Resources To Inspire, Plan, Build, and Enjoy Your Deck

Many of the resources on this page are sprinkled throughout the content of this site, but this page is your centralized inventory of carefully chosen resources dedicated to the subject of decks and Lancaster County.

Inspiration and Ideas For Backyards and Decks

• Decks.com - The name pretty much says it. If it has something to do with decks, you'll find it here. This site is primarily for the in depth information about decks, but it's also a great place to find ideas and inspiration.
• Backyards and Gardens - Since your deck is part of the outdoor living space in your backyard, this place is a treasure trove of ideas and information to make it more enjoyable.
• TimberTech's Deck Designer - TimberTech is a leading manufacturer of quality decking materials, and whether you use their product or not, you'll find their interactive Deck Designer tool very helpful.

Deck material makers are very good about providing galleries featuring their products. These are excellent sources of ideas and inspiration too. Below are some leading manufacturers other than TimberTech for you to check out. Each of these sites will open in a new window or tab so you can explore the sites as much as you like without losing this resource page.

              

Lancaster Central Market

You may be wondering, even tough Lancaster has the oldest farmer's market in the country, what does that have to do with resources for your deck? Everything! If you want farm raised meat and garden fresh veggies to enjoy on your deck, what better place to get them than the local farmer's market?

The Lancaster Central Market is the ideal place to acquire the best ingredients for your backyard experience. With grass fed beef and other sustainable farm raised meats, organic garden produce, and even prepared foods like deli sandwiches, salads, and baked goods, you can enjoy the best natural selections. Add the fresh garden herbs and spices, and Lancaster offers fresh foods that are way too easy to take for granted, even though many people travel hundreds or thousands of miles to visit the historic Central Market.

Community Resources

• Lancaster County site - The Lancaster County site not only contains resources for the county as a whole, you have direct access to the individual sites for each community in Lancaster County. This can provide useful information such as building permit offices, hours, phone numbers and addresses, answers to common questions, etc.
• 360Lancaster - This "visual directory" of Lancaster, PA includes virtual tours, resources, and community information to help you find and enjoy the best Lancaster has to offer.

Planning, Building, and Even the More Technical Stuff

• Decks.com - Yes, this is a repeat of the top resource under the Inspiration and Ideas category above, but this site is primarily for the deeper subjects surrounding decks. It even includes free downloadable plans which could simplify your planning if the designs suit your needs.
• Deck Advisor - Because the contributors to this site are professional deck builders, you are getting reliable information from the pros. It is a bit technical in some cases, but it is relevant to both homeowners seeking to inform themselves while discussing their needs with contractors and those wanting to do all or part of their own deck project.
• Professional Deck Builder - This is a trade magazine aimed at professional deck builders, so it may be a bit intimidating for most homeowners. But if you want to build your own deck, or you want to simply educate yourself (perhaps even to prepare interviewing contractors), there are valuable nuggets to be gleaned from this publication, and not all of it requires that you be a deck builder yourself.
• Build a Safe, Strong Deck by Simpson Strong-Tie - Simpson Strong-Tie is a leading manufacturer of construction hardware, and this section of their web site offers excellent resources for understanding deck safety and building a safe and reliable deck.
• Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide - This publication put out by the American Wood Council is based on the 2009 International Residential Code and outlines the codes you need to be aware of when building a deck. This file is fairly large at 4 MB and may take several seconds to open (will also open in a new window or tab).

Amazon Book Recommendations

• Deck Construction based on the 2009 International Residential Code - This book is intended for those who want to build their own deck and is not recommended if you prefer the ease of hiring a contractor who should know the material covered. It's not an easy read for homeowners, but is well written and does a good job of explaining the "why" behind deck construction and where to find additional information. Before attempting to build your own deck, this book would be an advisable resource to invest in.