Decks have always been a common place to gather with friends and family to enjoy a sunny summer day, or a warm summer evening. In its purest form, a deck is a raised structure attached to, or near the exterior of, a structure that is unprotected and left exposed to the elements. In the last 10 years, with the eruption of the Internet, ‘how-to’ manuals, and the advent of do-it-yourself (D-I-Y) television channels/programs, decks have morphed from their traditional form into some of the most elaborately designed structures associated with home construction.