Decking - Double checking base plan...

[SplanK]

Hi guys, can you have a quick look over the plan I have made for a ground level deck I am to construct.

All wood used in the frame will be 6x2inch... After much searching, it seems to be suggested that each bearer has a 400mm centre gap which I have done, but could not find much info about noggins so I have planned them with 800mm gaps. Not sure if this is enough, or far too much?

The top boards will run at a diagonal "straight" with the 785cm run.

Thanks for your time and any advise.

 

[r896neo]

Because your deck is larger than the longest board available I would set the joists perpendicular to the boards. 45 degree pattern can be layed on joists like your plan but putting in extra noggins to deal with the board ends is very time consuming.

I would either run the boards along the 600 length or if your keen on laying paralell with the 7.85 then run your joists perpendicular from that edge.

You may get a better result anyway in terms of timber wastage.

As for noggins 3 per joist is fine, so only on your long runs where you have to use 2 joists will you need more

 

[SplanK]

Thanks r896neo,
Think you have just cut down my noggin meter length by a fair amount! (Think I calculated it it was around 28m of joist needed for noggins aloan!)

Thanks for the pointer about the boards - didnt really think of the potential issues with running them at an angle to the joists. Will have a good ponder over it but chances are to make life easier, I will probably run the joists as they are in the diagram, then run the boards perpendicular to them

 

[SplanK]

Adjusted and saved ~£60 by only using 3 nogs per center!

 

[r896neo]

You will not be able to get joists 6m long so must use 2 joists for the longest spans. Say 2x 3.2m joists with those 2 per joist will be fine.


Check to see who you are using to supply the timber first. You will be able to get 4.8m lengths 's in 6x2 and maybe 5.1's

 

[SplanK]

I can get 6m length joists in 6x2 - the prices on the 2nd diagram are what's available off the shelf, the only place that will need to double up on is the 785 length so its all good! Going to nip in tommorrow and have a quick chat about it!
Thanks for your help

 

[r896neo]

Wow thats great. Thats unusual even for a timber merchant round my way. Are you getting it from a mill?

 

[big-all]

this seems a large area
are you going to be covering more the than half the garden

 

[SplanK]

I am getting the timber from Savoy timber. I nipped over yesterday to show them my plan and to discuss the boards and confirmed that the 6m runs are available off the shelf!

They also do the deck boards in 6m lengths so decided that we would use them, and then order appropriate number of other smaller sizes to fit the smaller sections. This will avoid having any board joins in the deck as well which should give it a nicer finish. They also suggested due to the size of joists used, and using the thicker deck boards I can get rid of the noggins all together, and increase the joist centres from 400 to 450mm. Seems to be mixed feelings and comments about the noggin count from different people I ask!

As for 50% of the garden, nope, but is close. If I went with my original plan of 7m*7m then I would be really pushing my luck! The deck above fits at the back of the garden with a fair amount of space in-between the house and the deck, but the garden extends around the side of the house as well. The deck is been placed where we get the most about of sun!

Well, no going back now anyway, I had a splurge of effort yesterday from nowhere, me and the brother in law dug up the lawn! Hurting from it now though! As an IT engineer I am used to sat behind a desk, or stood in an air conditioned server room!

 

[big-all]

don't forget any sheds extensions garages greenhouses other decking areas count toward the half total

example original house plot 100sq metres
original house 40 sq metres [or as 1947] so garden 60 sq m half = 30 sqm

extension 6m leaves 24sqm greenhouse 4 sqm leave 20m available and not half the total at 25 sqm [60 minus the 10=50]

 

[r896neo]

Thats very handy getting such long joists and not having a join will make the whole deck go much quicker and give a better result.

You could space out the joists to 450 no problem. Personally i would still go with noggins. There is no real hard and fast rule so everyone will have their own ideas as to spacings etc.

Good on you getting stuck in.

 

[SplanK]

I will build the frame without noggins first of all, then I will review it at that point before topping it...

as for the 50% still fine me thinks even with the shed (no other extensions or structures) - ta for the advice though

 

[big-all]

did i mention the 300mm high rule

decking and other platforms must be below 300mm above the highest point they cover

 

[SplanK]

lol Big-all - you didnt but I did read it elsewhere The deck is going to be ground level, well under the 300mm rule

 

[big-all]

ok last thing

if your boards are going at 45% to the timbers you need to add around 40% to the span so 450 will be around 625 centers