Here is my DIY disaster-in-progress. I've undertaken to build a floating deck on the uneven concrete in our yard. As was previously suggested, I've tried to prepare supports from bricks on mortar.
I cannot overstate the difficulty and frustration of trying to level two bricks at the same height as each other and in relation to surrounding bricks (with a gradient between rows for drainage) while they slide around on mortar...
Now that I'm almost done, the supports within each column aren't the exact same height (varying between 1-10mm along the length of the column) so I'm putting mortar on top of the bricks to try to boost their height. I don't know whether that will just melt away in the rain that seeps between deck boards. A longer spirit level would have helped (mine is about 70 mm) because I was only able to compare adjacent supports.
I aligned my bricks by tape measure, using chalk to draw the outline but then as this would covered by mortar, the bricks deviated from their assigned locations (probably not enough to prevent continuation, but enough that I will have to take care that the joists and noggins are cut and placed with this in mind). In retrospect, a chalk grid, drawn before beginning, would have been a much better option than drawing around the bricks.
I'm still trying to tease out the lessons (apart from "next time, hire a professional", which kind of defeats the object of DIY). I think pea shingle would have been an easier way to level the ground because it would be adjustable, if a bit more expensive. I think that's the way I'd go, if I had to start again.
I cannot overstate the difficulty and frustration of trying to level two bricks at the same height as each other and in relation to surrounding bricks (with a gradient between rows for drainage) while they slide around on mortar...
Now that I'm almost done, the supports within each column aren't the exact same height (varying between 1-10mm along the length of the column) so I'm putting mortar on top of the bricks to try to boost their height. I don't know whether that will just melt away in the rain that seeps between deck boards. A longer spirit level would have helped (mine is about 70 mm) because I was only able to compare adjacent supports.
I aligned my bricks by tape measure, using chalk to draw the outline but then as this would covered by mortar, the bricks deviated from their assigned locations (probably not enough to prevent continuation, but enough that I will have to take care that the joists and noggins are cut and placed with this in mind). In retrospect, a chalk grid, drawn before beginning, would have been a much better option than drawing around the bricks.
I'm still trying to tease out the lessons (apart from "next time, hire a professional", which kind of defeats the object of DIY). I think pea shingle would have been an easier way to level the ground because it would be adjustable, if a bit more expensive. I think that's the way I'd go, if I had to start again.
Use a long length of batten between outermost supports and build up the intervening supports to this level. An easy way to ensure the inter supports are level is with a taut piece of string between the outer supports and build up the inner supports to the height of the string.
