In article ,
Michael Murray (HotM) wrote:
Having moved house a few years back, there was a slabbed 'patio' at
the back of the house. Presumably due to the original levels of the
garden, this was laid over a total of 5 levels; with two of the levels
being only a single slab wide. (total area approx 5m x 4m).
I've just sorted something similar. Concrete, not level, dropped away in
one corner by 6 inches or so.
Digging up the concrete wasn't going to be realistic - 6x3m, anything from 3
to oer 6 inches thick and nowhere to get a skip...
Levelling the supporting beams: I found these:
http://www.easyfix.ie/index.php?page...oustic-systems , bought
a load of them, and would highly recommend them for anyone wanting a
fast way to lay a deck over a solid, but uneven base. (just a happy
user).
interesting. I built 6 small piers out of brick (well, at the front
it was a couple of paving slabs. Made sure this was level and also
built small piers for the pergola legs - seemed easier than cutting
through the concrete and although I considered using the bolt down
metpost things doing this meant that each upright could be exactly the
same length.
Supporting beams are 2 layers of 2 x 4 over part; dropping to 2x4 over
2x2 (well supported) and 2x4 on their own where the original 'patio'
was highest.
I used 2x6 for the frame. It wasn't much more expensive so I went with it.
Across a span of nearly 3m it hardly flexed at all which suprised me. I
added small posts standing on the concrete and then bolted to the deck
frame (8 - 12 inch long depending on the location. 4inch posts).
Drill driver v Impact Driver
I'm a bit of a tool buyer, and have a dewalt 18v Drill Driver / Impact
driver set. The impact was bought with the expectation of using it on
the deck but as the driver seemed to drive the 90mm TurboGolds without
issue and the Impact driver was so much louder (and seemed to suffer
from 'winding up' the screws rather than driving them) I now wonder
what use I will get from it. Drill driver with 2.6Ah batteries did 700-
odd screws on (I think) 6 charges. Very impressed. I tried driving one
screw the last few mm with a 'normal' hand screwdriver, and could
barely move it.
I've never had a decent leccy screwdriver and used this as a chance
to buy. Wow....
Ended up with
https://www.screwfix.com/prods/94022...-Twin-Pack-12V
for 120 quid. Very pleased. Only downside is the small capacity batteries
but with three and the included 20 min charger is wasn't really a problem.
Impact driver was fantastic (cheers Dave
). Driving in 90mm turbogold
bolts with no pilot hole to make the frame. Rather surprised at how many
many battery charges I got through - I'd guess probably 8-10 building the
frame, something similar screwing down the boards.
Edging the deck boards:
I left all the deck boards overhang the end, and cut them all in a
single pass at the end. Resulted in a very nice straight line that
really stands out, I think.
I was luck that the area was 3m wide and the local timber yard could supply
3m boards so very little cutting was required. The 3m boards they offered
were thicker than most I've seen but that seemed to be fine.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/deckboards
http://www.channelwoodcraft.com/timb...8-x-125-2.html
Are the ones I used. Got a better price go going to the yard and presenting
as a local as well ;-)
Spacing:
the deck boards shrank noticably over the first night. I laid them
with 3mm gaps as they were quite wet. Gap is now easily 5mm.
Can't say I've noticed anything that dramatic - a few of the boards that
weren't screwed down twisted a bit but nothing much.
Screwdriver bits:
I bought a 10 pack of screwfix PZ3 bits, expecting them to be
consumables on a job like this. I finished with the same one I started
with. Is this normal? (I generally take good care of tools, and don't
willfully abuse them, but thought this was strange.)
Heh, exactly the same here. I bought a box of 25 dewalt bits in the screwfix
clearance sale. 24 left in the box, one in the impact driver still fine :-)
To those thinking of undertaking building one;
- buy a good screwdriver
Definatly. I'd recommend the impact driver as well tbh. Well pleased with
mine although I guess with a bigger screwdriver it might not have been so
essential.
- have extra hands to assist with aligning boards.
Yep. Essential for getting the pergola uprights straight as well
- plan it well *before* starting
Yep. Google Sketchup was surprisingly easy to get the hang of for mocking
stuff up for SWMBO approval. Not used it in anger before - will certainly
use it again though.
- it took me approx 30 man hours. (two of us; two good screwdrivers
with spare batteries)
Hmmm... Thinking about it it took me and my dad 5 days to get the bulk of
it done.
Just need it to stop raining so I can build a step and a planter at the front
bring it down to the lawn. Then think about some treament possibly. Deck
oil or something... Are you planning on doing anything with yours?
http://bogit.com/tmp/deck3.jpg shows the Frame
http://bogit.com/tmp/deck4.jpg with some of the boards on it.
Any photos of your handy work? :-)
Hope this helps someone!
Darren