A good way to build raised decking?

[gregbbb]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I am going to go with the 2 frame solution. Nothing personal Thermo I just think the costs will be cheaper and it will mean less drilling. Time and money are concerns here.

I'll have 3 6x2 beams running the width (parallel to the house wall) of the area and will add some noggins to keep it rigid. This will fixed at approx 1m centres. I can't fix this part of the frame to the house wall as it will block the air bricks. It will have to just sit on the patio.

Then I will rest the frame (made from 5x2) on top of this. The frame will be fixed to the house wall only (with 10mm shims) and fixed to the frame underneath.

Then the decking boards will be screwed on top.

A few more queries though (sorry).....

- How much should the spacings be between the joists in the upper frame? I have read 1.8m, 0.75m and 0.4m. Apparently this may depend on the length of the decking boards. Well, I hope to use 1 board only to span the width (approx 4m).

- I hope to use ribbed decking boards and am a bit concerned about 'run off'. The decking boards will run parallel with the house wall and so in theory should have a gradient to allow the 'run off'. Now, with a 4m length and a 1 in 100 gradient the left side of the deck will be about 4cm lower the the right. This will surely look weird? I don't really want to change the direction of the decking as this will mean more short pieces, more cutting and I personally think it looks nicer running parallel with the house. Is this 'run off' thing necessary?

- Do the joists need to be stress graded?

- What is the best type of saw to hire for cutting the beams/joists/boards?

Cheers all - gaining confidence all the time!

 

[Thermo]

your choice but i know what will give the better longer lasting result.

the joists should be at 400mm centres, 500 at the most. anything over that and you will have a nice trampoline for a deck

Best to have a slight fall on it but you could get away with half that drop.

i always use stress graded timber. most is these days anyway

Mitre saw

good luck

 

[gregbbb]

saying that, i've just seen the price of 6x2 timber and am wondering if the sub frame option is going to be cheaper after all.

 

[gregbbb]

Mitre saw

good luck

Hi Thermo

What particular Mitre saw would be best for cutting the timber and decking boards.....

Crosscut & Mitre http://www.hss.com/g/3431/Crosscut_and_Mitre_Chop_Saw__110v.html
Double Bevel Mitre http://www.hss.com/g/3421/Double_Bevel_Mitre_Saw.html
Flipover Mitre http://www.hss.com/g/3411/Flipover_Saw_Bench__110v.html

Cheers

 

[gregbbb]

I find it really frustrating when people ask a lot of questions regarding a project and then never follow it up with the results. So, here's the decking I was asking about. Finished a month or so ago - took 2 days (working slowly ) but took a while to get time to upload pics.

Used 6x2 for bottom frame, 5x2 for top frame. Fixed top frame to house wall. All timber from Travis Perkins. Screws from Screwfix.

Thanks everyone for your input. Much appreciated.

Now for the re-turfing project!

 

[gregbbb]

A few weeks ago I helped my bro do his...... just one frame but so much quicker the second time around. Now to quit the desk job!

 

[matpj]

looking good.
It is good to see the results and work in progress following advise, I agree!

I'm just about to start a decking project - and i'm not 100% sure what I am doing, but this thread has helped.
I have 2 walls (perpendicular) to bolt part of the fram to.
then I have a bank of soil (and concrete) rising up to road level.

My deck will be raised about half a metre, and part of it will be resting on paving slabs.
I dont suppose anyone can siggest whether I can mount an upright post on a slab, or if it is better to remove the slabs and sink it in the soil with some Postfix concrete...

thanks in advance,
Matt

 

[WabbitPoo]

You can indeed rest posts on concrete or slabs, so long as they themselves are sound and not liable to sink.

 

[noseall]

i would encourage a removable 'trap door' by any gulleys or inspection chambers, regardless of aesthetics.

 

[matpj]

do posts resting on the slabs need concreting in place, or are thy fine as they are with the weight of the decking keeping them in place?

I do have one inspection hole that I will be covering - so have considered about a removable section.
was thinking about just decking it all and then removing one or 2 planks if anyone needs to get to the man-hole...

 

[WabbitPoo]

do posts resting on the slabs need concreting in place, or are thy fine as they are with the weight of the decking keeping them in place?

No concrete required

I do have one inspection hole that I will be covering - so have considered about a removable section.
was thinking about just decking it all and then removing one or 2 planks if anyone needs to get to the man-hole...

That's a fine idea. Much easier than an inspection lid.

 

[Thermo]

i normally build a frame around them and then build a cover out of 4 planks screwed down in each corner to allow for access. Looks very neat if you do use one plank all the way through, so the grain all follows through.