Secure the decking boards to the joists parallel with the bearers, spacing hardwood boards 3mm apart and staggering the joints so adjacent boards don’t finish on the same joist. How to cut the holes in the deck where the newels poke through. Spindles are now screwed into the top rail. The change of decision came after the initial frame had been started and concreted into the ground. Tanalith treated in this instance. In this case, the timber going across the page are to be 50mm x 150mm (6x2in ) tanalised joist timbers, which will be fixed to the house via a 6x2 wall plate with galvanized joist hangers. For most, it would be best to position the bearer whilst the frame is in the process of being made. So too is the use of heavy duty power drill for house fixings and deck base bolting. This will help you to see potential problems with the deck layout before you start ordering timber even. The damp proof course line on the wall is the essential datum to work from. It’s responsible for supporting the weight of the joists and other building elements. This article was created by a professional writer and edited by experienced copy editors, both qualified members of the Demand Media Studios community. For support reasons, the ground fixing is very important for you do not want your steps sliding away from the deck over time. The end result of a suitable ledger board securely fastened to the wall is what we are aiming for. Here the rails are laid alongside to fixed decking newel and the exact offset angle of the newel is marked on the top rail - ready for cutting at the correct angle. It is very important to get this part right, for the only way you can remedy a faulty ledger board fixing, is by removing all of the deck boards to enable access. Different woods expand and contract at different rates and will vary in softness, which will affect how much weight the wood can bear before beginning to sag. Care should be taken in this initial set up of the deck frame with particular attention to the overall dimensions, the 'squaring' of the frame and due allowance made for the depth of the deck-board to be fixed on top. It will also alert you to any intricacies that you might need to brush up on before you start. Once the ledger board decking wall plate has been affixed to the wall, decking proceeds at an easier pace and with the full knowledge that the deck is not going to move from where you put it. All joists and bearers were treated with Tanalith at source - giving a 15 year plus lifetime. It was thus pleasantly possible to walk straight from the interior onto the exterior part of the 'room'! Softer woods like cedar will give more than Brazilian Ipê or ironwood, which are harder and less flexible. This base structure will be raised on to 75x75 (3x3in) tanalised posts sunk and concreted into the ground. Bear in mind the 'finished' - nominal - width of the deckboards rather than simply measuring the actual width of the board. The give extra stability to the treads, it is a good idea to use an off-cut deck board or joist under the tread as a central strengthening extra. Decking project, step 7, looks at cutting in the deckboards around the newels for the balustrades. The deck timbers will be screwed to these. The main reasons for building this garden patio deck were twofold; 1/. Building a deck in a garden, from start to finish. masuzi June 20, 2018 Uncategorized Leave a comment 47 Views. 10% wastage is more or less the accepted norm when buying anything other than expensive hardwood boards. The shed is a manufactured metal one of 1.5m x 3.0m dimensions. They demonstrate how easy it is to fit step lighting and the use of LED down lighting. This starts with proper construction giving a rigid project, and by ease of use which will be defined by the building regulations. The beam is similar to the ledger board, but it is not attached to the house – these are the main load-bearing elements of your deck. It also made for an even stronger deck base - and with a little bit more room underneath for envisaged storage under the deck. For decking, a minimum spacing between boards of 5 mm is recommended. Run a bead of glue down the length of one bearer. I was thinking of something like two bearers with an appropriate number of joists and probably three concrete stumps per bearer. DIY Garden Decking Project. All graded preserved for outside use. Please see an example of 450mm joist spacing below. However small the set of steps are, safety should be the first consideration. We’ll show you how to install the joists that will form a strong foundation for your deck. The narrower the spacing between joists, the greater the span can be. H3 SUPALAM F17 SUB-DECK Telephone 03 5139 7001 Facsimile 03 5139 7003 Email sales@vicash.com.au www.vicash.com.au There’s no point investing in a high quality deck if the sub-deck isn’t up for the job! The support posts concreted into the ground will also provide a good non-giving surface on which to base your newels - assuming you are going to incorporate a balustrade or even a hand rail - IMPORTANT even for a few steps down - or up. Any adjustments can be remedied later in the decking process where the deck finishes against a wall. Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Secure the joist into every bearer, … Skew nail bottom of joist to bearers on each side (see diagram 3). Even if a building consent is not required, construction must still comply with New Zealand Building Code requirements. Read the points below and fully understand before you proceed. It would be a good idea to test drill and screw at angles on scraps of decking before starting this work. There are special screws which should be used for fixing deckboards to joists. One aspect of building a deck is fraught with problems fore the inexperienced DIY person. Do your research and then go ahead. Softwood timber is easier to work, and can still look good with very little difference from some of the hardwood deck boards. The formula looks like this: Span 3 of our deck cantilevers over the last bearer. The easy way to do this is to leave the fixing of the newel posts until decking is well under way. All articles go through an editorial process that includes subject matter guidelines, plagiarism review, fact-checking, and other steps in an effort to provide reliable information. Unless the deck frame is well anchored and secured, lateral movement can take place over years – especially with the shrinking and expansion of timber in the different season. The modern cordless screwdrivers with hammer action and adjustable clutch are good starting points. It will help greatly if you ensure that you purchase newel posts which are perfectly 'square' and not wrongly machined. Composite decking brands also generally require 12 inches O.C.joist spacing for 45-degree or angled composite deck board applications. Far better - and safer to provide standard riser heights - of maximum 22cm (5.5in). Introducing LOWDECK Australia's first GL8 Structural engineered bearers & joists treated to H4 for On-Ground use. A raised deck abutting a wall has the advantage of being held fast on at least one side to help with this stability. Framing timbers on the ground or lower than 150 mm should be termite resistant and in-ground durability Class 1 or treated to H4 or better. Decks higher than 90cm – 3ft off the ground will need a different approach to staircase building. Most raised decks need a set of steps or often a proper set of decking stairs to get access to and from the deck to a lower garden – or sometimes to a high level door – dependent upon where the deck fits to the house. The upright support timbers were treated 4x4 (100x100mm) fencing posts with 15 year exterior guarantee against rot. C21 grade timber would be ideall. The deck would be on slightly sloping ground. It is important to keep the timber in a shaded place - not in full sun - or it will invariably warp. Remember to complete all calculations using millimetres. As is normal for this type of deck, softwood timbers were used in the frame joist, bearers and of course the actual finishings with deck boards and balustrade surrounds. Bearers & Joists At Master Woodturning we offer a range of treated timbers and pre-primed timbers all meeting Australian Standard Hazard Levels. Most decks are built with long, consistent pieces of lumber for the deck flooring. Rectangular galvanised plate washers are ideal for this 50x50m. bearers, joists and decking, and for the gaps that will develop between the decking boards. Be aware of the often overlooked little problems that can occur with a slightly raise patio deck terrace - especially the height of the finished article in relation to the overhang of the roof of the house. It is my advice to plan your project thoroughly, if you are not used to working on DIY projects, keep it as simple as possible. Staircase ready for fixing of the newels. A bearer - either single or double beam is also a great help in the levelling of the deck frame. Any doubts whatever. Seek advice, don’t assume! The raised patio decking scheme in an image sequence. Non purpose made screws with a fully screw faced shank should be avoided. The levels have been taken from the living room levels and extended out to these pegs. Determine the size of the timber you will be using for the joists. Once you are happy with the basic set up - the deck frame position can be enacted and bolted to the concreted supports. The ledger board is ideally the same dimensions as the joists to be affixed later – ideally 6x2in (150x50mm) It needs to be straight and not warped or have undue splits. Both clients had very busy job-styles, and needed the opportunity when time allowed, to simply chill out! Raised Garden Deck - near finished - with handrail balustrade and steps down to garden. Cantilevered joists. You can find tables and calculators online at sites like Ace Hardware and Best Deck Site (see Resources). There are several types of wall anchor bolts available. This will allow for the position to be as in the image in most instances. The spacing between deck joists is commonly referred to as joist span in professional lingo. Easiest way is to have the newels and handrail balustrades right on the edge of the deck, but this is not always possible or practicable. Linear metres and cost are auto updated when the deck is re-calculated, with individual costs for