A standard timber deck typically features strategically positioned support posts. To ensure proper treatment and secure attachment, we advocate for the use of in-ground posts rather than those placed in shoes or stirrups. Bearers are then affixed atop the posts and run parallel along the deck, imparting stability and support. These bearers often represent the largest timbers utilized in deck construction. Subsequently, joists are positioned across the bearers, resting securely on them.

Decking boards are then secured onto the joists, aligned with the direction of the bearers. Determining the appropriate sizes for bearers and joists entails a complex process involving detailed engineering and consideration of multiple variables. While this foundational structure serves as the basis of a deck, it allows for versatile modifications to create intricate designs featuring multiple levels, unconventional shapes, or suspension from the side of a building.