Thread: Question about decking timber sizes.

G'day.
Hardwood Decking is available in random lengths from 1.8 to 6.0 meters.
Decking should not be supplied shorter than 1.8 (we don't). a 1.8 minimum allows for the 1.8 length to span across 4 joists at 450 centres.

also.....1400 spacing for joists????? it will be a bloody spring board!!!!!!!

joist spacing should always be 450mm.

Hooroo.
Regards, Trevor
Grafton

:eek: joists @ 1400 centres! :eek:
unless the users of the deck weigh less than 2kg each and they don't stand too close together they're going to find themselves lying on the ground amidst the wreckage, picking large splinters out of their bums. You might just get away with 1400 crs if you use railway sleepers as decking boards . As far as random lengths is concerned, that's standard practice. Some suppliers will supply to a given length but you will be paying a hefty premium as someone will need to pick through all the packs and make up your order. Save yourself a lot of grief and and buy twice as many joists as you already have.

Mick

Thanks for the quick replies guys!! After double checking what I'd written previously, I confirmed I'd stuffed up Joists are actually 450mm apart. So, no rubble, no spliters to remove.

1400 centres for joists - that just gives me the screaming heebie jeebies. Do you mean 1400 for your bearers and then 450 for the joists?

If not, do it kike Mick and Trevor said - double (in fact, triple) the number of joists so that they are at 450 centres - perhaps 500 if your decking baords are thicker than normal. But always, always over-engineer (or at least properly engineer ) the sub-structure (unless you like the pirate-like feel of the deck shifting under your feet).

Good luck!

Trav

Mr Flibble,

I've just finished building a deck out of Merbau 5.1m X 3.5m. I got various quotes from all over Melbourne (all for random lengths). I got lucky however and stumbled across some Merbau at my local bunnnings for 1.95l/m in 2.7m lengths (approx. 3 months ago). This involved extra joins (= extra work + quite an appealing look) but very little wastage ie 100mm per length (necessary anyway because some boards had a bit of snipe on the ends).

I have since noticed that a number of Bunnings are still selling the 2.7m packs, although I don't know the current price.

Hope this helps,

Alex.

I ordered 500lm of 90mm Merbau decking for my deck. Standard issue is "random lengths". Of course they are not random in that they come in a variety of set sizes normally ranging from around 900mm to over 3000mm (in 300mm increments from memory) depending on where you source them. Stagger the butt joins and they should look fine.
In fact I have seen a few decks where people have lined up all the joins, which tends to look like a big surgical suture to me.

Whoa there!!!

Can't line up joins between boards - provides weakness in the structure, need to leave one unjointed board beside a join and best to leave two clear boards before joining over the same joist. Stagger, stagger, stagger

Mr Fibble,

guess you've seen random lengths is a standard by now.

Big tip measure your deck, calculate how much is needed to cover the measurement, then add 10%, (this should account for cutting to fit joist spans and staggering joins) this is the amount you need to oder.