What bearer and joist spacing for timber deck?

Mass

I am building a 4m x 6m deck 1.5m off the ground and wanted to know what spacing my posts need to be apart if using 100x100mm 2.4m Treated Pine posts? also i am planning on using 120x45mm bearers 1 on each side of the post and then using joist hangers to cut my joists to be in between the bearers so that the deck profile is minimised, my joist timer is 90x45mm...? I am hoping you can tell me how far apart my bearers and joists need to be?

Cheers

JacobZ

Hi @Mass,

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and thank you for your question.

You'll have to start by contacting your local council to confirm the requirements around deck construction in your area. Unfortunately, due to the size and more importantly the height of your deck, you will almost certainly be required to submit engineering plans to your local council for building approval. 

In standard deck builds using H3-treated pine, these Timber Span Tables from our supplier Hyne Timber can be used to determine post spacing and joist spans. Check out How to understand deck span tables for some guidance on how to read and understand them.

You can use these guides as a general reference, but when the deck is raised and the size you are proposing, an engineer may override these tables. Have a read through them to get a general idea of what your materials can span, but make sure to consult with an engineer to ensure your design is up to the standard required by your local council.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob