Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Decks 6th edition: Featuring the latest tools, skills, designs, materials & codes (Black & Decker Complete Guide) Paperback – April 1, 2016

I bought three books (including this one) to study before building my deck. This one was better than the others by far. Some of the charts, such was what beam size is needed, or what post size is needed, take some time to study in order to understand what is being stated, but once you understand it, you will be able to build a better, stronger deck. The book also points out some common construction practices that are no longer allowed by code changes in recent years. The copy of the book that I received was a 2016 copyright; one of the others was 2001, and there have been a lot of code changes that I would not have been aware of without this book. The book has nearly 300 pages of beautiful color pictures, and goes into great detail on every step of the project. Highly recommended if you are planning to build a deck yourself.

Everything you need to know and great pics. Very well organized and easy to follow, with an overview section at the start and then chapters that breakdown each stage of the deck building process. Plus there are special sections in the back that go into detail on stairs, adding more intricate elements like curved railings, etc. Please note though that if you're planning a more complicated job on uneven terrain without prior experience, this book (and any, really) will only go as far as helping you understand how decks are built and not trouble shoot your very unique specific issues.

A good book for the first time deck builder. Nicely laid out. Plenty of pictures to help you see what is being talked about in the text. Not super creative as far as ideas for unique decks but still worth adding to your library.

I doubt this is the only resource that a would-be deck builder would want, but it sure seems to be a good place to begin, especially for the price. I recommend a color reader, though, because there are many color pictures. I read it on my tablet, even though I have a Kindle PaperWhite. I also ended up skipping through it, mostly because I want to repair and make slight modifications to an existing deck. I was mostly interested in upgrading the railings on our deck. I'll go back and read other sections as the need arises.

A good book for someone like me who has not built a deck before. There are a few areas I found lacking. First, the chart for "diameters for post footings" stops short of what a typical deck might need. For instance, if you had a 14' joist with a 2' cantilever you should use the 16' requirements of the chart-- however the chart stops at 15'. Second, there is not much information on free standing decks. You are kind of on your on for calculating loads. Third, the is a section on updated codes but there are too many instances (photos etc) later on in the book that have not been updated. It's not a huge issue but could be improved. Overall, it was a good book that made my deck building much better.

I have all the confidence i needed to now build any type of deck i feel is appropriate for my application. Highly recommend this book.

I like the fact that I this book not only shows you step-by-step how to build various styles of decks, but also explains, and shows diagrams, what each part of the deck is called and what it does. This book also gives you tips on staining, painting, and preserving your deck. It also has sections on how to build planters, railings, etc. Very informative and helpful how-to deck book!! Highly recommend.

Good book with lots of good details. Has some good ideas for planning a new deck. Little short on details but some things should really be reviewed by an engineer. Would recommend