Winner: Brian Duchin - May 2001

Overview

Dear DekBrands,

I continue to receive rave reviews on my new multi level deck. This is my first wood working project. The secret to the success of my beautiful deck is your Dek-Blocks and plans available on your website. It can't be any easier than this. Your Plans use standard sized lumber to reduce cutting and material cost. I built my multi level deck for about 5% more than a contractor was going to charge me for a single 8'x20' deck without handrails. My deck is three levels. The area in front of the patio door is 4'x6', a second deck 6'x14' and the top deck is 10'x12'.

The blocks save the aggravation and back breaking work of digging holes for 4x4 supports. When I began studying how to build a deck, I dreaded the thought of using a post hole digger for support posts in a multi level deck. Our soil here is very hard clay. I resolved myself to a simple one level deck over our patio until I discovered Dek-Blocks.

I realized that I could make a multi level deck with Dek-Blocks using very basic construction techniques. The hard part was digging up the Mexican Heather plants to make way for the top layer deck and leveling the blocks on uneven ground. Tree and plant roots always spring up in the wrong places. Deciding where to put the deck in relation to the patio lamp was another problem. As these photos show, I worked around these problems. And my wife's flower garden adds just the right amount of color. We can relax on the top deck and smell the roses.

Our pest control exterminator insisted that the deck should not fasten to the house foundation and to keep the lumber off the dirt. Termites are prevalent in our area. Using Dek-Blocks I was able to keep the pressure treated lumber off of the dirt. Because the door swings out, I had to build a 4'x6' pallet design using 2"x4" and 2"x6'"pressure treated lumber laid directly over the concrete patio. This is screwed into the steps leading onto the second level deck. When the wood rots, I'll only have to replace this one area. The remainder of the deck is off of the ground using Dek-Blocks and should not experience any weather related problems. All exposed lumber is also treated with Thompson water seal.

Using 1x6, I added skirting at the end boards to cover the foundation blocks. This is a nice finishing touch. I also nailed poultry wire to the ends to keep critters from finding a home. I recommend using square headed screw and not Phillips heads. Pressure treated lumber is tough to screw into even with pilot holes. I treated myself to a portable drill with two battery packs. I kept one battery on the charger and had a fresh battery at all times.

Our family of four is ready to enjoy the Omaha steaks on our new deck. Thank you again for making my deck a success with your Dek-Blocks.

Sincerely,
Brian Duchin