Julian's Deck...need some help

Hi,
First time builder...I got tired of sitting in the office all day tapping a keyboard and thought I would take on some construction challenge.

Learning a lot from reading posts on here, but I have a couple of questions that I can't seem to find answers for. I've also checked in Allan Staines book (which our library had!) and can't find answers either.

The two key areas I need help are:

1. Ramp
2. Large Planter boxes

The attached sketchup hopefully illustrates the point. I've also attached a picture.
At the front of the new deck are two large 'planter boxes' they are roughly 2m wide (at the front) and 2.6m long. From ground level at the front they are 700mm high. The one on the left is actually going to be a sandpit for the kids, the one on the right will have plants in it.

Between the two boxes will be a ramp leading down from the deck to ground (grass) level.

The 8 posts are all 100m x 100m cypress, in 300mm wide 800mm deep holes filled with concrete. I plan to make the sides of the boxes from 50mm x200mm Treated Pine sleepers.

I had been planning to use coach bolts to secure the TP sleepers to the Posts, with the sleepers being on the outside surface of the post.

If the front and side sleepers (or back and side sleepers) are both joining on the outside of the post, then that would be 4 bolts going through the post for each sleeper layer...I'm worried that is too many holes in the posts? Is there a better way to join the sleepers to the posts?

The space between the two planter boxes is where the ramp goes, I'm wondering if i just run a ledger at the right angle down each side, something down the middle, then my deck boards on top for the ramp?


Hopefully some good ideas are forthcoming, as I've got all my posts in now. Any comments or thoughts most appreciated!

gday julian

some things for you to consider ...
your plan to have boards running transverse to the slope of your ramp is sound - this will aid with friction as you travel down or up - and bolting the ramp's supports to the posts on an angle is also a working solution - i would also be inclined to bolt bearers (green members in the picture) to the posts as well underneath the side joists, these will also support one or more additional joists in the centre (purple members in the picture). bolts drilled all the way through in stead of coach bolts would be better - be sure to use a good-sized washer on both sides.

if you've not already buried your posts in concrete, the code calls for 'no-fines' concrete if casting the posts into the ground. this means don't put any sand or fine clay in the mix, and have a low water to cement ratio (a nice dry mix). the alternative is to back-fill the posts in the ground after placing on a concrete pad, granted you are not burying in sand. a well-compacted soil will support your posts nicely, and not trap water around them.

r's brynk

Thanks Brynk!

I understand what you mean about those transverse bearers; I'll have a look and see what I can install to allow that middle support you have identified.

All my posts are already in the ground, and all of them went in with several bags of the white concrete that Bunnings sell. The posts are rock solid, except for the 2nd from the right (this was the last hole of 24 dug that day, and I went into the sewer) but once i repack the rest of the hole with dirt it should be fine.

With regard to the bolts, to setup the framework I used some 175mm coach bolts (have a round head with square bit on that end, then washer and bolt on the other end). Are you suggesting normal bolts so that it won't "pull" through the wood?

Regards,
Julian

those bolts you've called coach bolts (i know them as cup-head bolts) are fine. be sure to drill your holes slightly large, say, 5-10% larger than the bolt diameter, to allow for a little bit of moisture expansion, longitudinal timber movement, etcet.

if you have two bolts within a couple of hundred mm of each other, along the the same line of grain on a stick of timber, stagger the holes as much as reasonable (at least 2x dia of bolt) so that they can't propogate a split in the timber if it shrinks or expands. also be sure to bring your bolts in from the end grain by at least 50mm

my concerns are that the planter box & to a lesser extent the kids sandbox are going to contain (retain) water and treated pine is still highly reactive to moisture content changes. be sure to reseal any areas of the treated pine that you cut; there are a few products that would do the job near the decking oil in slunnings

keep the photos comin!
r's brynk

Here are some pictures showing progress, that I have finally been able to get off the camera.

Rough outline of pictures (had some file size issues)...

1st shows the sandbox frames going up.
2nd shows the bearers in place, and weed mat down.
3rd shows a wall ledger along side of house.
4th shows the work crew in action (family shot).
5th is the joists.
6th is the sandbox again
7th is preparing for the ramp
8th the deck boards are going down, the ramp is also underway.

I'm nailing the deck, to keep the look consistent with the adjacent (existing) deck with SS Titadecks. I feel I got a good supply of boards, even at the widest part of the deck I've only needed two boards, and in many places it's only one board to run the width.

A lot of time was also spent mucking around with irrigation tubes, making sure I have them in place, and moving a tap to the other side of the deck.

In two places a few mm under the mulch/soil I discovered massive tree trunks which obviously had been cut out and never removed...that messed up several of my stump hole placements.

The ramp was tricky (for me, not being a builder) but i am very happy with the solid feel it has.

Anyway, hiatus with the recent rain...hopefully i can take and post some more pictures later on...feel free to comment.

Julian

gday julian

looks great :2tsup: pretty bloody good effort for you "not being a builder" and all that. look forward to seeing the end product - can you please take a wide shot (or a couple in series) from the lower yard so we can see the overall view to put things in perspective?

Looks good.
I see that you've kitted out your apprentices with the right gear. :)