stumps, bearers and joists displayed in each section. Different woods expand and contract at different rates and will vary in softness, which will affect how much weight the wood can bear before beginning to sag. (Span tables on reverse side) 150x40mmdeckboards can normally be used with a 90cm span. Depending on the working height, bearer size and span and type of timber deck you want will dictate the best size and span of joist. If you do the frame as per these images and pages, ensure that you have the space to maneuvered the cross member bearing into place. Added to this, there are 9 x 2.4m 75x75mm 'fencing' posts which will be used for the uprights. Choice of screwdriver is down to whether you hire or buy. The videos show how to make a floating deck in the garden, using the same techniques as we have in our example. Enter your preferred bearer spacing, (distance between the bearers) and preferred bearer span (distance between stumps along the bearer) and Quick Decks will give you even measurements for your stump and bearer set out, based on the length and width of your deck. This decking project it for a slightly raised veranda deck adjacent to the house. Less stumps, bearers and joists mean less cost and work, but you can’t afford to skimp on this or your deck will be unsound. Stump and Bearer Layout. Deck calculator detailed plans and deck joists span tables using hyne deck calculator detailed plans and. If you do them hat way there is less chance of driving the screw in too far and either burying the screw or splitting the deck boards. If you need to join two joists, use a butt joint directly above a bearer. If it is a free standing deck, then carefully allow for working around the newels at the design stage. The overhanging treads will need to be cut in around the newel - or simply trimmed off flush with the stringer surface. On the frame in the image, there will be a cross member support beam affixed under the deck frame for added support and to lessen the span for the deckboards. An additional set of decking joist were affixed to the top of the basic frame, running across the house so that the client's desire could be accommodated without too much additional work involved. All timber used was pressure treated at source, and all resulting cut were either treated with liberal coats of preservative, or where necessary - 'End Seal' fluid. to have access to a patio without having to go down a set of unsafe steps; 2/. With good ground support, the stringers can be simply resting against the decking fascia with minimum fixings – just a few screws. Free-standing raised decks have to be well supported and diagonally braced in the frame to ensure rigidity. Yes, it is the main consideration, but the other important thing to be aware of, is the surface splash of rain up on to the house wall - as is a problem when the patio/deck surface extends too far up the DPC level. The bolts used for this M12 galvanised coach bolts with large square plate washers on the end where the nuts were affixed. However, some patterned floors require short, angled pieces of wood to create intriguing designs. Use of exterior grade fixings is of paramount importance. Always ensure that you deck will actually have the floor space to make it an area that can be used for all manner of purposes - from doing the ironing on a nice day, to enjoying the al fresco meal or drink. Far better to re-tighten the screws after a settling in period. Here we are talking of a relatively low raised deck, but the same procedure should be followed as for a high raised deck. We do use 400mm spacings with clear treated pine as it is slightly more flexible than our other decking materials. You can see he has trouble cutting and shaping the Decking Board, and he is experienced. Leave a gap where they meet the house to allow for moisture to drain away. Using a hammer drill, drill the holes to the RECOMMENDED depth and insert the anchors. With weaker walls or this with soft bricks and mortar, it is possible to use a straight threaded rod, which can be secured into the wall by way of impregnating the hole with epoxy resin which will then grip into the hole surrounds and hold the bolt rod securely. Measure the length of the floorboards you will be using. Consult a deck joist span table to determine the best spacing. Top and bottom decking balustrade panels rails affixed to the deck newel in predrilled holes using a 175mm exterior grade screw. Once the wall plate is then provisionally fixed to the wall, tighten the bolts alternatively – using a good sized washer on the outside so that tightening does not crush the timber, or - worse – force the nut into the timber. Some houses at the rear garden have a floor level which is much higher than the garden – which sometimes slopes away from the house. This garden decking will be raised, owing to the variation in levels - as can be seen from the first image of the site. Run String Lines to Ensure All Joists Are Level & In Plane. A standard deck staircase stringer will have been manufactured to take a single 6in deck board as the riser, and two deck boards as the treads – allowing for a slight nose over the front edge of the tread. So as with many