Building Deck - Bearer / Joist
Hello all,
I am building a low-level deck out the back of my house and I'm getting mixed signals from various websites as to the thickness of bearers and joists for the deck. Maybe someone can give me some advice.
Currently the plan is:
Bearers: 90mm x 90mm
These are approx. 3.5m long and will have posts embedded in concrete at each end and one in the middle (so a span of about 1.5m between posts)
Joists: 90mm x 45mm
To minimise height these will be cut into pieces and rest on joist holders between the bearers rather than sitting on top of the bearers
Bearers and joists will be of treated pine, decking will be Merbau (hardwood).
Can anyone see anything wrong with the thicknesses of these bearers and joists? Various plans seem to suggest that they should be thicker than that but others seem to say that they are ok. I can't find anywhere that mentions if having joists between the bearers rather than on them makes a difference.
This is my first deck and its out the back of my own house so I don't want to get it wrong :)
Thanks,
Easy