor deck section. If you want to see more of the design plans you can check it out here!
What Makes ProWood the Best Choice for Deck Framing?
Before we get to how they framed the deck lets talk about materials! When it came to choosing materials for this project, I did a ton of research because, let’s be honest, I do not want to rebuild this deck ever again. After comparing all the options, we decided to go with ProWood lumber for all the framing of this deck—and here’s why:
• Durability You Can Trust: This deck is going to face everything from rain to relentless Georgia sun—not to mention the everyday wear and tear from our family. ProWood’s pressure-treated lumber is designed to resist decay and deter termite damage, keeping the structure solid for years to come.
• Lifetime Limited Warranty: ProWood backs its lumber with a Lifetime Limited Warranty. This covers both ground contact and above-ground applications. If you’re the original owner and your ProWood lumber experiences structural failure due to rot, fungal decay, or termite damage, they’ll replace the materials or refund the original purchase price. Knowing this gave me so much peace of mind, especially since we’re using a lot of wood for this project.
• Eco-Friendly and Family-Safe: ProWood uses an EPA-registered, environmentally preferred Micronized Copper Azole (MCA) preservative. It’s safe for handling and family use, which is key for us since this deck will be our main outdoor hangout spot.
• Low Maintenance Options: While we’re installing composite decking over this frame, ProWood also offers color-treated lumber. This option resists fading and reduces the need for annual staining, so if you opt for a wood deck, you’ll enjoy a stunning look with less upkeep.
Choosing ProWood was one of the easiest decisions we made for this renovation, and I couldn’t be happier with how it’s all coming together! They packaged it so well I didn’t see any warped boards which makes all the difference when you are doing a project like this. You can purchase Prowood at your local Home Depot or a local ProWood dealer.
Build of Materials
The team at Deck South figured out all the materials we’d need for this massive 1,400-square-foot deck. They didn’t miss a detail! From ledgers to beams, joists, and posts, ProWood had us covered. If you’re into the nitty-gritty details, here’s the Build of Materials (BOM) we used for the framing:
- 2x10x16 PT: 118
- 2x10x12 PT: 60
- 2x10x18 PT: 20
- 2x10x16 WW: 28
- 6x6x10 PT: 8
- 6x6x8 PT: 10
- 4x4x8 KDAT: 16
- 2x4x12 WW: 22
- 2x12x16 PT: 26
- 2x6x12 KDAT: 10
- 2x2x12 KDAT: 25
- 2x4x12 KDAT: 17
- 2x12x18 PT: 6
- 2x6x16 WW: 12
- 6x6x8 KDAT: 12
Ledger Board Install
Okay finally, let’s talk about framing! The first step in building our deck was putting up the ledger board. This board runs along the house and anchors the deck to the structure. It’s what supports the entire deck, so getting this step right was critical.
After the ledger board was installed, the team added flashing. Flashing is a must-have to prevent water from seeping between the ledger board and the house. It protects against rot and structural damage, extending the life of your deck. It’s a small but essential step—so don’t skip it!
Now For The Fun Part : Framing The Deck
After hanging a few joists, they built out the frame and continued adding the rest of the joists. Once everything was in place, they installed joist hangers and heavy-duty T brackets to reinforce the structure.
Watching the crew build out the frame was so fun! They started with the deck joists—these are the horizontal boards that support the deck boards. Our joists were spaced 12 inches apart to accommodate the composite decking we chose: from MoistureShield . The team used a framing nail gun with 3-inch galvanized nails to secure everything.
It only took the Miguel and Chris 10 days to complete all the framing and add concrete footers for the deck structure. When I say the Deck South team doesn’t mess around, I mean it! They worked their butts off, showing up every morning at 8:30 AM and staying until after 6 PM to keep this project moving. They are such professionals and so good at what they do. If you want to see the video of the framing check it out here!
What’s Next
Now that the framing is complete, it’s time to start PVC Trim and laying the decking! Stay tuned as we move on to installing the composite decking, railings, and everything else that will bring this project to life.
