Can you deck over a patio

Layout the deck boards perpendicular to the joists. For synthetic decking, use a 16d nail to space the boards apart.

Use screws specifically designed for the type of decking you are using. Take care to space screws uniformly and align them with the screws on the adjacent boards. Pull the board through during the second half of the cut. Rip the extra stock into strips of various thickness. Side Note 1. Plan a layout for the joists. To get the number of joists, divide the length of the decking in inches by Then add one. Your particular design may also require an additional board or two for rim joists one board that caps off the end of the joists or ledger boards attached to the house for joist hangers.

Side Note 2. Most lumber yards and home-improvement stores have people and print-outs that can help you determine how much decking you need to buy for your particular application. Calculate the square footage for one board of the type you want to use. Most common is the 2-by A foot board is 7. A byfoot deck is square feet. Divide the square footage of the deck by the square footage of one board to get the number of boards needed.

Side Note 3. Long boards can be ripped on a small portable table saw without rollers or feed supports. In fact, sometimes rollers can be counter-productive because they may track the board off line as it goes through the saw. It will be a straight transition from the house to the deck, making it a lot less likely that you drop dinner before you can cook it. If you have stairs down from the back door to the patio, you can add height to the stairs themselves to compensate for the added height of the deck.

This is especially easy if you are using the composite tiles that lay flush on the concrete. Building a deck is a very attractive option for covering your old concrete patio, but there are several other options you could try.

You can buy the needed supplies easily and knock out the job in a weekend. The first step will be to clean the patio. Use a pressure washer to remove stains, dirt and debris. A little tip — just this step alone can take years off the look of your old concrete patio. Removing those old mildew stains and spilled sodas is like a facelift for your patio. Before you resurface the whole patio, spend a little time patching the cracks and pits.

For this stage, mix it to a consistency that lets you apply it easily with a trowel. Let the repairs dry completely before the next step. Once your repairs are dry, completely saturate your concrete patio with water, then remove any standing water. Work in manageable sections, as the resurfacer will set up very quickly, and make sure to separate the gaps between workspaces to maintain the spaces between slabs.

Mix the resurfacer one work section at a time and apply with a long-handled trowel, then go over it with a push broom or squeegee to get that flat finish. And if you are not sure of how you want to resurface or if you want to put new concrete over old concrete , you can look at that article to come up with your decision. If you decide to resurface your old patio, check out this video from Quikrete for a step-by-step guide. If you just want to add a little flavor to your outdoor space, adding some color to your patio might be just the thing.

There are plenty of options here, from a simple coat to diagrams and scoring. Here are just a few ideas. Taping instead of scoring adds considerable flexibility for designing shapes — you may not even have to stick to straight lines!

The difference between paint and stain essentially comes down to where the color goes. Paint sits on top of the concrete and provides a layer of color. Paint will allow you the greatest flexibility for vibrant color. Pavers are probably the most time-intensive and costly method for covering an old concrete patio. For this solution, you will need to build a border of bricks around the outside of the patio. Your options here are limited only by your imagination. You could even turn that concrete slab into an outdoor kitchen!

Here are some must haves for your outdoor kitchen! A deck is a great way to cover your old concrete patio, and we outlined a few other options as well. Here are a few other resources for you to reference. Guide to Covering Your Patio with Pavers. Posts should be anchored to the existing concrete to help stabilize the framing. Consult with your local building code official on the best methods for attachment.

Gap like a pro. Proper gapping is necessary for water drainage and expansion and contraction, and also allows for shrinkage associated with wood joist systems.

Worried about splitting boards? Try pre-drilling surface screw holes to avoid damaging the end of your composite boards. For concrete, you can apply a self-levelling compound. You can also plan your decks to be sloped towards one end, away from your home is recommended. For stone paving slabs, you may need extra protection from weed growth, more so if you plan to build a ground-level deck. You can protect your decking frame by installing a weed barrier or covering the paving slabs and tiles with landscaping fabric.

For best results, you may need to add edging to protect further from weed growth. The next step is to build an appropriate frame for the deck. You can follow many guides on how to do it. However, there are a few crucial details that you should remember, regardless of what type of decking you are planning to build. One of them is joist spacing. For decking, you want to have at least 16 inches on centre joist spacing.

Any more than that can cause the decking boards to sag. If you plan to build a ground-level deck, it's also best to choose water-resistant materials for your frame. Most builders will recommend using at least pressure-treated wood. You can also use composite lumber for framing. After installing the frame, the last step is to install the decking boards.