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Low-level deck building advice

rookabook
Finding My Feet

Low-level deck building advice

Hi Team

 

I am trying to put together a deck design and am after some guidance. I've read a bunch of these posts and hoping to tackle this project over the holdays.

 

See picture below showing the two areas that I want to end up looking a single seamless deck.

I will be using 140x19mm merbau decking and laying the boards parrallel to the sliding door with the BBQ infront.

 

A few questions I have:

 

AREA 1:

1. There is 190mm clearance from the soil to finish floor level. Would you recommend I use 140x45 H3 bearers and 90x45 joists (installed in line, not on top, with joist hangers)? This only leaves around 30mm clearance under the bearers. Is that enough?  

2. How many bearers will I need? How far apart? Is 450mm joist spacing ok?

3. I plan to dig holes and concrete in galvanised stirrups for footings. How many do I need/ how far apart? How deep do I need to dig?

4. Do I need to fix the frame to the brick walls? If so, do I just use dynabolts and space them out 10mm from the brick?

5. Where the frame meets Area 2 (tiled part) do I dynabolt it to the slab? Or just screw it in to the Area 2 frame?

 

AREA 2:

6. I'm concerned there is not enough clearance here to raise the frame up for drainage/ventilation. Using 70x45mm framing leaves no room for a gap and I dont want to have the frame touching the floor. Can I lay the framing on its side, giving me a 45mm frame height (and leaving a 25mm gap)? I planned to use either pedastools or galvanised L brackets here.

7. Would pulling up the tiles be a viable option to give more clearance? Or would getting all the adhesive off and leveled be a nightmare?

8. Since this is on a slab with tiles, do I only need joists running perpendicular to my decking boards, spaced every 450mm?

9. Whats the required spacing on the pedastools or L brackets?

 

Thank you in advance. You guys are a wealth of knowledge!

 

deck2.jpg

 

 

Re: Low-level deck building advice

Hi @rookabook,

 

I am trying to create a deck plan as above. Could you advise the software that you had used to create the above view. 

 

I have tried checking few online and surprisingly; I could not find any that is simple to draw a deck layout as above.

 

Appreciate any support.

Re: Low-level deck building advice

Hi @rajavamsi,

 

Check out this article: What software do you use for drawing plans?

 

Jason

 

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