How to Plan a Deck
Getting Started
Before starting anything involving structural changes you must be aware that there may be building regulations that must be adhered to. Contacting you local council before starting your project is recommended.
Now that’s over and done with you can start on that decking. You might of already decided on the location on the decking but just a little advice, avoid damp areas and areas with a lot of overhanging foliage if you can.
Plan it out
Always mark out the area of your proposed decking just to make sure what was in your head is actually going to work. Measure and re-measure, keep in mind the lengths of available decking and joists, if you build to them then you can save money by not having to cut anything down to length.
Try to give your decking a slight slope so that water drains rather than accumulating on your decking, and bear in mind to position the decking boards in the same direction to help.
Ground preparation
Your ground should be solid and level. If you are going to install on to an existing patio then you can just lay your joists directly over it. If laying on the ground though be sure to take measures to avoid weeds and plants growing through the decking in the future.
Laying Joists
You should lay said joists in the opposite direction of your boards. The joists will need to be over 400mm apart. When fitting the header and footer joins, make sure that you fit them inside of the marked out frame. Fitting the joists should be done by using either 100m screws or nails. Use noggins to space out the joist which will give you extra stability and strength to your frame. Now time to treat and cut ends with an outdoor treatment.
Laying the Decking
Now the frames ready you can make a start on the boards, make sure to lay them the opposite way to the joists. Use 60mm decking screws to secure the boards, while keeping the space in between each board equal. Finally trim and boards down that are needed to be and finish off by using decking boards around the base to cover and joists in view.