Deck building process

**almost novice** · 21st March 2006, 01:46 PM

Hello All,

Like a lot of people using this site I am a novice an building decks but have general renovation experience.

I am building a full jarrah deck 5.5 x 6.5m about 300mm off the ground. I have used design guides to determine the correct spacing and sizing of timber bearers and joists.

The question I have is in regard to the process for construction and specifically installing the posts.

I figure there are 2 options:

install each post individually (using wet mix concrete) getting levels correct and ensuring the post is vertical, or
join bearer to posts (average of 4 posts per bearer) and slot into post holes, prop and level and then pour concrete into all holes at once.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also what depth should the posts go into the ground? I have read 300mm, 400mm and 500mm in different publications!

Regards, Almost Novice.

**ThePope** · 21st March 2006, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by almost novice

join bearer to posts (average of 4 posts per bearer) and slot into post holes, prop and level and then pour concrete into all holes at once.

you're only 300 off the ground so option 2 would probably be easier for you, run a few joists across aswell to tie it all together.

what soil type do you have, 300 would be ok for the concrete stuff we have here (clay) but go deeper for sandier soils.

**julianx** · 21st March 2006, 02:29 PM

I agree with the pope (not the one in rome) just make sure you prop the posts so that the post stirrup isn't sitting on the bottom of the hole.

**JDub** · 21st March 2006, 03:12 PM

Just finished my deck and went with option Two. Worked well, and as said just make sure the stirrups protrude from the hole the correct distance.

**almost novice** · 21st March 2006, 05:06 PM

Thanks for the advice. Looks like option 2 has the thumbs up.

At this stage I'm using long posts and going straight into the ground and pouring the concrete around the posts. I think that the key issue here is ensuring that the concrete is well rodded at the bottom to ensure that the concrete goes completely under the bottom of the posts.

This option also provides additional rigidity to the deck and the life of the jarrah posts in concrete should be ample.

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