How to build Ekodeck low-level deck?

[cyberscran]

Hi Team,

I'm planning on building a 4 x 3 meter low level deck using Ekodeck composite deck boards.

It has to be fairly low so I was wondering if I could just use joists without bearers and support with timber piles in concrete. If I were to use 140 x 45 for the framing/joists, what kind of spacing would I need for the timber posts.

Thanks 🤔

[JacobZ]

Hi @cyberscran,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

You can certainly have a single-tiered deck where each joist is supported by posts, or you can use 145x45 Joist Hangers to attach the joists to bearers in the same plane, so there is no additional height to the frame. Either option will work and maintain that lower level that you need, but the joist hangers will help you avoid a lot of digging.

Regardless of which option you use, 140x45 MGP10 framing, when acting as a joist, needs to be supported every 2600mm, as can be seen in the Hyne Timber Joist Span Table. Whether that support comes from a post or a bearer, it does not matter, as long as they are supported every 2600mm along the joist.

If you could give me a basic layout and some dimensions for your deck, I'd be happy to take a look and help you with a design.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[cyberscran]

Hi @JacobZ,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Im planning to use Ekodeck and have taken these screenshots from their site, hope this helps.

I've had another look at heights etc and was wondering if I could use 90x45 for bearers and also 90x45 for joists, would that work?

Many thanks again for your help.

cyberscran

[JacobZ]

Hi @cyberscran,

Yes, it would be possible to use 90x45 as opposed to 140x45, but the spans are lower, with bearers spanning 900mm between supports and joists spanning 1400mm between bearers. This means the bearers would need more support, and the joists would need to be supported by an additional bearer.

This is essentially what I would propose for your frame.
 

Each bearer is supported by 6 pedestal feet to fit within the allowable 900mm between supports, as shown in the Bearer Span Tables.

You'll note the additional bearer in the middle. This is because the allowable span for 90x45 pine while acting as a joist is 1400mm. In this setup, the joists span 1433mm, which is ever so slightly above that span limit. We can handle this in a few ways, with the simplest being to reduce the width of your deck by 66mm. The alternatives are to add an additional bearer with supports or to laminate timbers together as a central bearer to bring that span down.

Each joist would need to be attached to the bearer on each end with a 90x45mm joist hanger.

This frame would allow you to have that picture frame pattern with a central breaker board like the example from Ekodeck.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

[cyberscran]

Hi @JacobZ ,

Thanks so much for your help with this.

This look ideal for our plans. If we decide to go ahead I will definitely go with your suggestion.

Many thanks again for taking the time to assist.

Regards,

@cyberscran