Deck and patio installs range from afternoon projects to multi-day builds. Most homeowners can handle the finish-level installs; structural deck framing is a permit and inspection project.
01Deck post cap and beam hardware
Structural hardware installs are straightforward but must be done correctly. Post caps, joist hangers, and beam-to-post connectors are installed with the specific fasteners listed in the hardware manufacturer's specifications — not substitutes. Using the wrong fasteners or the wrong quantity of fasteners voids the load rating. Nail the number and type specified. No exceptions.
02Pergola post installation
Pergola posts can be surface-mounted to a concrete slab using standoff post bases anchored with concrete screws, or set in concrete footings. Surface-mounted bases are appropriate for light pergolas and most aluminum pergola kits. In-ground footings are required for wood pergolas carrying significant load or overhead structure. Dig the footing below the frost line for your region, pour concrete, and set the post base in wet concrete to the correct position and plumb.
03Outdoor lighting — string lights
String lights between the house and a freestanding post or pergola require a way to anchor the far end. A 4x4 post set in concrete or in a heavy post base provides the anchor point. Run the power from an existing exterior outlet with a cord rated for outdoor use, or hard-wire to a switch from the interior. Use commercial-grade string lights with a 14 or 12 gauge wire — residential-grade lights at lower wire gauges aren't suitable for permanent outdoor installation.
04Patio paver installation
Excavate to a depth of 6–8 inches, add 4–6 inches of compacted gravel base, then 1 inch of bedding sand. Screed the sand level using pipes as guides. Lay pavers from a corner in the desired pattern, maintain consistent joint spacing with spacers, and compact the entire surface with a plate compactor. Sweep polymeric sand into the joints and compact again. The base preparation is what determines whether the patio stays level.
Marcus Webb is a general contractor and home maintenance writer based in Columbus, Ohio. He writes about the repairs and installs that come up every year in every house — the practical, repeating work that keeps a home livable.