Building a deck is one thing. Constructing multi-level platforms in a circle is whole different story. Luckily for this homeowner, I was early on in my carpentry days. So, he got a pretty good deal in the middle of the summer. With that said, let’s talk a bit about how I built this custom above ground pool deck with seating steps.
Lake Terrain, Pool Deck Design.
First and foremost, there isn’t much flat ground out in northeast Memphis. This lakeside home was a prime example. The main goal on this job was to keep the new decking level with the current boat dock on the opposite side.
I didn’t have a choice but to continue a half built custom design. It took a few hours to get a feel for it. Nothing was easy. Overgrown grass and busted trellis made it even more fun. Nothing beats custom decking around obstacles.
Level Headed Deck Frame Decisions.
In the pictures, you can see how the ground sloped away from the pool, towards the lake. Because of this, every post was a different length. I also had to consider the exterior railing and pool side seating ledge when setting them 24 inches in the ground.
Priorities of the Decking Project.
Once the pool deck posts were set, I needed to demo the railing where the deck extension would be built. I also had to look at the existing deck framing to see how I’d connect the new joists. I wanted to re-use old deck boards where I could; without leaving bad seams.
I’m not gonna lie, framing a custom above ground pool deck was a lot to handle. The poolside seating took a lot of math. My main focus was building a strong frame that would last. Since the area was going to stay pretty wet, I used a few extra boards to secure it.
Setbacks, Challenges of Construction.
Building the pool deck definitely took a lot longer than expected. The Lakeland scattered rains didn’t help. But once I decided how I was going to stagger the deck boards, you could start to see the seating take shape.
Unique Wooden Pool Deck Ledge.
Pretty much every wooden piece of the poolside step was custom cut. It would have been nice to duplicate a few sections, but I’m proud of the work. Every single piece of lumber was used and older wood didn’t look bad.
When the surface decking was constructed, I was ready to rebuild the railing. While the seating did take some brainpower, a smooth finish was good to see.
Custom Above Ground Pool Deck with Rails + Step Seating Complete.
A fresh coat of paint on this custom above ground pool deck made it all look like new. I’m still trying to figure of what the original carpenter was thinking.
I don’t hate it – but it was definitely a unique deck to build.
Additional Projects in Lakeland TN.
When the poolside decking was finished, the homeowner asked me to build another seating section near the house.
I also repaired one of the docks on this beautiful Lakeland property. But the job wasn’t as simple as it initially appeared. Most of the deck boards needed to be removed in order to replace 8.
The tight railing and column also made things interesting.
Custom Decks Are My Jam.
