- 1). Cut the 2-by-12s for the deck frame. Leave four pieces at 8 feet and cut eight 7-foot 9-inch pieces.
- 2). Brush wood stain or paint on all 12 2-by-12s along with the 27 2-by-4s. Allow to dry.
- 3). Position two 8-foot 2-by-12s on edge parallel to one another 8 feet apart. Insert two 7-foot 9-inch 2-by-12s between them, forming a 8-foot square frame. Fasten the frame together with 2 1/2-inch screws.
- 4). Use two more 7-foot 9-inch 2-by-12s and add support beams inside the frame. Stand them on edge parallel to the 8-foot sides and equally space them out between the sides. Attach the ends of the beams to the frame with 2 1/2-inch screws.
- 5). Repeat Step 3 and 4 and build another frame section directly on top the assembled section. Fasten the two sections together with penny nails.
- 6). Use the 16 6-inch corner brackets to attach the frame to the cement. Equally space out four on each side and sit them around the inside of the frame at the bottom. Fasten the vertical sides of the brackets to the frame with 1 1/2-inch wide-head nails and use cement nails to secure the other sides of the brackets to the cement.
- 7). Add the surface of the deck. Line up all 27 8-foot 2-by-4s over the frame perpendicular to the two support beams running through the inside of the deck. Drive a 2 1/2-inch screw through each 2-by-4 board at the four points of contact with the frame underneath--the two sides and the two support beams.
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