Advice on Building a Deck (if you have any?)
mlady_pamela (this topic's creator)6/14/2009 1:06:31 PM
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( new topic )
mlady_pamela (this topic's creator)6/14/2009 1:09:15 PM
Posts: 909
Member since 1/21/2009 10:15:58 PM
I have never built a deck before and I hope someone out there has keeping in my I live in the land of the Great White North... in other words where there is two seasons hockey and winter!
So I called for a permit and I dont need one because my deck it is very low to the ground. My first decision (after preparing the ground for the underneath base for the deck removal of sod blah blah blah) is to choose what type of system to use:
Footings and piers system shown in this link: //www.ideas-for-deck-designs.com/deck-building-digging.html
OR
Floating foundation system shown in this link: http://www.deckplans.com/
Anyone have any experience in building a deck and the dos or donts of either system or are both just as effective?
mellominded 6/14/2009 1:20:26 PM
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Lowe's has a pretty thorough guide
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Build/BldDck.html
I helped a buddy put in one of those floating deck things. It was a tedious pain in the ass to level the posts since his back yard had a bunch of roots and each one had to be individually measured. I wish I could remember where he got the plans, because it had a couple of different configurations to distribute the loading and fasten the cross-members. The metal brackets are a good combination of cheap/strong/easy
shopstar 6/14/2009 1:48:42 PM
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Just call us all when you finish. Then we'll comment.
Ron_092 6/14/2009 3:42:33 PM
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Sho[ will bring the beer. We'll get Adam to bring the goat (never had it on the bbq before) and I'll bring the potato salad. LOL
Actually, Pam, if I could give you one piece of advice, it would be to find where your frost-line is and make sure that any pilings or other supports are buried deeper than that. Make sure you use well-treated lumber too. But I'll leave the rest of the advice to others who are better informed.
shopstar 6/14/2009 4:01:07 PM
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****need estimated date of completion-ordering beer****
spart 6/14/2009 4:24:22 PM
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Make sure you put in a concrete footing for all the ground support posts. Use pressure treated lumber for all ground contact points. When finished, stain it first, and then use a good outdoor sealer. Finally, pay a good carpenter to do the construction for you. Get a quote for labor only. You buy the lumber to his specifications. You can do the stain and seal yourself.
guntersvilleken 6/14/2009 6:39:08 PM
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check into Trex decking material for your area use it for boat piers around here colored ,,,needs no painting and very durable.
cccc 6/14/2009 8:35:49 PM
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what kinda advice are ya looking for. i was a contractor for 22 yrs. email me at cccckids on yahoo. i'll gladly give you any help i can. theres alot of question to giving proper advice on this. like what size are ya looking for and amount your wanting to spend. for example.
swamper40 6/14/2009 9:18:40 PM
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Talk to Robbi,,,,,period!!!
robbi642 6/14/2009 10:45:53 PM
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C's has it right Pam.......either email him or myself as I would be glad to help. Many things to consider. I just built a deck last week and used a combination of styles you listed up there. gunters up there said Trex which is one brand name of a decking material that is made of plastic/wood or called composite. Many manufacturers make the same product and costs vary from one brand to another, Trex being one of the more expensive. For myself, I wouldn't ever use wood for the top decking because of maintenance, I would definitely go with a composite. The drawback being a limited selection of colors.
Depending on how big and how high this deck is going to be, you might consider concrete as well......
shopstar 6/15/2009 2:57:52 PM
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***The date Mlady, the date! Have to arrange shipping from Mars!(Beer)
biker_44 6/15/2009 4:18:13 PM
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Mlady. you may want to use TREX when building your deck. go to http://www.trex.com/ for more infomation. good luck with the project.
tck_beachbum 6/15/2009 4:33:36 PM
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Some important aspects to consider when planning any deck are:
1.) Be sure the deck's sun tanning area is viewable for neighbors and passing vehicles.
2.) Be sure the deck doesn't encroach on the yard's volleyball area.
