Building A Deck

[travelguy_73]

We are going to build a deck off the rear of our money pit once the painting is complete. I will be about 15x25, one level, height close to flush with the interior floor (about 30" off the ground) and stretching around 3/4 of this large Red Oak, with steps running continuously around three sides. I have assisted friends with their decks, but never actually built one from scratch. Here are my questions:

(1) Does anyone have an opinion on a floating foundation deck, specifically how it reacts with our soil? I am seeing them all over the 'net and, given the tree roots we are bound to encounter, I think this might be a good solution for DIY.

(2) At 30" high, do I need a railing on any side that doesn't have stairs?

(3) Who should we call to move our AC unit? An AC repair shop? Any idea what such a thing would cost? We want it relocated to the right side of the house though there is barely enough room between the house and property line for it.

Here is a picture to give you an idea of the yard...pardon the mess!

[musicman]

(1) Does anyone have an opinion on a floating foundation deck, specifically how it reacts with our soil? I am seeing them all over the 'net and, given the tree roots we are bound to encounter, I think this might be a good solution for DIY.

(2) At 30" high, do I need a railing on any side that doesn't have stairs?

(3) Who should we call to move our AC unit? An AC repair shop? Any idea what such a thing would cost? We want it relocated to the right side of the house though there is barely enough room between the house and property line for it.

those concrete piers work great, just keep them away from roots. roots will shift more than the ground. it can surprise you how much they'll grow in a few yrs.

a rail would be wise at that height.

any a/c person could move your unit. new copper lines would need to be run as well as power. the power run may require an electrician depending on the a/c man's willingness to do it. cost can vary quite a bit depending on what needs to be done.

[RedScare]

I used deck blocks for part of my deck. I was working alone, and I just thought it would be easier than digging holes for piers. The deck addition has piers, and frankly, I thought putting in piers was slightly easier. Piers are also cheaper. The deck blocks cannot be spaced more than about 3 feet apart, as your blocks cannot support too much weight before they sink, causing an uneven deck. This means you have to buy a bunch of them, at $6 a piece. Compare that to $3 for a bag of concrete, and you see the difference in cost.

The other issue, which bothered me for a year and a half, is securing the deck. The deck merely lays on the blocks, as opposed to piers buried in the ground. A strong wind, which we occasionally get around here, could literally lift the deck like a frisbee, causing horrendous damage. It is recommended that you secure it with trailor stakes. Obviously, piers concreted in the ground secure the deck better.

A 25x15 deck would probably need no more than 16 piers, maybe as few as 12. In contrast, deck blocks would probably require 36 blocks. With it being 30 inches above grade, I would opt for piers if possible, for sturdiness. The holes only need to be dug 2 feet deep. With planning, you can keep the piers away from most roots.

Good luck.

[GREASER]

I have used those blocks before...not a real deck I guess...but its a 12x12 deck for my dogs. I only used 1 at each corner and they are ok. The dogs have a combined weight of 150lbs. For a deck like yours, I would build up a small base for each peir with gravel, use 2x12 for perimeter and you should be ok. I built my deck in less than 1 hr (with a nail gun).

[rapturematt]

Travelguy,

I have build several decks in my time, so if you have any questions or if you would like me to stop by and give you some suggestions, let me know.

If you are planning on building a deck of that size, I would definitely put piers instead of block. I would dig at least 2 foot deep too. I am sure you are going to hit some roots being that close to the tree, but it should not cause damage to the tree, but if might wear you out.

You can always rent a gas powered post hole digger from a local home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes as well, but just make sure the area is clear of roots. Once one of those roots catch, it can twist the whole thing around. My wife can tell you a funny story about one time I did it and hit me in the jewels. I was talk at a higher pitch for several days after that one. You might consider a backhoe with a post whole attachment as well.

One thing that you might want to consider as well is an arbor. You will get so much more use out of it during the dog days of summer, especially if you decide to put a ceiling fan in it.

Here are some pictures of decks I have built so you can get some ideas: