decking plans

[gdallas]

hello!

Im considering building a decked area in front of my patio doors as per attached but have a few things im unsure about that im hoping someone can assist with.

• the left side would be next to the boundary fence. im nervous about being able to potcrete posts at the optimum place due to the existing fence posts foundation. I would also like to put a hand rail on the left and top sides, but with it being so close to the fence, will this be an issue? any thoughts? there is a fairly steep decline in the grass trending towards the fence too; fyi
• how many cemented posts will i need and how far apart should they be? should i put the posts in then build the frame in situ, or buildin the frame and offer up to the supports?
• with my frame being not conventionally square or rectangular, how does one offer up the joists to the posts? do i just miter my joists around the posts?

 

[DavidSWP]

hello!

Im considering building a decked area in front of my patio doors as per attached but have a few things im unsure about that im hoping someone can assist with.

• the left side would be next to the boundary fence. im nervous about being able to potcrete posts at the optimum place due to the existing fence posts foundation. I would also like to put a hand rail on the left and top sides, but with it being so close to the fence, will this be an issue? any thoughts? there is a fairly steep decline in the grass trending towards the fence too; fyi
• how many cemented posts will i need and how far apart should they be? should i put the posts in then build the frame in situ, or buildin the frame and offer up to the supports?
• with my frame being not conventionally square or rectangular, how does one offer up the joists to the posts? do i just miter my joists around the posts?

I think having a hand rail and a fence so close behind it will look a bit weird. If the fence foundations are an issue you could just dig out where you wanted to put the posts until you hit the concrete of the existing fence foundations and fill with concrete to make a 'pad' at ground level, then rest a post attached to the frame on top of them.

I followed the maximum span tables for my joist sizes (6x2) and put a few more supports in for good measure using concrete pads. Building the frame separately will probably lead to a more perfect frame and when you offer it up you will know exactly where to put the posts/supports. I didn't do this however - too much brain work.

You could rest the frame on top of the supports rather than bolting it onto them from the side. This is actually a lot stronger because all of the downward force is on top of the support rather than on the bolt connecting them together side by side. However if you want to bolt them on from the side, wouldn't you just put the posts/supports in at an angle so that one edge is flush with the side of a joist? If the post is at a point where 2 joist meet at a weird angle then you'd probably have to put in 2 posts. You could mitre the end of the joist but I don't think it could be attached with much strength.

 

[WabbitPoo]

People tend to over-engineer decking. Or perhaps, they over-think it. You don't need to put supports in SPECIFIC places, just anywhere where they do a job, so along that fence line you can just get some in wherever you can.

I agree a handrail might look odd, and it would make it nigh-on impossible to maintain that fence on your side at least.

Always build the frame first, but with very few noggins for now. Prop it up on bricks or whatever to get it approx to level and approx at the right level. Get the corners done (or get posts as close to the corners as you can) so the frame is at the right level, allowing for the fall to get water off. Then add more posts where you feel you need them. Then noggin-out as required (again, don't add dozens as you don't need them). Easy.