Editor Reviews:

Product Description:
Life is just so much sweeter when experienced from a good deck or patio. Breezes, sunlight, the smells of the garden, birdsongs…just a few minutes in your own backyard can enliven the senses and rejuvenate the spirit. Meals become relaxed affairs. Food tastes better. Conversations are richer. Time eases its hectic demands and drifts by at a more congenial pace. Whether for a neighborhood barbeque or just a quiet afternoon with a paperback, decks and patios offer us the perfect space to kick back and let the good times roll.

Decks and Patios for Dummies contains everything you need to know to design and build your dream deck or patio. Full of practical tips and clear, simple instructions, it shows the do-it-yourselfer how to solve problems in design and construction while avoiding pitfalls and unnecessary expenses. You’ll find useful information on:

• Choosing the location
• Sizing
• Choosing materials
• Preparing the site
• Building
• Adding barbeques, fireplaces, etc.
• Maintenance

This is a start-to-finish guide on all aspects of deck and patio construction – including when you should seek help from the professionals! Designed to make the most of your budget, it walks you through:

• Dealing with contractors, codes, and feasibility
• The building checklist
• Lighting, outlets, faucets, and other add-ons
• Decks – from frames to finishes
• Patios: concrete, flagstone, or brick?
• Steps, stairs, and benches
• Special details and decorations

Whether your project is a patio just big enough for two chaises-lounges or a screened-in, wraparound deck on the side of a mountain, Decks and Patios for Dummies makes building understandable and fun with illustrations, diagrams, helpful sidebars, and a color insert of photos to stir the imagination. Take advantage of this comprehensive guide and build your dream deck today.

Amazon.com Review:
Beckstrom, a nationally known home-remodeling and improvement expert, has put together an A-to-Z book about pretty near everything one needs to know about planning and building decks and patios: the choices of materials, tools, finishes, and accessories like planters, decorative railings, and benches.

Covering all construction techniques literally from the ground up--from foundations, supports, and basic structural guidelines all the way to final finishes and maintenance--this book offers information on everything the do-it-yourselfer could want to know. Throughout, the book is highlighted with special tips and shortcuts, cost-saving tips and tricks, warnings about pitfalls and common mistakes, and a special emphasis on "learning the lingo": explaining the terminology of tools, hardware, and materials, as well as common building words and expressions. At 356 pages and with hundreds of useful illustrations, color photographs, and a detailed index for easy reference, this is the book you need if you are fantasizing about or planning a deck or patio for your home. --Mark A. Hetts

Rating : - Great book for the weekend warrior
This is a great book for someone thinking about building a deck or patio cover. I'm pretty good around the house with tools and backyard projects, but there are some great tricks in this book that I didn't know. I would recommend this book for those who need a little added confidence to take on a deck or patio project.