I am in the late stages of planning my ground level deck and have some concerns I am in need of assistance with. I have learned a lot from this forum in the last few months of lurking. Hope to contribute something worthwile someday. I have already secured the building and zoning permits. Very soon the bulkhead contractor will install the new dock (over the water) at ground level. This new deck will also act as a walkway to the new dock.

The deck is going to sit on (4) 6x6 1.0 pound CCA timbers which are anchored to 12"x24" concrete pilings four feet off the house and attached the new bulkhead (plastic sheathing, 10" pilings, 6x6 walers/framing, etc). These 6x6 beams are approximately 22 feet long and run perpindicular to the house that sits on a slab. On top of these buried (in sand) timbers are going to be 2x6 treated joists rated for ground contact. The joists will run parrallel to the house. Procell decking will 'probably' run perpindicular to the house.

Finally to my question. The house and the bulkhead are not parrallel. The finished deck size will be approximately 20'wide x 23'long on the south edge and 22' long on the north edge. Can you recommend a way of not making it so obvious that the yard is about one foot out of square in this twenty foot span? I plan on using the 'two-tone' approach to the edges of the deck to make the edge of the deck obvious to guests, this may make it easier to hide? I am trying to avoid seams if at all possible. If it matters, I plan on using hidden fasteners.

Lastly, the house is a small bungalow on a saltwater lagoon in South Jersey. Sorry I cannot post a drawing, hoping you can picture my scenario.