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A clear plan for your next deck

From permits to the final board: follow the build sequence, estimate your budget, and decide where you need professional help.

Explore the build steps→ Estimate your budget

6 project phases · Practical guides at every step

Wood deck with lounge chairs, timber railings and a leafy garden outlook
Project photography · Delta Decks
Project phases

Your build, step by step

Six phases, one clear sequence. See the decision, the deliverable, and the guide for each stage.

The order is simple; the hand-offs are not. Each phase below says what you should have before moving on.
Phase 1

Plan

Set the footprint, stair location, board direction, material, and rough budget.

Ready for the next phase A dimensioned layout and material shortlist.
Material checklist→
Phase 2

Permits

Confirm the rules with your municipality and prepare the drawings it requires.

Ready for the next phase Approved drawings, or confirmation that a permit is not required.
Permit guide→
Phase 3

Frame

Resolve footings, posts, beams, joists, ledger details, blocking, and inspection timing.

Ready for the next phase The structure checked before decking hides access.
Framing guide→
Phase 4

Deck

Confirm board layout, gapping, fasteners, borders, seams, and drainage before cutting.

Ready for the next phase A board plan that matches the manufacturer instructions.
Compare boards→
Phase 5

Rail

Choose the guard and stair system while post connections are still accessible.

Ready for the next phase Posts, panels, gates, and stair transitions solved as one system.
Railing guide→
Phase 6

Finish

Coordinate fascia, stairs, lighting, skirting, drainage access, and seasonal care.

Ready for the next phase A clean punch list — not improvised trim at the end.
Finishes and care→

Plan lighting during framing. Run wiring before decking closes access. See the lighting guide.

Before excavation

Before you dig

Confirm site constraints, drawings, permit requirements and every utility-locate response before work begins.

Use the Toronto permit guide→
Before you dig. Site rules: Boundaries, zoning, trees and access. Project drawings: Footprint, height, stairs and guards. Permit path: Obtain approval when required. Utility locates: Every notified owner has responded.
Planning sequence only. Your municipality, approved documents, and locate responses determine whether work can begin.
Pause points

Three checks before work gets hidden

These are planning prompts, not construction specifications. Confirm the details against your approved drawings, municipality, designer, and manufacturer instructions.

  1. Pause & check

    Before drawings or orders

    Lock the footprint, stairs, board direction, guard zones, access, and material shortlist. If a permit is required, the approved drawing — not this illustration — governs the build.

    Illustration of a deck designer seen from behind using a 3D deck design program and a separate digital material takeoff
  2. Pause & check

    Before the frame is covered

    Pause while the structure is visible. Check alignment, blocking, hardware, service conflicts, and whether your municipality requires an inspection before decking goes down.

    Illustration of a spirit level and carpenter square resting across straight pressure-treated deck joists
  3. Pause & check

    Before finish details are ordered

    Treat decking, stairs, railings, fascia, and lighting as one package. The transitions between them are where late changes become visible and expensive.

    Close view of glass railing posts and fascia at an elevated deck edge
Tools & calculators

Tools for your next decision

Choose a layout, compare samples or explore a specific question.

Plans Free Ontario deck plans Fill-in drawing packages and six layouts, and what to add before submitting Layout tool ↗ Trex Deck Designer External vendor tool — use it for layout ideas, not permit approval Samples Order real board samples Free at any of the five stores, or $20 flat to your door Guides All planning and material guides Brand comparisons, Ipe, glass railings, composite and Ontario buyer guidance
See how the deck systems fit together
One deck, four systems. Site and support: Soil, footings, drainage, utilities. Structural frame: Posts, beams, joists and hardware. Walking surface: Boards, gaps, fasteners and ventilation. Guards and finish: Post connections, stairs and lighting.
Conceptual anatomy, not a construction detail. Site conditions, the approved design, and the exact product instructions each govern a different part of the finished deck.
Before you order

Order the complete package

Include boards, fasteners, railings, trim and delivery in one material list. Check these details before ordering.

Request a material takeoff→
  1. 01Final outside dimensions and finished deck height
  2. 02Approved drawings and inspection sequence, when required
  3. 03Board direction, borders, seams, stairs, and waste allowance
  4. 04Compatible fasteners, plugs, clips, fascia, and railing hardware
  5. 05Delivery access, storage, cover, and a plan for long boards
  6. 06One consolidated takeoff so trim and accessories are not missed
See the material-order checklist
Count the complete package. Lock the plan: Dimensions, board direction, stairs, guards. Count surfaces: Boards, borders, seams, fascia and waste. Match systems: Fasteners, rail parts, trim and guides. Plan delivery: Access, storage and long-board handling.
Procurement workflow only. Confirm quantities and compatibility against the final drawings and the current manufacturer instructions for every selected system.
DIY or hire?

