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Hello, I am planning to build a deck for the first time, and it turned to be a low -level deck. I looked into some posts and YouTube videos to get the basics and came up with a plan. I want someone to check my plan and advise if I am making any major mistakes. I also have a couple of questions.
Basically, I want to extend my tiled alfresco with a deck of size 3220 mm X 3160 mm very similar as shown in the photo below. Since I want to make the deck level with the existing alfresco, I have only 140~150 mm height to work with.
I am thinking of building a floating deck inspired by the video by Mitchell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pk_KmaL6i4). I am considering TuffBlock (https://www.bunnings.com.au/tuffblock-300-x-300-x-90mm-instant-foundation-system-deck-support_p24103...) or small foot pedestal feet (https://www.bunnings.com.au/builders-edge-35-60mm-smallfoot-pedestal-feet_p2450074) for footing and place joists (90mm X45 mm) directly on them without any bearer. I am leaning towards the small foot because it gives a minimum 35 mm height and its height is adjustable.
Option 1 - TuffBlock: If I use TuffBlock, then I will need a some digging as I need to use 400X400X40 paver + TuffBlock + Joist + deck board, giving me a total height 40+50+90+23 = 203 mm. But currently I have 140~150 mm. I can use roughly the following framing as shown in the ToughBlock installation document. I will need 7 joists and 21 TuffBlocks as shown below. But I will need to work precisely with the height to level the deck with my alfresco floor which I am not very confident about. Any suggestions so that I can be precise in maintaining the deck height level with my alfresco floor?
Option 2 - Small foot: If I use small foot, then the total height will be 40 (paver) + 35 (small foot) + 90 (joist) + 23 (deck board) = 188 mm. I will need a bit digging, but its flexibility is adjustable height. According to Small foot specification documents the 90X45 joist can be up to 500 m apart, so I can use 7 joists as above. But the small foots supporting each joist need to be 400 mm apart, which means I will need 8 foots per joist. So in total I will need 7 X 8 small foots. Is this calculation correct? Or I am making some mistakes as 56 (7x8) small foots seems too many. Do I need to use the 400X400X40 paver under each small foot?
Q1: Since I am not creating a picture frame, I do not need additional piece of timber at both ends of the frame, as shown in Mitchell’s video above, right?
Q2: I do not want to use picture frame and Ekodeck to match my tiled alfresco floor. So I think I will need to use facial board to cover the face and side groove of the Ekodeck board, right?
Q3: I heard that all decks sink a bit after installation. Is that correct? In that case even I build my deck level with my alfresco, will it sink afterwards? It will be not very neat. Any comment/suggestions?
Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
