DIY deck - on blocks?

Mimon

Planning on doing a smallish deck over the summer 3.6mx 2.5m.

Was originally thinking of tying into the house with beam and joist hangers and posts on the other end but am now considering just using blocks to put the joists on.

Was thinking to dig out topsoil, add couple of inches of 804 and whack as a solid base.

What does everyone think? Would the weight of the deck be sufficient to anchor the deck?

jack of all

I used a similar method to lay my garden deck nearly 20 years ago, about 3.6 x 4m and everything is good as the day it was laid. I roughly marked out the bearing pad locations and dug out the soil in these spots, down about 6". I then filled these with broken stone, 1" down or whatever I could get my hands on. Compacted this with sledgehammer, tamping it down and wetting it to get it firm. I then bedded 4" concrete soapbars or 1/2 blocks on the pads on a good mortar bed, using a line level to get these all level relative to each other. I put down a weed barrier fabric over the entire area before starting the timber work.

Lumen

jack of all wrote: »

I then bedded 4" concrete soapbars or 1/2 blocks on the pads on a good mortar bed

FWIW I've found those soapbars to be a bit fragile, so I reckon your good mortar bed is key. If they're not well supported they'll crack.

Presumably proper padstones are stronger?

https://www.goodwins.ie/products/Concrete-Padstone-100-x-215-x-450mm-4-.html?name=pad&type=simple

Mimon

Thanks for answers.

Would there be a way of tying the deck onto the blocks? Or would this be pointless as the weight of the deck should hold it down. Planning on having it level with the room going out to the garden which is about 10 inches above the garden level.

listermint

It's weight will keep it there no need to tie it to the blocks .

Fine Cheers

Standard concrete blocks on flat should be fine, split them in 2 if necessary.
As already stated, well compacted base and mortar should do the trick.
Could use angle brackets to secure joists to block if required but self weight of deck should be adequate.
Which side up are you thinking for decking boards ?

Mimon

Fine Cheers wrote: »

Standard concrete blocks on flat should be fine, split them in 2 if necessary.
As already stated, well compacted base and mortar should do the trick.
Could use angle brackets to secure joists to block if required but self weight of deck should be adequate.
Which side up are you thinking for decking boards ?

Was thinking composite but have looked at that and some people do say grooved side down. What do you reckon?