Building a Deck
 

Anybody experienced with building a deck? In particular using those concrete blocks as a foundation for a "free floating" deck instead of digging and concreting post holes. I'm toying with the idea of building one myself and am intrigued with the idea of using deck blocks. However I also have a nagging thought in the back of my mind that they just make things too easy and cut the kind of engineering corners that would change a 240D into a Kia. Or am I wrong? Any thoughts on the subject would be appreciated.

- Peter.

Deck construction
 

falls under your local building code. In mine, those blocks will not meet code for people-bearing structures. I have used them for supporting a lean-to roof off of my garden shed. Check your code.

I built my deck and found it an opportunity to exercise my latent creativity in terms of shape and layout. It was a satisfying experience.

^ X2
Check your local building code

Peter, those pre-formed blocks with securing straps are okay used as intermediate supports only. You still need to sink the corners and central points of the beams into the ground. Otherwise your "floating" deck becomes a "sliding" deck and will pull apart. You still need to slightly sink and compact the soil under the free standers. They're about as much work as digging and pouring the regular footers. They do have the advantage of being easily removed should you decide you don't want the deck.

I use the big cardboard tubes and a heavy metal saddle. The advantages to the tubes are; a: you know EXACTLY how much concrete to mix, b:they are round so it is easy to dig the holes using a post hole digger (yeah, yeah, I know, I'm old fashioned:D) and, c: they aren't that hard to pull out of the ground.

"Building codes"? You sirrahs, are obviously not familiar with Arizona!:rolleyes:

I mean, we build houses out of mud bricks, chicken wire (galvanized of course, we aren't in the dark ages) and stucco.

The last 'wood' deck I built had the fit and finish of fine cabinetry the day I was finished.
Six months later it looked as though I slapped it together using nothing other than a chainsaw for the cuts. Wood shrinkage, warping, cupping, checking... with exception of one area that was a different batch of lumber. $7K in materials and a ton of work is now an eyesore to me. And yes, I know how to choose heartwood and which side of the board goes up.

Lumber is just crap now.

Depending on your soil those blocks may work just fine. Sandy, rocky soils would be best. Expansive soils like clays would require piers.
Good luck with the project.

I used Redwood on my deck with wolmanized pine framing. We recently repaired a lot of the redwood that had gone away and the new material is not as good as it was 25 years ago. I probably would use some sort of plastic composite now with the treated framing.a

Sitting precast foundations on the top of the ground may be fine in AZ but would not work where there is freezing temps. We have to sink about 3 to 4' to reach stable levels for foundations here.

How big will the deck be? Is the location flat? grassy? How long do you want the deck to last?

If you are building a relatively small, low deck, on firm soil, and use decent cross bracing, you could probably get away with using those blocks. If the deck is going to be more than a foot or two above ground, and require railings, then I would go for using a concrete caisson. Once you get involved with railings, the lateral force that is applied whenever someone leans on the railing is tremendous, and can make a free standing deck sway. In Phoenix, I would probably just sink the posts into the concrete, and avoid any silly metal standoffs.

Depends on your building code. Up here they are tough, I have to use 12x48 sonic tubes on all the posts, and joist hangers, tie down, than bolt it to the house. The posts also have to be bolted down to the sonic tubes.

Since FL gets nailed with hurricanes all the time, somehow we end up adopting their codes while FL ignores them. :rolleyes:

People with big decks are admired.

The area is about 8x16 at this point and completely flat. Size and exact design may change depending but it wont' be far off from that. The reason I'm doing this is because I want a deck I can sit on and look over the wall and see the golf course. Deck wouldn't touch the house at any point but it would be about three or four feet high depending on the hight I need to be sitting at to see over the wall. I'll deal with building codes when the time comes. My concern at this point is just wether or not these blocks really suffice for a foundation or if they are not suitable from the point of view of structural integrity.

- Peter.

They really do not suffice for a foundation.

Being 3~4' above ground will require putting in caissons. The cardboard sonotube is about as easy as anything else.

I built a small deck a couple of years ago using the blocks. No problems so far but it's only about 10x10.

I had thought that might be the case.

- Peter.

How high is the deck surface above ground?

- Peter.

Multi-level
 

Is the way I built mine to avoid having to look through a railing. Our code requires railings on any level higher than 18". I built on three step-down levels and can sit down and look out at the deer in the backyard eating my wife's garden.