Building A Simple Deck: Cost $200, and 6 Hours of My Own (Leisurely) Labor

I woke up and thought, "I should build a deck today!" So, I sketched it on paper to figure out how many boards I needed. I wanted it 6x16 feet. I bought 13 2x6x16' boards, and 3 12' 4x4s. I cut the 4x4s in half, and laid them down as a foundation, to nail the 2x6 boards onto. (I used 3.5 inch galvanized spiral deck nails.)

Since I was using 2x6s, I could space the joist 4x4s farther apart. It all came together fast, and looks GREAT. The only trouble I ran into was overloading the roof rack on my Subaru, while transporting the lumber. (I bent one crossbar.)

I thought I would go to a pick-it-yourself junkyard for a replacement, and then I thought, "why not try to straighten it, since I have nothing to lose." So, I took it off and stuck one end under my cabin foundation, and pulled up. Tada! It looks perfect, but I know it has been weakened, so I still need to replace it, eventually.

See Ya!