Decking - bitten off more than I can chew....

quad_red

Hi folks,

Would appreciate a bit of advice here. Decided to build decking in the area between the kitchen and the side wall. An area roughly 2 metres by 6 metres.

Spurred on by the dead easy Handi Block videos I saw online, I bought handiblocks and decking boards in B&Q.

But much haste and less planning has let me sweating it. The back french door leads out into a step down into the garden (not high, maybe six cms). But the step is smaller than the handiblock so I have had to sink the handiblocks into the earth by approx 5 cms.

But that's not where my main issue is. The main issue is that some of the decking boards will be leading right up to the door and thereby almost resting on the concrete step.

Any advice on the best way to support attached them to the concrete step?

Cheers,
Quad

jameshayes

Could you fix a length of timber to the face of the step and screw the boards onto the timber?

(fix the timber to the face of the step using express nails(best invention in the world) / plugs and screws

quad_red

jameshayes wrote: »

Could you fix a length of timber to the face of the step and screw the boards onto the timber?

(fix the timber to the face of the step using express nails(best invention in the world) / plugs and screws

Unfortunately that will bring the decking board above the level of the door.

ie. laying the board on the step brings the top of the board level with the door way.

jameshayes

maybe I'm confused - but I mean the face of the step, not the top of the step? still no room?

dodzy

As is always the case, post a pic. It'll help a lot.

Lando Griffin

So you are saying that with the decking lying on the step they are flush with the floor at the door?

quad_red

Lando Griffin wrote: »

So you are saying that with the decking lying on the step they are flush with the floor at the door?

Exactly!

Thanks lads. Will post pics tomorrow for clarity.

quad_red

quad_red wrote: »

Exactly!

Thanks lads. Will post pics tomorrow for clarity.

Keep trying to post a PIC and boards keeps telling me the request entity is too large

gctest50

quad_red wrote: »

Keep trying to post a PIC and boards keeps telling me the request entity is too large

http://www.photoshop.com/tools?wf=editor

you can open the photo with that and shrink it down in size

.

jameshayes

quad_red wrote: »

Keep trying to post a PIC and boards keeps telling me the request entity is too large

Just pop it on http://tinypic.com/ and then post the link it spits out onto your post

quad_red

Sorry lads. Kids got vomiting big which meant no decking til now



This is the first step the decking will lie on with the boards perpendicular to the step. I have screwed a plank into the face of the step using frame fixers. But not sure how to secure and support the end of the board.

Odelay

Is it a sliding door?

quad_red

Odelay wrote: »

Is it a sliding door?

Yeah.

So it doesn't open out. I was planning on leaving a cm between the plank and the door frame. Is this sufficient ye think?

quad_red

Maybe a better angle

quad_red

The other step. This is perpendicular to the other step. Two will run over it parallel.

kneemos

Hammer and chisel, get rid of the step.

quad_red

kneemos wrote: »

Hammer and chisel, get rid of the step.

What do you mean?

The entire step?

Egass13

kneemos wrote: »

Hammer and chisel, get rid of the step.

Actually that's a good idea, sure there's no need for it with the decking. Though I'd be using a Kango , unless your a fan of hard labour!

kneemos

quad_red wrote: »

What do you mean?

The entire step?

I thought you might have a problem opening the door with the decking on the step.

You could deck around the step I suppose.

dharn

I dont see your problem those boards over the step can be screwed to it at the end next to the door

quad_red

dharn wrote: »

I dont see your problem those boards over the step can be screwed to it at the end next to the door

The step is neither smooth nor flat.

What would I use to screw a board directly onto the concrete.

Odelay

I'd be inclined to get a strip of 6mm hardwood, should be able to get some from B&Q, some dpc all to be laid 90° to the deck boards. Drill a 5mm hole through the deck boards and the hardwood, masonary bit and drill and rawl plug the boards to the step. One 4x60mm screws in each board should be plenty. Use some washers as spacres under the hardwood strip to evenout low spots on the step.

Tbh, I think you will make a fine job of it, looks great so far and you have done the best thing by stopping and asking questions instead of ploughing on!

Edit: if no room for the 6mm strip then just use the dpc and washers where needed.

dharn

Rawl plugs in to concrete screws in to rawl plugs, if step is not level, get rid of it all together, the way I did deck was to screw 4x1.5 to wall of house, then used hangers off that board to construct the base then screwed the decking boards to the base

slimjimmc

Odelay wrote: »

I'd be inclined to get a strip of 6mm hardwood, should be able to get some from B&Q, some dpc all to be laid 90° to the deck boards. Drill a 5mm hole through the deck boards and the hardwood, masonary bit and drill and rawl plug the boards to the step. One 4x60mm screws in each board should be plenty. Use some washers as spacres under the hardwood strip to evenout low spots on the step.

Tbh, I think you will make a fine job of it, looks great so far and you have done the best thing by stopping and asking questions instead of ploughing on!

Edit: if no room for the 6mm strip then just use the dpc and washers where needed.

