Browse Forums Outdoor Living 1 Aug 10, 2011 10:36 am hi all, just a quick one if someone could possibly help me out. i have an alfresco area which im considering either tiling or laying a deck over. the thing is its not very deep - and is probably more only suited for tiling. but before i go ahead with this i just wanted to enquire if it is even possible to lay a deck without any bearers etc. i have a depth of approx 80/100mm from the top of my sliding door to top of slab. Is it possible to lay 90x35 or 90x45 fixed to the slab, then with then the decking slats on top of this? or could i lay 90x34 as bearers, then 90x35 on top for the joists for the decking to fix too? actually ive just read about steel joists as well? possibly lay the deck area with 75x50 Rectangular hollow section? cheers Re: decking depth enquiry 3Aug 10, 2011 11:15 am mikeg12 hi all, just a quick one if someone could possibly help me out. i have an alfresco area which im considering either tiling or laying a deck over. the thing is its not very deep - and is probably more only suited for tiling. but before i go ahead with this i just wanted to enquire if it is even possible to lay a deck without any bearers etc. i have a depth of approx 80/100mm from the top of my sliding door to top of slab. Is it possible to lay 90x35 or 90x45 fixed to the slab, then with then the decking slats on top of this? or could i lay 90x34 as bearers, then 90x35 on top for the joists for the decking to fix too? actually ive just read about steel joists as well? possibly lay the deck area with 75x50 Rectangular hollow section? cheers Yep, simple as to lay battens then deck directly to that. The decking is generally 20mm thick so you have 60 - 80mm of space to play with regarding battens to get the deck to the desired height. One thing I would suggest is to use small plastic horseshoe spacers to raise the battens off the concrete so that if rain gets through its not pooling up against wood (which can rot) but rather the plastic. The different colours are different thicknesses, just place then under the point where you are dyna bolting (or whatever fixing method you use) the batten down (I'd suggest 450mm centres for fixing). If you use multiple spacers, glue them together with an adhesive to make sure they dont come apart. The shims will also allow you to create a fall if you wish to do so. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v709/wombat01/BNJZ6uQWkKGrHgoOKi8EjlLmZdNYBJoOE8UChw_35.jpg Hope that helps. Re: decking depth enquiry 4Aug 10, 2011 11:37 am awesome thanks for the advice. the spacer idea to raise the battens is a great idea too - ill definitely be incorporating this. would you suggest dynabolt would be the best method of fixing to the slab? are there other options? Re: decking depth enquiry 6Aug 10, 2011 11:46 am mikeg12 awesome thanks for the advice. the spacer idea to raise the battens is a great idea too - ill definitely be incorporating this. would you suggest dynabolt would be the best method of fixing to the slab? are there other options? Personally I would use recessed dynabolts, but you could use spaghetti tube and screws. But dynabolts will give you a very solid fix which would be my preference since you are walking on it. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v709/wombat01/dynabolt.jpg Re: decking depth enquiry 7Aug 10, 2011 12:05 pm yes well that is another thing to consider. as the slab is only minimal depth from the rear sliding doors, the last brick coarse and damp coarse is at top of slab. therefore if i install a deck - the top of decking will be above damp coarse and will also be about half way up weep holes.. will this be a problem? the area is fully covered under the main roof. only minimal water enters at the edges of the area Re: decking depth enquiry 8Aug 10, 2011 2:51 pm ok this is how it is: http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af20/grechy12/IMG_1722.jpg and with a 90x35 next to it: http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af20/grechy12/IMG_1723.jpg or continue the tiles out from inside: http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af20/grechy12/IMG_1725.jpg Re: decking depth enquiry 9Aug 10, 2011 4:58 pm Huggy_B mikeg12 awesome thanks for the advice. the spacer idea to raise the battens is a great idea too - ill definitely be incorporating this. would you suggest dynabolt would be the best method of fixing to the slab? are there other options? Personally I would use recessed dynabolts, but you could use spaghetti tube and screws. But dynabolts will give you a very solid fix which would be my preference since you are walking on it. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v709/wombat01/dynabolt.jpg would using countersunk dynabolts be just as affective ? Re: decking depth enquiry 11Aug 13, 2011 3:34 pm i am in the same situation and am in the process of designing the deck.. got a few questions.. the countersunk dynabolt is good idea but would an 'L' brace to the joist and slab be as effective? also, is the plastic horseshoe spacers called that? "plastic horseshoe spacers". i mean if i go to bunnings and ask for that, would they know what I am talking about? and how strong are they since they essentially be acting as bearers for the joist? Oxford 22 @ Stage12a Point Cook Site Cut : 05/03/2010 Slab Pour : 24/03/2010 Frame Inspected : 06/04/2010 Pre-plaster Inspection: 22/04/2010 PCI: 16/07/2010 Final Inspection: 30/07/2010 Landscaping: who knows??? MyHomeoneThread Our Oxford22 Blog Re: decking depth enquiry 12Aug 13, 2011 8:13 pm Hey Draco, Bunning Hoppers has them and they're called, "window packers" or U shape window packers. That's where I got mine from. There is also a builders wedge, I don't think they would have been helpful but fairly similar. Cheap, about $14.00 for a whole box so I got one box of 5mm and one with all different sizes 1.5mm to 10mm. See through boxes with the different colours. I raised mine up a minimum of about 10mm so the first board would sit kind of flush with the top of the step, so the 2 x 5mm worked a treat. But as expected the slab for my alfresco isn't 100% flat so you'll need a mix of sizes. Mine is basically joist on to slab, packers to raise and keep water of the joist, L brackets (There's $6.00 ones and (Pryda) $2.00 ones) dyna bolted to the slab, then 40mm coach screws in to the joist (lucky Bunnies had someone helpful that day as they work really well). So far not looking too bad. Total height of the deck is around 200mm. I think if there's a hurricane, the house will be gone but deck will still be there. Not sure if it's a 100% correct as all advice seems to be about building over dirt then using concrete with stirrups/joists/bearers. Re: decking depth enquiry 13Aug 14, 2011 6:50 pm thanks for all that info notremaison.. appreciate it.. i will be making a new thread for my decking adventure and your very welcome to advice Oxford 22 @ Stage12a Point Cook Site Cut : 05/03/2010 Slab Pour : 24/03/2010 Frame Inspected : 06/04/2010 Pre-plaster Inspection: 22/04/2010 PCI: 16/07/2010 Final Inspection: 30/07/2010 Landscaping: who knows??? MyHomeoneThread Our Oxford22 Blog Hi, as per the subject. Does anyone have any recommendations for the best value decking oil (Bunning is close to where I live) for a treated pine deck? Thanks 0 1290 The distance between my DEBs varies from 4.1m at the narrowest to 8.1m at the widest. 5 25913 Hi, only for walking. It is a narrow 1.5m paved area next to house. 2 4140 |