Decking... agh! help!

[phil123]

Hi Guys

 

I've got a few jobs now where a couple of customers want some decking built, I understand whats generally got to be done and I have done one or two small areas before..... but my most recent quote is for 54m2 of decking at about 300mm high.

Now I'm finding all sorts of information on posts and supports it looks like a post every 1m down the length and at every 500mm across the width.. this calculates to a total of 133 post for 54m2 which means not only 133 post holes to be dug but probably also knocking on for £2000 in postcrete!?

SURELY THIS CANNOT BE RIGHT!?

 

Any advice? what do you guys do?

or is there a book you can recommend that will help me out here?

 

Many thanks in advance, Phil.

[TheHungrySquirrel]

If your doing a lot of posts mixing concrete will be cheaper than bags of post mix.

 

Always done joists at 600 centres and support posts every 1.2m

 

I'm guessing you can get a solid wall plate against the property??

[simonm]

Hi Guys

 

I've got a few jobs now where a couple of customers want some decking built, I understand whats generally got to be done and I have done one or two small areas before..... but my most recent quote is for 54m2 of decking at about 300mm high.

Now I'm finding all sorts of information on posts and supports it looks like a post every 1m down the length and at every 500mm across the width.. this calculates to a total of 133 post for 54m2 which means not only 133 post holes to be dug but probably also knocking on for £2000 in postcrete!?

SURELY THIS CANNOT BE RIGHT!?

 

Any advice? what do you guys do?

or is there a book you can recommend that will help me out here?

 

Many thanks in advance, Phil.

 

I work off roughly 1 4x4 post 600mm apart, but it depends on the size of joist you use and how you lay them out, i would rather be ott and know that it is solid than scrimp on materials and have it bite you in the arse later on!

On something that size id set the outer edge in postmix and then once the frame work is locked in do the joists and inner supports in dry mix, this works out loads cheaper, id either buy or hire a mixer in though as mixing by hand is a ball ache!

[Burgess]

How many bags are you putting in a hole? My local place does 25kg (or 20?) for £4.50. For 133 holes to cost 2k you're putting 3 bags in a hole?

[Andrew J C]

No where near that amount of post. Their are tables for spans but a double 8x2 should do 3Metres then hang the joist of that. So 4 post would do 3x3.5 . Then I would not put post in the ground, use a concrete pad with a 1/2 block bedded on top. This will stop the post rotting.This also means it is easy to retro fit a support or two.

Patrick Hislop Timber decking has the tables in think I got it of amazon

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

May be worth checking heights above ground level if it's public / visible. >300mm may require building regs sign off.

[Ty Korrigan]

Here, when installing fencing or decking, we buy ready mix which is poured direct into our truck. Same mix as used for kerb stones. Normally a quarter or half m3 depending on our estimated progress. A product to slow setting time is added to the mix.

Half m3 weighs 1200kg and costs 60euros or 50 Brexit pounds.

Postcrete seems to be a very British thing.

Ty

[simonm]

Dry mix it in the mixer, into barrow, 1 holds the post level and tamps it down whilst the other shovels it in, works out around £4 per hole. Loads cheaper than post mix as long as it is packed in the hole its solid, by the time you go back the next day it has pretty much gone off.

[cornish wood burner]

I've either built dwarf walls or just had concrete pads for supporting the central area. Much easier and stronger than posts if it's a low deck.

[spandit]

May be worth checking heights above ground level if it's public / visible. >300mm may require building regs sign off.

 

Think it's actual planning permission, not just building regs. Under 300mm and it's not a problem