Another decking newbie

[Mpofu]

Hie all am pretty new to this forum and I intend building a deck. To be honest I was told to build by the other half lol.
As you guys can see the area I need to build the deck on is made up of clay and gets pretty wet,as the drainage is **** poor.
The decking area will be 3.6mx3.3m and I intend to create a raised deck about 25cm off the ground.
I have bought some BnQ reversible decking 3.6m lengths
I intend to build the frame using 9x 4x4 posts on which I will put 3x 6x2 joists as beams and for the remaining two sides of the rectangle I shall use 4x2 joists.
Across this frame I shall use 4x joists at 400mm intervals and all the joists will be secured using joist hangers.
What do you guys think View media item 65503

 

[catlad]

Sounds ok to me how are going to fix your posts.

 

[Mpofu]

Sounds ok to me how are going to fix your posts.

Am on a pretty tight budget so I intend to dig about 30cm down I have some old paving slabs I will put at the bottom and gravel then fill it all up with earth.
Can't really afford postcrete as I will need about 9bags.
Hope it will work

 

[rjm2k]

If you are on a tight budget you can combine the joists and frame into one, also why use joist hangers, just screw through.

Wickes is your best place for postcrete, it's less than half the price of B&Q.

I'm no expert though but I did build this earlier this year and it hasn't moved yet...


View media item 49996 View media item 65519 View media item 65520

 

[Mpofu]

If you are on a tight budget you can combine the joists and frame into one, also why use joist hangers, just screw through.

Wickes is your best place for postcrete, it's less than half the price of B&Q.

I'm no expert though but I did build this earlier this year and it hasn't moved yet...


View media item 49996 View media item 65519 View media item 65520

Nice work what did you use as foundation or posts

 

[rjm2k]

Mix of posts postcreted in place and posts resting on flags. Where I used postcrete I used half a bag per post

 

[Mpofu]

Mix of posts postcreted in place and posts resting on flags. Where I used postcrete I used half a bag per post

Cheers will use the screws and postcrete as you said and ditch the joists hangers. As I have Yorkshire clay and poor drainage was worried about the posts sinking and rotting

 

[catlad]

I would not sink the posts in the ground at all, just sit them on flags on top of the grass.

 

[Mpofu]

I would not sink the posts in the ground at all, just sit them on flags on top of the grass.

Do you think I would need metal posts you know the ones where you bolt the posts down?
I am also worried about the clay and the propensity of water to build up,hence I wanted to anchor it all down.

 

[catlad]

They do post holders with large spikes that will keep the posts out of the ground and anchor it down, but you will still need to use the flags under the main joists to stop it sinking.

 

[Mpofu]

They do post holders with large spikes that will keep the posts out of the ground and anchor it down, but you will still need to use the flags under the main joists to stop it sinking.

Good idea mate but those spikes are pricey am looking at about £68 for 9 spikes I am trying to get the decking done under £270 all in so the sunken fence posts seem a cheaper option.

 

[rjm2k]

Justvrestvthem on flags, they won't go anywhere

 

[Mpofu]

Justvrestvthem on flags, they won't go anywhere

You mean not bother digging holes n concreting posts in but rather rest the deck on legs on concrete flags?

 

[rjm2k]

Yep

 

[Mpofu]

Yep

It's an idea could put some gravel down as here's some free going then put the concrete flags on the bed of gravel and the frame on top. My head is spinning now with all these diff angles and approach