How to Lay a Floating Deck

To create stylish outdoor living space without taking on backbreaking labor, then consider a floating deck, also referred to as an island deck. Unlike a conventional deck, a floating deck isn’t attached to your residence and consequently does not call for labor-intensive footings set beneath the frost line, nor does it require a ledger board to fasten it to the home. Building codes vary, but typically, so long as your deck is less than 30 inches high, railing and building permits are not required.

Cut two beams to the period of the deck minus 21 inches, and set them on the ground Salt Lake City parallel to one another. The distance between them should be equal to the period of the deck minus 101/2 inches. Expand one-by-fours round the ends of the beams to create a square box. Each one-by-four should overhang the beams by exactly the identical amount. Take diagonal measurements throughout the box in the directions to ensure it’s perfectly square.

Create a solid surface to the deck to sit on. Mark the Landscape Design at each and at the center of each beam. Excavate a minimum of three inches of dirt in an area slightly bigger than your concrete blocks at each of these locations.

Cover the bottom of each excavated area with gravel. Place a concrete block on top of the gravel at each spot. Run a string amount throughout the surface of each block. Insert and remove gravel until all six blocks are level with one another. If needed, stack 4-inch blocks and fasten them together with construction adhesive to create the necessary height. Use extra gravel and blocks, if needed, to attract your deck into your preferred height. Lay your beams across the blocks, then using the one-by-fours to hold them parallel and square.

Install joists perpendicular to the beams. Mark the place for each joist. Joists made of composite decking should be 12 inches apart on center, while timber joists could be 16 inches apart on center. Attach angle mounts to the beams at each joist place. Expand the joists into the angle mounts with decking screws, starting with the middle and end joists. The joists should overhang the beams by 101/2 ins on each side. Attach joists outer joists into the open ends.

Attach decking boards perpendicular to the joists. Expand the initial board with the border of one of the outer joists and fasten it using decking screws or concealed fasteners. Place a quarter-inch spacer from the first board and install the next board. Continue in this manner throughout the desk. Permit the ends of the planks to overhang the outer joists.

Cut the overhanging planks even with the outer edge of the joists. Attach quarter-inch spacers into the outer joists each 16 inches. Screw skirt boards into the outer joists, attaching them using two screws at each spacer.