Out here on California's Central Coast, it's rare to find a house ... wood to prevent rot. "A rotted ledger board is a disaster," says Dann. "It compromises the stability of the entire deck ...

Flowers and vegetables pop up out of the ground in the spring. So too do deck support posts. You may be a homeowner who wishes to create an outdoor gathering space or expand that small deck cobbled ...

Think about any wobbly table you might have set things on at a picnic or other outdoor gathering. A deck is really nothing more than a giant table with legs.