~ The Nail Gun Depot Team

Summer is approaching quickly, which means its time to enjoy the longer evening hours with some much needed time outdoors. For many Americans, this means relaxing on their deck or patio. An important feature on new and old homes alike, a large, well-built deck can add major profit margins to your home's resale value. If you are considering the addition of a new deck to your home, or are replacing an existing one, learn about some of the tips and tools that will help you build the ultimate deck - here on Nail Gun Depot's blog.

The actual process of building a deck can take weeks - or even months - depending on its size and the amount of resources you have to pour into it. Because it is such an intricate and drawn out process, we are just going to focus on the major milestones in the deck building process. If this is your first woodworking or deck building project, we recommend you consult a professional to help you create the deck of your dreams. One or two missed steps can lead to expensive repairs and time lost.

If you are building a new deck, you will have to start with its foundation - also known as its footing. Typically, footing(s) are poured concrete that you then attach post anchors and beams to, with a power drill. Meanwhile, you will also have to anchor and attach a ledger board to the wall of your house - or the supporting structure - to anchor the deck. You will then anchor the joists to the ledger board.

Once you have installed joists to the beams and the frame is in place, you will then need to consider how you want to attach the flooring of your deck. There are a couple ways to go about flooring installation. You will want to use a deck screw, treated for outside use - Senco offers a full line-up of Duraspin deck screws. If you choose to do a traditional deckfloor install, you should think about using a screw gun with an extension, such as the DuraSpin DS425-AC. The benefit to using this screw gun for deck floors - or any sub-floor installation - is that it has an extendable arm, which eliminates the need to bend over or kneel down to drive screws. Quik Drive also offers decking screws and attachments that are comparable in form and function to that of DuraSpin - and come with a lifetime warranty.

If you don't like the appearance of deck screws, you can opt for a slightly different method of floorboard installation. The CAMO Marksman Pro system drives CAMO deck screws in at an angle to create the appearance of a fastener-free deck. Like the DS425-AC DuraSpin, the CAMO Marksman Pro will work with hardwood and composite decking applications. The Marksman Pro works with most power drills by simply positioning the system over a board, loading your fasteners, and driving the deck screws in with the drill.

In addition to the flooring installation, you will also need to build stairs - assuming the deck is going to connect with the ground below it - and install a railing that surrounds the deck. Depending on the type of wood you are using, if you are building a wood deck, check to see how long the wood needs to set before it is ready for stain.

For more information on deck building tools and fasteners, contact us at Nail Gun Depot.

~ The Nail Gun Depot Team

An increasing demand for sustainable living has led many people - both rural and urban - to grow their own food. The perfect place to manage and monitor the growth of your food source, especially in urban areas, consider building a raised garden bed to harvest mini-crops. Once built, these sustainable planters will continue to provide a renewable food supply - year after year.

Building one or two of these large planters is easier than you might think - it only requires a few hours, a nailer or screw gun, fasteners, a power saw, and lumber. Once built, you will want to fill each "box" with a soil and compost mixture, creating a nutrient rich fertilizer that can boost and sustain the growth of your garden. The purpose of these beds is to raise the soil up, creating a built in drainage system and reducing the amount of space needed between plants - helping to crowd out weeds.

To get started, dig a trench around the space you want to install your raised garden bed(s). The trench should outline the shape of the garden bed, typically designed in a rectangular formation. The size of a raised garden bed can vary, with small ones that are 3' by 6' - ranging to larger ones that can double in size. Typically, these beds should be 1' to 2' high, as it might be hard to produce enough "fill-dirt" if the bed is much deeper. While there is not a "correct" size, you want each garden bed to be small enough that you can reach the center when planting, watering and harvesting.

Once a trench has been dug out, begin laying your lumber to create a frame that fits into the trench that was formed. Note that if you are using a pressure treated wood (or any lumber that has been exposed to chemicals), you will want to insert a layer of landscape fabric into the bed of the planter to protect against any chemical seepage. Be sure to also use only galvanized or stainless steel nails or screws, to reduce/eliminate rust corrosion.

Build each wall of your raised garden bed separately, then attach them together at the end of the project. You will want to use either a framing nailer or a collated screw gun. Once the walls are in place, you will want to also install a ledge along the frame of the bed, to rest on and/or lay gardening tools.

Now that your garden bed frame has been built, you can elect to install an irrigation system or greenhouse cover, depending on the budget for your project and the vegetation you are looking to grow. Build your raised garden bed to accommodate the crops you are intending to plant. Tropical plants will require a greenhouse-like environment (including heat in the winter), whereas tomatoes only require sunlight and water from late-spring to early-fall.

NOTE: If you plan to keep any plant alive during the winter, you will need to protect them from the outside elements of colder climate areas.

After adding your fertilizer mixture and planting your crop, be sure to protect your garden from predators such as deer and other wildlife that will eat your plants. Install a tall wire or chain fence around the garden bed(s) to prevent deer and other wildlife from feeding on your veggies. If budget allows, build an open, small-framed structure around your beds to protect them from animals - without blocking sun and rain from reaching them. You might find a Hog Ring Tool beneficial for fastening the wire.

All that's left to do is tend to your crops and enjoy the sustainable foods that you grew in your backyard.

~ The Nail Gun Depot Team