Build it yourself or bring in help?

DIY can be a good fit for a simple, well-documented project. The risk rises quickly when structure, waterproofing, guards, stairs, or building systems overlap.

Wood deck meeting a pool surround, planted beds and changes in level
Pool edges and changes in level add planning decisions. Photo: Delta Decks.
DIY may fit if
  • The deck is low, simple in shape, and the scope is fully defined
  • You're comfortable reading plans and following manufacturer instructions
  • You have help for long boards, beams, and safe material handling
  • You can dedicate full workdays and protect an open site between them
  • You have the correct tools — including accurate layout and levelling tools
  • You're prepared to manage permit questions and required inspections
Get professional review if
  • The deck attaches to the house or affects the building envelope
  • The project is elevated, multi-level, on a roof, or beside a pool
  • Footing conditions, spans, loads, or existing structure are uncertain
  • Guards, complex stairs, waterproofing, gas, electrical, or drainage are involved
  • You are relying on a sketch, online photo, or material list instead of project-specific drawings
Compare builder options→

Important: A permit, online calculator, or general guide is not a project-specific structural design. Your municipality and qualified project professionals determine what your build requires.

Official resources

References when you need them

These links go to public authorities and first-party installation libraries. Recheck them when the project starts; regulations and product documents can change.

Before digging

Request Ontario utility locates

Start at least five business days before excavation and wait for all notified infrastructure owners to respond.

Ontario One Call
Wood framing reference

Residential deck span guide

A limited Canadian Wood Council reference. It does not cover footings, guards, house attachment, or lateral bracing.

Canadian Wood Council · PDF
Product-specific instructions

Use the guide for your exact board

Use the current Canadian guide for the exact brand, product line and fastening system — requirements differ between collections, so a general composite-decking article is not a substitute.

Quick answers

Build-a-deck FAQ

Short answers to the questions that should be settled before construction or ordering begins.

Do I need a permit for my deck?

Requirements depend on the municipality and project. Toronto lists decks more than 60 cm above ground as requiring a permit; some detached decks may be exempt. Do not treat height alone as approval. Confirm your design with the local building department before starting.

City of Toronto: permit requirements
What drawings do I need for a Toronto deck permit?

Toronto asks for scaled, dimensioned drawings showing footing details, columns, beams, stairs and guards, plus a site plan showing property lines, setbacks and the proposed deck. Check the application guide for the complete document and form requirements.

City of Toronto: decks and porches
Can I use a free online deck plan for my permit application?

Use it as a starting point, not automatic approval. Toronto requires project-specific dimensions, structural details and a site plan. Adapt the plan to your property and confirm that it meets your municipality’s submission requirements.

City of Toronto: required drawings
When should I request utility locates?

Contact Ontario One Call at least five business days before digging, including for deck footings. Do not start simply because five days have passed: every utility listed on your request must have cleared the work area or completed its locate. Follow the instructions in the locate package.

Ontario One Call: homeowner guidance Complete locate package (PDF)
Does Ontario One Call locate every buried line on my property?

No. Homeowners must also arrange locates for privately owned underground services. Examples include a gas line to a barbecue or pool heater, power to a detached garage, and septic piping. A public utility locate does not replace those private checks.

Ontario One Call: homeowner and private-locate guidance
Can I reuse my existing frame for new composite decking?

Possibly, if the foundation and framing are sound. Trex advises checking both the overall condition and joist spacing before resurfacing. Have the existing structure assessed and confirm that it suits the new decking system before ordering replacement boards.

Trex: resurfacing an existing deck
Is one joist spacing suitable for every deck layout?

No. The selected board and its layout affect support requirements. Trex notes that diagonal boards, picture-frame borders and other layouts can require closer joist spacing or extra blocking. Follow the current installation instructions for your exact product and the structural design for your project.

Trex: deck framing layout
Can deck boards replace structural framing?

Do not use surface decking as a substitute for posts, beams or joists. Fiberon explicitly states that its composite decking is too flexible for structural use. Select framing separately and follow the board manufacturer’s support and fastening instructions.

Fiberon: decking installation FAQ
Should I install the boards before the required framing inspection?

Keep work that requires inspection visible until the inspection is completed. Toronto states that inspectors must be able to see the work being inspected. Confirm the inspection stages for your permit before covering the frame or other connections.

City of Toronto: building inspections
Building it yourself

Price the complete material package

Send the dimensions and material shortlist. We’ll help account for boards, fasteners, railings, trim, and delivery.

Request material quote→
Need a second opinion?

Compare a builder quote

Use the same project scope to compare DIY cost and schedule with a local professional build.

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