Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Avoid Rebuilding Your Deck
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Avoid Rebuilding Your Deck
Most deck problems don’t start with the build — they start with the plan.
In this episode, we break down the biggest mistakes homeowners (and sometimes contractors) make when building a deck. From layout and stair placement to structural spans, permits, fasteners, and budgeting — this is the stuff that actually costs you money if you get it wrong.
If you're building this season, watch this before you buy materials.
00:00 – Funny Deck Fails (Staples & Plywood Ideas)
08:03 – Design Mistakes: Size, Stairs & Wasted Space
13:34 – Structural Mistakes: Spans, Cantilevers & Code
19:50 – Material Selection: Don’t Cheap Out
27:57 – Fasteners: What NOT to Use
30:50 – Railing Rules & Safety Changes
36:18 – Water Management & Drainage
40:16 – Staining: When Should You Actually Do It?
43:24 – Budget Contingencies (Plan for Surprises)
48:16 – Final Advice: Do Research & Be Open to Feedback
Building a deck isn’t just picking a board you like. It’s layout planning, understanding traffic flow, managing water, following span charts, choosing the right fasteners, and budgeting smart.
Build it once. Build it right.
View all episodes
By Shane Chapman
4.7
2222 ratings
Most deck problems don’t start with the build — they start with the plan.
In this episode, we break down the biggest mistakes homeowners (and sometimes contractors) make when building a deck. From layout and stair placement to structural spans, permits, fasteners, and budgeting — this is the stuff that actually costs you money if you get it wrong.
If you're building this season, watch this before you buy materials.
00:00 – Funny Deck Fails (Staples & Plywood Ideas)
08:03 – Design Mistakes: Size, Stairs & Wasted Space
13:34 – Structural Mistakes: Spans, Cantilevers & Code
19:50 – Material Selection: Don’t Cheap Out
27:57 – Fasteners: What NOT to Use
30:50 – Railing Rules & Safety Changes
36:18 – Water Management & Drainage
40:16 – Staining: When Should You Actually Do It?
43:24 – Budget Contingencies (Plan for Surprises)
48:16 – Final Advice: Do Research & Be Open to Feedback
Building a deck isn’t just picking a board you like. It’s layout planning, understanding traffic flow, managing water, following span charts, choosing the right fasteners, and budgeting smart.
Build it once. Build it right.
More shows like The Deckheads Podcast
View all
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
41,366 Listeners
Wood Talk | Woodworking
1,540 Listeners
Ag PhD Radio on SiriusXM 147
229 Listeners
The Fine Homebuilding Podcast
778 Listeners
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
28,057 Listeners
Modern Craftsman
1,141 Listeners
Shannon's Lumber Industry Update
351 Listeners
UnBuild It Podcast
231 Listeners
SmartLess
58,462 Listeners
The Build Show Podcast
382 Listeners
Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade
12,872 Listeners