- 1). Replace the deck posts. Your uncovered deck will have short posts holding it up that reach only as far as the top of the deck. Although you could simply add longer posts next to those, replacing them with the posts that will hold up your deck cover will make it look better and less like a later addition and will also make your new covered deck more sturdy. Unbolt the old posts and remove them. If necessary, place blocks under each edge of the deck to hold it up while you work. Position the new, longer ones where the old ones stood, marking your notch and lag bolt holes. Take the posts back down to cut and drill the bottom of the new posts to match the fit of the old ones. Then bolt the new ones back in the same place. Be sure to check the level of each post as you install and make sure they all reach the same height.
- 2). Install a top base board. The top base board will attach the cover to your house and make it sturdier. To do this, mount a 2-by-6-inch board against the exterior wall of the house. The board -- or boards, if necessary -- should be the same length as the deck and run at least 8 feet above the deck surface. Screw the board into the framework of the house using lag bolts or, if possible, through bolts. If it's not possible to attach it to the wall or if the deck is separate from the house, you can reinforce it in other ways by attaching beams at the middle level or using more rafters.
- 3). Add rafter boards. Rafters will run across the top of your deck cover, much as they may in the roof of your house. To do this, you will need rafter boards -- which can be made using the same 4-by-6 boards -- on each end of the deck. Determine where the rafter boards will go; they should be near the top of the posts. They also should be equal distance from the top on each side of the posts, totaling four hangers on two sides of the deck. Once you have positioned them, mark and drill holes for the lag bolts and bolt the boards in place.
- 4). Add rafters. Rafters will go across the top of the deck, attaching to the rafter hangers. Place enough of them to be sturdy, perhaps about a foot apart. If you are sure you want to cover the deck with a canvas cover, place the width of the boards horizontally. Alternatively, place the width vertically and use angled brackets to secure them. Once you have determined their position, measure the distance between the rafters and mark where they will go. Place one over the deck at a time and use a drill and lag bolts to secure them if they are going horizontally or screws and angle brackets if they are vertical.
- 5). Finish the wood. To give your cover wood a nicer appearance, use a wood finisher to stain the entire wood assembly. This may require more than one coat. Allow drying time between coats.
- 6). Cover it. Once the rafters are in and the wood is finished, you are ready to add the final touch: the canvas cover. However, if you decide that the rafters provide enough shade and the wood deck cover is aesthetic as it is, you could forgo the canvas. If you still want it, measure and cut a piece of canvas enough to cover the wood assembly. Place it over the assembly and use a staple gun to secure it.
SHARE
