Estimating Decking Needed

Hi All,

I'm about ready to do my decking. I'm laying TP bearers onto a concrete slab (3.0m x 1.7m) and was wondering how much deckling I'llneed. I'd like to use merbau which is about 4 buck plm from bunnies. I''ll be having a 5mm gap between slats. Anyone know how to work out how much I'll need? I'd also like to put the decking on the outside of the bearers on top as a rectangular frame with mitred edges with straight boards inside the frame if that makes sense? All help gratefully received. I'll post some photos when I'm done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hootsmon

Hi All,

I'm about ready to do my decking. I'm laying TP bearers onto a concrete slab (3.0m x 1.7m) and was wondering how much deckling I'llneed. I'd like to use merbau which is about 4 buck plm from bunnies. I''ll be having a 5mm gap between slats. Anyone know how to work out how much I'll need? I'd also like to put the decking on the outside of the bearers on top as a rectangular frame with mitred edges with straight boards inside the frame if that makes sense? All help gratefully received. I'll post some photos when I'm done.

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3000/95 x 1.7 = Lineal mtrs down
lineal mtrs down x 10% = what to buy

Cheers
Michael

Hootsmon

No. of lineal metres in one square metre = 1000 [mm wide] divided by (board width, plus gap)

Yours would be 1000 / 95 or 1000 / 75 [for 90 or 70 mm decking]


Multiply that answer by the no. of square metres, in your case 3 x 1.7m = 5.1 sq metres.

So, for 70mm merbau, calc is 1000/75=13.3 x 5.1 sq metres = 68 lineal metres

Or, for 90mm, 1000/95=10.5 x 5.1 = 54 lineal metres

Usually allow extra, maybe 10 %, for waste, stuffups or whatever.


Cheers................Sean

Cool,
So 60 lineal metres of 90mm boards would do the trick? Ahh thats about 250 bucks for the decking. Is merbau worth it or better to use cheaper stuff?

One last question. I'll need to drill 12mm holes finto the concrete for the dynabolts. I've got my 12 mm masonary bit. Will I need to drill a pilot hole for these?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hootsmon

One last question. I'll need to drill 12mm holes finto the concrete for the dynabolts. I've got my 12 mm masonary bit. Will I need to drill a pilot hole for these?

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Nopre, just drill it straight.

Hootsmon - I noticed that you are in Bentleigh. It will be worth your while to take a drive to Oakleigh and give Tile Importers a look. Most of their timber is close to half Bunny's price

or even go to Bowens in Warrigal rd. Bunnings aren't cheap and there quality isn't generally the best.

I've shopped around and bunnings were the cheapest for the TP sleepers. I got the Karri from A.Lewis & Co on Jasper Rd. The chap vrought round the wood this morning to drop it off and we had a good old chat about the deck and he gave me some great tips. Told me how to build a jig to get the nails straight, spacing the boards and to put the nails in but only hammer them in with 5mm sticking out. Then come back the next day when your not tired and hammer them in the rest of the way so the rounded heads are all at the same level and not all over the place cause your arm is nacked. Anyway I don't want to turn this into a blog but I've attached pics of the jigs, I made one for the straught bords and one for the angle outer frame, also the before and after with the framing. I'll stick another on when I get the rest of the boards on. They'll be going paralell to the fance line. The board at 90 degrees is only a spacer for front and back frame.

sorry if i'm pissing on your parade here, but standing on the deck with those spacings is going to be spongy as (if indeed you are planning on standing on it??)

going by your measurements (3.0x1.7) your got them spaced at 1.0mtr apart, need to close that up to about 500mm ;)

away mate,

I'm always grateful for any advice. The actual free space bewteen bearers is about 880mm as the bearers themselves are 100mm. Anyone else have an opinion. If I need to close it down I can stick in 3 more bearers to bring it down.

Hi Hootsmon,
What cyberhonky is saying is spot on. I am currently building a deck and the joist spacing is 450mm max. 800mm will be way too big a span and you will be getting a lot of sag. Go for a smaller spacing, you won't regret it.

Cheers.

Vernon.<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> vbmenu_register("postmenu_406754", true); </SCRIPT>

Okey Dokey,

Back to bunnies tomorrow then, I should have bought shares before I bought this house. :)

At your current spacings you are creating a wooden trampoline!!! Perhaps fun for the kids but not for longevity. Good luck with it.

Pete

I'm actually looking for some Karri decking before the end of the year (about 60m2) and Jasper Rd is just around the corner...Do you mind tellign me what you paid for it and how they charge to deliver?

I got 80 l/m for 316 bucks plus 21 to deliver. I also got to bunnies today and got the extra bearers and got the deck down. Just finished at 1830 been at it since 0730. I'm knackered, having takeaway for tea and some coldies. Thanks to everyone for their help and advice. See attached pics of the finished result. One last question though. I'm planning to finish the deck with Cabots clear decking oil. Any other suggestions?

That looks great and the spacing is a lot better. It's good to see the dog likes it (got to love staffy's).

I'm planning to use some "natural" oil on my deck. It's called Eco Wood Oil and has things like tung oil, pine oil, bees wax, etc. in it. You can check it out at ecowoodoil.com.

Nice job with the alternating pattern with the colour variation of the boards.