3.) Be sure to leave room for a future hot tub in one corner of the deck.
sargon 7/2/2009 3:20:48 PM
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Use screws instead of nails to fasten the boards. If you don't, the frost will eventually lift the nail heads up.
LakeBum 7/2/2009 7:24:15 PM
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Try clicking the below Ads by Google: Dick Pictures, Wooden Dick Design, Dick Pricing, Timber Dick, Free Dating Services (I think they meant "Free Dicking Services" )
(The names have been changes to protect the guilty.)
mlady_pamela (this topic's creator)7/2/2009 9:50:53 PM
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Thank you ALL very much! The project begins today and I will be looking up some of the things you all suggested! Thanks Robbie for talking with me today... you... you... you, safe mingler, you! LOL
shopstar 7/2/2009 10:06:22 PM
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Completion Date????? (loading ship for......)
BTO 7/2/2009 10:16:44 PM
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LOL Lakey!!! As for the project....hire a cabana boy
nelson3231 7/3/2009 1:33:58 AM
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I find using self-tapping screws better than nails.
mysticct 7/3/2009 8:36:55 AM
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So the question is, Is it better to get nailed or screwed?
robbi642 7/3/2009 10:48:51 AM
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Anytime Pam and I got the pictures......let me check a couple of things and I'll get back to you......
BTO 7/3/2009 12:17:53 PM
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cabana boy = robbi
jasonBlues 7/3/2009 12:35:48 PM
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mysticct,
I believe the answer to your question is screwed. Definitely better to get screwed. Screws don't pull out. lol
tck_beachbum 7/3/2009 12:39:37 PM
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Robbi, thanks for talking to Pam the other day.
She truly appreciates it when someone talks to her.
robbi642 7/3/2009 2:26:21 PM
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BTO........I missed my calling.....I coulda been........damn!! LOL
Anytime Tck......lol
Starfire58 7/3/2009 4:32:25 PM
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Screws, definately. We have to replace the deck and luckily the deck at the old house (yes it survived the fire) was screwed. So we will eventually get over there on a sunny day and take the deck apart and use it to replace this deck.
So many projects... so little sunshine to do them!!!
shopstar 7/4/2009 12:42:24 PM
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Hey there good lookin! ^^^^***HUGS***
robbi642 7/4/2009 2:34:11 PM
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Easy Shop.......I know you've been out to sea for a while.....but I'm taken.......LOL
Starfire58 7/4/2009 3:03:57 PM
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LOL @ Rob!
*spanks Shop, then Rob*
(((hugs))) and Happy 4th. BTW which one of you keeps shipping the rain here???
shopstar 7/4/2009 3:08:02 PM
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*LMAOF*
Starfire58 7/4/2009 3:12:51 PM
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I mean it more rain!!! 8" this week alone.
*Starts making water balloons* Ohhh Shop!!!!
CaptainCorelli 7/4/2009 5:41:57 PM
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"All hands on deck"..
...who wants a porch you can't walk on anyway?
robbi642 7/7/2009 8:57:51 PM
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I haven't heard from the deck building team lately......is it done?? lol.....or did the stampeded get in the way of progress???.....
robbi642 7/7/2009 11:55:12 PM
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LOL.......stampede.........forget the past tense....
Starfire58 7/8/2009 7:37:53 AM
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Hey Rob, she said in chat she had the post sunk 4' to accommodate the frost line.
As for the outside work here... RAIN again. So the trim has been scraped but not yet painted. Our deck already has the cement footings. Don't know how high Pam's is off the ground, but ours is just about 10". Not much in comparison. With the rain though we still can enjoy the screened porch. Meanwhile... I keep taking pictures and then rearranging things.
At some point we have to agree with what goes where and keep it there!
DorkFishKatie 7/13/2009 2:37:59 AM
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;-) hire a hot contractor, or even better find one that will work for ...? lol j/p
robbi642 8/24/2009 10:45:50 AM
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Where's the pics of this deck?? A work in progress perhaps??
shopstar 8/25/2009 9:51:42 AM
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....and when is the completion party Pam?....
BROWSE NOW
