Review - Building a Deck (Build Like A Pro) by Scott Schuttner

Build Like A Pro by Scott Schuttner is an immensely readable and a highly recommended book for all those who want to start building their own decks. The book is an authoritative guide for building the most popular exterior building project - the deck. Scott Schuttner takes the reader through the entire process - from planning stages, through construction step-by-step, to the custom details that make a deck unique. Building a Deck covers the practical side of building as well as design considerations that make the difference to discerning homeowners. The book includes 35 drawings and over 300 color photos that display various deck designs.

The book stands out as being extremely useful to all DIY’s . The author has given information on materials and companies that manufacture them. The book is clearly worthwhile to go through even though it does not cover newer deck construction materials. It is true that one book can not cover every aspect of the deck construction scenario, but it is worthwhile to understand the fundamentals of deck building and ways to avoid general pitfalls. The main focus of the book is to instruct the reader on how to build a deck, rather than how to deal with a contractor that will build your deck. Intelligently organized the book is interspersed with excellent professional tips, details, safety tips, building codes, diagrams, and photographs throughout. This deck book is for DIY’s with some experience and with the author’s writing style it could work for enthusiastic beginners as well. It may come across as being too basic for a professional though, but for all those wanting to give it a try this deck building book would be good to get hold of. For one the author has described multiple approaches for most aspects of a deck project, versus having one this-is-the-way-to-do-it, approach.

Every aspect of a deck project is well discussed. It starts with deck planning, and things you should consider, and progresses logically through foundations, ledgers, posts, and beams, joists, decking, railings, stairs, and custom details. You can improve on several aspects of your deck building plans, based on ideas in this book.