decks abutting the house, there were two primary considerations. The rail head is driven down below the surface of the timber. You are providing for the long term stability and safety of the raised deck. The deckboards in this case were laid with a 'waste' overhang. A neat row of visible screws as also a pleasing sight. It is the main construction technique to ensure that your deck fulfills its function for many years, and above all is safe from possible collapse. Bottom image shows the fixing to the concreted uprights of the main bearers, which were then added to with other joists to allow the change of finished direction to the deckboards. Even though this deck was only slightly raised - and also had wall supports to help - both at the house and deck edge by way of old patio wall - it was treated in the same manner as higher raised deck - with modifications. Run a string line between these two nails. Hammer a nail in at the end of the first joist and another to the wall-plate. These tables assume a minimum end bearing of 50 mm by bearer width, and intermediate bearing of 100 mm by bearer width for conti nuous bearers. In areas where the ground is not solid, the upright can be carefully concreted into position - sitting on a section of paving stone in the hole - before the deck frame is actually finalised and bolted into position. Before installing any decking, run string … It is wrongly thought that the only thing that matters for a DPC and patio or deck, is that the surface should be 2 courses below DPC to prevent moisture soaking up from the surface to that area above the Damp Proof Course. Alternatively, joists may be installed in line with bearers and/or ledgers and fixed with proprietary joist hangers in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations. Fix each joist to the bearer using two skewed 100×3.75 mm nails (see NZS3604:2011 Fig.6.8) except joists that will be used in the bracing element (see NZS3604:2011 6.8.6.1 and 6.8.6.2). It is normally a good idea - on solid ground - to more or less complete the sub deck frame, and raise it to finished position, securing with good screw clamps - before concreting the supports. It is important that the screws are manufactured for long term outdoor exposure and that they are coated in such a way that the 'protective' coating is not abraded off during the screw driving operation. The designs that use shorter floorboards will require the joists to be set closer together to accommodate these patterns. This should leave the actual screw thread available to push the wall plate over. This allows the frame to be fully stabilised once positioned axactly. A minimum gap of 6 mm is recommended between decking boards to allow for good drainage and ventilation around boards. Stability of the deck frame is a major factor with any deck that is not resting on the ground. Decking project 8 sees the work being done on the balustrade - in particular the accurate cutting of the decking balustrade top and bottom rails. An added advantage of using deck staircase stringers is that the staircase can be built using your deck surface as a workbench (nice flat even surface) or if you are not used to bending and kneeling down yet (!) A useful addition to most decks is the provision of a power source. Joists that are at least 45 mm wide (seasoned hardwood and treated Make sure that you are aware of the Damp proofing course and aim to have your deck at the recommended height ‘below’ the DPC – unless it is considerably above that level as in a semi-balcony situation. Accurate Cutting of the Decking Balustrade. The finished result of a deck that made for considerably increased 'garden' space and of course was extensively used for those pleasant moments in the evening sun that we all enjoy. This will make sure the joist is straight when you attach it. Make sure it is the same length as the width of your envisaged deck. 2 Building Code and standards ANY DECK OR BALCONY 1.5 M OR MORE ABOVE CLEARED GROUND LEVEL REQUIRES Mark out the site. In cooler climates, keep the joist distances smaller than you would in warmer climates. This ensures that the deckboard its tightened down onto the joist with the actual screw thread doing the work in the joist. We start with a few images of the finished project so that you can then see what was being aimed for in the work and planning that lead to these. Normal household DIY fixings are not suitable for any deck work or deck balustrade panel unit. Note that all the risers are at the same height. All bolt hole were treated with preservative after boring to minimise the risk of decay around the bolt fixing. IMPORTANT ### make sure the fixings you use have a protruding screw thread which is several mm longer than the depth of the wall plate. The joists are attached to the bearers using nails on either side. The main points to address being the secure fixing of the unit. Even if you do not need building control permission, it is as well to adhere to the rules and regulation relating the staircase provision and Steps will or should be accompanied by some type of handrail and again, there are regulations that need to be adhered to for handrails. Take care with measurements