Last week, I built a deck for a 14' Metal Gazebo bought from Sam's Club. I took pictures while working on it for all to see the steps how to DIY. The first and the most important step is to determine the length of the side of the deck. I did this by assembling two posts of the gazebo on a flat ground and attaching the link that connects the two. Here are the steps in building the deck:
Join the six equal-length 2x6 treated lumber with 60° beveled ends (use a miter saw). Remember for a regular hexagon, inside angles are 120° (.. and it cannot fit into a square!!) In this project, sides are 88" long, therefore the distance between two opposite joints is 176" (do the math!!). Make sure distances between the opposite vertices are equal. No need to measure the angles!!!
Attach the joists together using 3" deck screws and "skewable angle" brackets or connectors.
Each connector is strong enough to withstand a shearing force of around 500lbs. For 90° angle joints, use 2x6 joist hangers.
Position the
pre-cast concrete pier blocks and level the frame. Use a shovel and a little common sense to accomplish this. This is much easier and faster to do than digging posts. Notice also that the frame dictates the position of the blocks therefore marking the ground for the posts before starting the project is unnecessary and a waste of time.
If you're a little paranoid, you can add more support at the corners. You can use as many screws as you want... but not too much.. LOL
Have fun and be creative. Obviously I'm a big fan of Spidey. I added more joists after realizing composite woods are not as stiff as the real wood.. hmm.. I mean solid wood (both of them are real unless the composite wood is made of synthetic fibers)
Tack the first rows of composite wood enough for the gazebo posts to stand. Take note that composite wood a.k.a. engineered wood may be toxic due to the fact that most binder contains formaldehyde resins... use mask!! (OMG, I didn't!!) Also the treated wood used as joists contain chromated copper arsenate (CCA). It is toxic to various insects and fungi that might cause decay as well as to human (like meh.. and remember Napoleon Bonaparte)
It took me (with extra help) four days to build this shelter.. not bad I guess for a neophyte. But it's one plank of composite wood short to finish it completely because I forgot to consider the nominal dimensions of the lumber when I did the BOM (can you see it ??).
It took me (with extra help) four days to build this shelter.. not bad I guess for a neophyte. But it's one plank of composite wood short to finish it completely because I forgot to consider the nominal dimensions of the lumber when I did the BOM (can you see it ??). 
