So, for the sake of this article, we are assuming you have a bare back garden with nothing but topsoil and you want to build a timber deck. If you already have growth, this will have to be removed to leave nothing but the soil.
Ideal location
The perfect place for your deck is adjoining the rear of the house where you can install a set of sliding patio doors that allow easy access. The deck needs to slightly slope away from the house and the first thing to do is scope the project and decide how big of a deck you are going to build.
Equipment
There is affordable mini skip bin hire in Adelaide so order a unit to be delivered prior to starting the dig; expect to have to remove at least 2ft of soil, possibly more. A mini excavator is ideal, although it can be done with spades, shovels and wheelbarrows if you have the manual labour. Rakes and spades are needed to ensure the target area is level and make sure you have removed enough soil.
Timber
You are going to need some 4×4 for the foundation posts, 2×2 for the framework and hardwood tongue & groove planking for the deck. Fasteners are also required, which might be screws or nails and a few small brackets. Calculate the lengths of timber and have a local builders merchant deliver the wood.
Setting the foundation posts
When the area has been dug out, you need to dig deep holes for the foundation posts; one in each corner and also central posts to spread the load. Place rubble around the posts and fill with concrete, making sure the posts are level and the correct length and the following day, the posts would be solid and you can start to build the frame. There should be struts every 800mm and they can be fixed after the main framework is built.
Installing the deck
Once the framework is ready, start laying the tongue & groove planks, leaving the ends a little longer than you need. Countersunk screws are a great way to fix the deck, which can be filled and sanded. Start at the house and work outwards, making sure that each plank is butted up tightly.
Check out some of the cool YouTube videos on deck building and you can’t go wrong.