That's what I would do but I'd cut individual pads from the hardwood & DPC to allow good drainage and shim each board accordingly. No need to remove the step.

gutteruu

I would break up the step in the second picture with 4 or 5 slaps of a sledge but pic 1 you could end up having a lot of trouble sealing around bottom of sliding door frame if you remove the step. I would put a thin piece of soft wood running perpendicular to the boards at the frame, then fix all the boards into the step with rawl plugs and screws. Tighten each board to get the level you want.

quad_red

Odelay wrote: »

I'd be inclined to get a strip of 6mm hardwood, should be able to get some from B&Q, some dpc all to be laid 90° to the deck boards. Drill a 5mm hole through the deck boards and the hardwood, masonary bit and drill and rawl plug the boards to the step. One 4x60mm screws in each board should be plenty. Use some washers as spacres under the hardwood strip to evenout low spots on the step.

Tbh, I think you will make a fine job of it, looks great so far and you have done the best thing by stopping and asking questions instead of ploughing on!

Edit: if no room for the 6mm strip then just use the dpc and washers where needed.

Cheers! A quick question - what's DPC?

quad_red

If I put down a piece of wood perpendicular to the decking boards, I am kinda worried about water pooling between it and the door lip.

What do ye think?

Thanks Lads




free upload pictures

Maphisto

quad_red wrote: »

Cheers! A quick question - what's DPC?

Damp Proof Course - Plastic sheeting under concrete or rolls of plasticy/vinyl under a wall.

quad_red

Maphisto wrote: »

Damp Proof Course - Plastic sheeting under concrete or rolls of plasticy/vinyl under a wall.

So I'd put that under the piece of wood that's screwed into the concrete?

Maphisto

quad_red wrote: »

So I'd put that under the piece of wood that's screwed into the concrete?

Yes. Anywhere that wood touches the ground so it sits in water it will rot, no matter what it's treated with and damp creeping up under concrete will rot it.

quad_red

Maphisto wrote: »

Yes. Anywhere that wood touches the ground so it sits in water it will rot, no matter what it's treated with and damp creeping up under concrete will rot it.

Cheers Maphisto!

But won't water just pool on the DPC as it falls through the decking?

Maphisto

quad_red wrote: »

Cheers Maphisto!

But won't water just pool on the DPC as it falls through the decking?

Yes if the DPC is too big. Further up the thread someone mentioned a washer to raise the board off the step and then DPC cut to size to protect the wood.

They make sheets of the stuff for floors and then rolls of the stuff to pretty much fit the width of the wall you're building.

Have you discounted doing away with that step altogether?

Take a look at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bond-It-Proof-Course-Membrane-300mm/dp/B006UI7XOC/ref=sr_1_5?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1404382757&sr=1-5&keywords=damp+proof+membrane

Calibos

Plastic shims/battons under the decking on the step and use an angle grinder with suitable disc to create some drainage channels on the surface of the concrete step??

quad_red

Calibos wrote: »

Plastic shims/battons under the decking on the step and use an angle grinder with suitable disc to create some drainage channels on the surface of the concrete step??

Something like this do you mean?

http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pACE3-999584enh-z7.jpg

Would B&Q have them?

Calibos

Thanking more like battons made/cut from a water resistant composite decking plank. Has to support your weight which little plastic corner shims wouldn't do.

Btw I am just a DIY'er like yourself but this was what was suggested to me for a similar issue. (Still haven't done the deck yet though)

quad_red

Calibos wrote: »

Thanking more like battons made/cut from a water resistant composite decking plank. Has to support your weight which little plastic corner shims wouldn't do.

Btw I am just a DIY'er like yourself but this was what was suggested to me for a similar issue. (Still haven't done the deck yet though)

Thanks Calibos for all your advice.

I tried B&Q last night and they had no idea. So I'll try a building providers next.

kneemos

Just cover the baton in silicone if you're concerned about standing water.

dharn

How do you intend to support the planks not sitting on the step, what overall size is the deck,

jack of all

First off anyone with decking down a few years will tell you it's not a good idea to run decking up to any door- in our wet climate the decking will be slippy (and worse than any ice rink in frost) and the temptation to run out and salvage the washing as it starts to bucket down will result in you ending up on the flat of your back! etc. However if you are happy to go ahead with it I'd say forget about the DPC under the board ends on the step. DPC is designed to prevent damp rising up and in this instance all you will do is trap moisture under the boards and as dirt and grime builds up here you'll shorten the life of your decking if you use DPC here, IMHO. No need to break up the step- at least do as little destructive work as possible so that if you decide down the road to remove the deck you don't need to reinstate concrete etc. I would use some small scraps of a fibre cement slate as shims or packers. Bed down with a panel adhesive (Tec7, Panabond whatever you like), "glue" each board end down onto the packers. I'd probably chance the adhesive alone and not worry about screwing down into the step, you can always do this later if needs be. At least the fibre cement won't rot or become brittle with age.

tipptom

Can you drop the blocks an inch and drop the 2x2 at the face of the step an inch(screwed in to the face of it an inch down or the with of your board) and just run flush to the top of the step?

GreeBo

Id just bolt/screw straight through the board into the step but use some plastic/rubber/metal shims/gaskets/washers on the bottom to keep the boards off the direct concrete?

kopkidda

Could you not just plain the end of the decking boards level with the sliding doors, so that its level?

grahamjude16

Hi quad red
Just wondering where you got the deck blocks as can't find them anywhere including b and q and just wondering how you found using them?