Deck Questions

BigLou · Apr 17, 2008

Jason,
we have a 48" frost line around here and solid poured concrete tubes like you see in that picture are how all of our decks are built. I guess footers would work also just make sure to get ground contract rated posts which are probably a special order. I would back fill them with gravel so any water drains away.

Lou

Lakee911 · Apr 18, 2008

My posts are rated for the ground contact ... treatment 0.6psf ... I have clay soil so water doesn't drain. Adding gravel would just guarantee that it stays wet no?

I was planning on putting a piece of cotton rope at the bottom of the post so that the water drains away. If I backfill using concrete and the post shrinks slightly water can get in. The rope will allow it to wick away between the layers.

Jason

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Statjunk · Apr 18, 2008

The problem with back filling with concrete is that the wood will rot. You'll likely cut the life of your deck by just more than half. See Mikey's posts.

Tom

BigLou · Apr 18, 2008

Jason,
just wrap the post with a bitumen based product, like Grace Ice and Water Shield. If you really wanted make a mess and save some money any bitumen based coating would work to keep water out of the post

Lou

Statjunk · Apr 18, 2008

Big Lou,

My understanding, and I could be wrong, is that you want the water to have a means of exiting the post. If the water cannot leave the post it will saturate and rot the post. Also my understanding is that concrete is corrosive to wood.

Is any of this off base. I've built several decks but never in clay. If he was working with dirt he would need to use pea gravel.

Never having done one, it's pretty self explanatory that pouring a concrete footer withone of those cyclinders is the best way to go. Though I have never done one that way. I've always used the pea gravel.

Tom

BigLou · Apr 19, 2008

Tom,
yes and no, you want water to leave the post, but it will wick up the post and dry. The problem with concrete is that it holds moisture against the bottom of the post so it can never dry. Coating the bottom of the post will keep it from absorbing excess ground water. I have never heard of concrete being corosive to wood only that it causes rot by keeping the end of the post damp. Wet wood will not rot, dry wood will not rot only damp wood

Lou

Lakee911 · Apr 21, 2008

It is treated wood though. Non treated wood (hemlock fence posts for example) will definately rot.

Concrete and Aluminum don't mix, IIRC but I don't think wood and concrete is a problem....

Jason

BigLou · Apr 21, 2008

Jason,
I know they are treaded posts but if you keep then constantly wet they will eventually rot it takes some time but it will happen

Lou

Lakee911 · May 7, 2008

Almost done ... need to paint rim joists and steps, add a few screws and landscape.

Thanks for everyone's help in answering questions and giving advice.

Prashster · May 7, 2008

Really nice!

One question: have u considered continuing the step all the way around the perimeter of the deck if yr not gonna have a railing?

Lakee911 · May 7, 2008

Thanks.

Well, I plan on using that open space around it for landscaping. I'll have some bigger stuff that will help define the edge of the deck. Also, originally I planned on having the deck lower and I raised it to reduce the number of steps to the door. Because of that, my outter steps are attached to the deck on the back of them, but literally just sitting on the ground in the front. So, without a way to really pick them up, I didn't want to have steps all around.

Jadnashua · May 7, 2008

There's a magic height number (I don't know it) where a railing is required. If you exceed that, it might come back to bite you. Steps all around is an alternative if you exceed the max height.

Lakee911 · May 8, 2008

That height, here in Columbus, is 30in. My max is 26"

Jason

Mikey · May 8, 2008

Lakee911 said:
That height, here in Columbus, is 30in. My max is 26"

Jason

Good planning.

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