These are helpful resources that you should consider to learn a proper way to build a deck.

DCA-6 Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide by The American Wood Council. This document was last updated to conform with the 2015 International Code. Although this code is 3 cycles (9 years) out of date, the information it has is very valuable as it explains in a little more detail as to what the code is trying to achieve. The span charts  and other details have changed, so you do need to check the 2024 International Residential Code to see the latest requirements.

International Residential Code for 1 – 2 Dwellings (IRC). This code is a coming together of several code organizations. The first code that the International Code Commission published was in 2000. The information needed to build a deck has always been there, but was buried throughout the book that is used for home construction. It wasn’t until 2015 that the IRC Had a section (Chapter 5) devoted to deck construction. In the subsequent 3 updates, chapter 5 had grown to be a comprehensive  guide to deck construction. The 2024 IRC can be viewed online free of charge.

Deck Construction Based on the 2021 International Residential Code. This book is the book to buy. It explains how to build decks to code using plenty of photos and drawings. It was written by Glen Mathewson for the International Code Commission and the North American Deck and Railing  Association (NADRA). It is 1 code cycle out of date, but it is an invaluable resource for deck builders. Watch the video.

Glen Mathewson. This guy knows codes and decks. He started out building decks years back before becoming a building inspector. He now helps to write code updates for the ICC to consider. He has plenty of YouTube videos on deck construction the right way. Most all of the other YouTube videos are jokes. I wouldn’t walk on many of their decks.

Building Code College. This site has all sorts of building code videos including 4 courses (12 hours) on decks alone. These courses by Glen Mathewson (name sound familiar?) are an excellent way to learn the ins and outs of deck construction. There’s more to building a deck than just assembling it.

North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA). The mission of the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) is to provide a unified source for the professional development, promotion, growth, and sustenance of the Deck and Railing building industry in North America so that members can exceed the expectations of their customers. You can find NADRA certified deck builders and NADRA certified deck inspectors.

Simpson Strong Tie has plenty of free resources available. Their Deck Connection and Fastening Guide has information on all the hardware you need to build a deck. If you need to design a deck, their  Deck Designer will do the job for you and give you a material list.