and calculate where your newels will be in relation to the deck boards. Fix decking joists. Allow for at least 10% wastage of decking materials in your cost estimates. Ease of access to the deck and then to the garden was the main consideration, for access to the garden was both dangerous and non-appealing. The most difficult job would be the purpose made railing balustrade. (12mm+ in our example). (Tanalised timber is guaranteed for 15 years, if carefully treated. Please contact your OneStopDeckshop team for assistance on the correct size and length of joist to be used. The joists should be spaced at maximum centres according to the table below. If you’re using hardwood or other decking thats 19mm thick the joist spacing will have to be reduced to 450mm centres or less. The designs that use shorter floorboards will require the joists to be set closer together to accommodate these patterns. Decking screws will have a clear shank at the top - which should be the depth of the deck board of choice. before the deck, there was an old patio which could only be accessed by steep steps from the house, and had a surrounding retaining wall - double - that doubled as a poor planting area. Where the decking runs along the length of balustrading, it is often desirable to lay your first board flush against the newels and then 'notch' the outer board to take it into the newel. Longer, thinner joists will need to be set closer together for optimal structural integrity, while shorter, wider joists can be set further apart. In the video DIY Creators have used Trex Decking, a Composite WPC Decking Board, depending upon the quality, this can be very expensive. A common mistake is to try and 'fit' decking steps to the difference in level. In case of a 6x2in 150x50mm there will need to be at least 2.5in or 70mm of thread available. These levelling pegs are set up outside of the project area, but near to where the 'edge' of the deck is going to be. Why use LOWDECK? The decking staircase at the end of the deck, served as access and egress points both to the garden and also to the side of house footpath. The deck frame sketch shows the basic raised base structure. There are alot of Composite WPC Decking Boards available on the market, we suggest you shop around for the best deals and then compare it with the price of wood. Then divide this measurement by the maximum floor joist spacing that is mentioned on your drawings. This is often the case where for instance, deck dimensions do not match up with the different lengths of deck board available. Position the joists perpendicular to the bearers, on top of the bearers or in line with them, securing with framing anchors no more than 450mm apart. Part 4 How to install joists for a deck Installing the joists for your decking is an important step in the project. Lay decking Bottom rail is offered to the part completed balustrade section and marked to ensure parallel gap all the way up the adjacent spindles. As can be seen in the 'before' photo, something needed to be done about the dangerously steep and shallow steps, and the old patio which was gradually being encroached upon by overgrowing shrubs. Together with that, you will have to accommodate the 'give' in narrower boards when used on the treads. Most naturally high durable timbers are prone to movement and need superior nail holding bearers and joists. The joists run perpendicular to the joists at a maximum spacing of 450mm. Where the newel has to be fixed at a deck corner, this type of operation is not always possible. Take into consideration the climate where you will be building your deck. Deck Calculator Detailed Plans And Costs Metric The same is true of a decking project such as this. Figure 7 illustrates methods to join joists, where they are required to be in line. As an example, The type of ‘sleeve anchor’ bolts in the images allow for easy fixing of the pre-drilled wall plate deck ledger board which can then be slid onto the protruding bolt screws via the previously drilled holes in the ledger board. Support Beam affixed under the Deck Frame. The first and second reasons were taken care of in the raising the deck up above the old patio. The deck staircase mad for an interesting and very practical feature at deck end. Safety and ease of access was of paramount importance as there was a young child to be considered, and also because there were often visitors to the house, who were elderly and not confidently able to use the steps. The larger 8mm screws will invariably need pre-drilling, and are prone to splitting the boards if not. ... After your bearers are cut to size, you’ll need to join two together. If your deckboards are not as wide as the standard 6in boards you should always have a full deckboard width at the tread leading edge, and any in-fills of differing width can be situated in the main depth of tread. In this case there was a protruding overhand to the eaves of the house, so no undue concerns about rain splash from the surface of the deck onto the wall above the DPC - Damp Proof Course. The spacing depends on the thickness of decking used. You can also build the steps in-situ after firstly securing the stringers to the deck and ground.