A code-compliant Los Angeles deck comes down to five material layers, built in order: concrete footings, posts and post bases, a joist-and-beam frame tied together with the right connectors, decking boards, and the fasteners that hold the surface down. Get the connectors and fasteners right and the rest of the deck follows. This checklist walks the build from the ground up and links to the Supply Ontime guide that goes deep on each step, so you can order a complete deck package in one pass instead of making three trips for forgotten hardware.
Step 1: Footings and concrete
Every post starts with a footing, and in LA that footing has to be sized for your soil and your local building department's requirements, so confirm depth and diameter on your permit plans before you pour. Bagged mix is the practical choice for a handful of post footings: our bagged concrete mix comparison explains when fast-setting, high-strength or crack-resistant bags make sense, and the concrete mix collection has the bags themselves. If the footing sits on fill or a slope, add a look at the slab reinforcement guide to decide whether rebar belongs in the pour.
Footing checklist
- Concrete mix sized to your footing count and depth
- Anchor bolts or embedded post base hardware, set while the concrete is wet
- Form tubes for round footings if your plans call for them
Step 2: Posts and post bases
Posts should never sit directly on concrete. An adjustable standoff post base lifts the post end off the footing so water cannot wick into the end grain, and it carries both the downward load and the uplift that Santa Ana winds and earthquakes create. Our post bases, column caps and corner braces guide covers sizing, and the ABU44Z 4x4 standoff base is the everyday choice for 4x4 posts. For the post itself, the 4x4 Douglas fir framing post is one option, and if the post will sit in soil-contact or exposed conditions, read our pressure-treated vs borate-treated lumber guide first.
Step 3: Frame, beams and connectors
The frame is where most inspection corrections happen. Joists need hangers rated for their size, beams need a positive connection to the post, and any deck attached to a house needs a properly fastened ledger. The joist hangers buying guide explains how to match a hanger to a joist, and the joist hangers collection carries face-mount options such as the LUS26Z. Use the hanger manufacturer's specified nails, such as galvanized joist hanger nails, and never substitute drywall screws or mixed-coating fasteners.
Which structural screw or bolt where
Ledgers and posts increasingly use structural screws in place of lag bolts. Our wood screws vs structural screws guide covers when that swap is acceptable, and the bolt types guide covers carriage and hex bolts for beam-to-post connections. If any connection goes into existing concrete, the concrete anchors comparison picks the right anchor.
Frame checklist
| Item |
Where used |
Guide |
| Post base |
Post to footing |
Post bases guide |
| Column cap |
Post to beam |
Post bases guide |
| Joist hanger |
Joist to beam |
Joist hanger guide |
| Structural screw |
Ledger, posts |
Screw guide |
| Concrete anchor |
Into slab |
Anchors guide |
Step 4: Decking boards
The decking choice drives the fastener choice, so decide it early. Pressure-treated boards cost less up front, while composite trades a higher purchase for less maintenance under LA sun; our pressure-treated vs composite decking comparison lays out the tradeoffs. Supply Ontime stocks a broad composite decking collection in grooved-edge and square-edge profiles, for example the Enhance Basics grooved-edge board and the Prime+ square-edge board. Grooved boards take hidden clips; square-edge boards are face-screwed.
Step 5: Deck fasteners
Match the fastener to the board. Grooved composite boards go down with hidden clips such as the ArmorGuard EDGE hidden deck clip, which sets the gap between boards for drainage. Square-edge composite is face-fastened with composite-rated screws like the #9 x 2-1/2 in. composite deck screws, and plug systems such as the Cortex hidden fastening system conceal the screw heads entirely. Always use exterior-rated, corrosion-resistant fasteners, and follow the board manufacturer's spacing rules.
Sealing and finishing the deck
Once the deck is built, protect the concrete footings and any adjacent slab before the winter rains; our concrete sealers comparison explains which sealer suits a patio or driveway apron.
The full deck order list
- Footings: concrete mix, anchor bolts, form tubes
- Posts: framing posts, adjustable standoff post bases, column caps
- Frame: joists and beams, joist hangers, hanger nails, structural screws or bolts
- Surface: decking boards, hidden clips or composite screws
- Finish: sealer for adjacent concrete
Conclusions
Buy the connectors and fasteners as a matched set, confirm footing and hardware requirements with your LA building department before you order, and build from the ground up. If you can only read one supporting guide first, start with the post bases guide, because the connection at the bottom and top of each post is where decks most often fail inspection.
