Moderators BarManBean Posted July 3, 2017 Moderators Share Posted July 3, 2017 The question here is...why are so many of you morons using your grill within a foot of your home? Seems pretty sketch to me.. Out here in hot, dry, anything-can-catch-on-fire-at-anytime California, even most of the meth heads know that's not a good idea. Because most of us don't live in a damn desert. "Bullet-proof" your OEM TMIC! <<Buy your kit here>> Not currently in stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasejase Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 The question here is...why are so many of you morons using your grill within a foot of your home? Seems pretty sketch to me.. Out here in hot, dry, anything-can-catch-on-fire-at-anytime California, even most of the meth heads know that's not a good idea. Prior owner did. Not me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJuan Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 May want to consider raising the platform if you continue to use the tent during the winter time, otherwise it's going to look like an igloo. My wife's balls are delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 May want to consider raising the platform if you continue to use the tent during the winter time, otherwise it's going to look like an igloo. Honestly, there is no way in hell that I'm using a tent if there is snow on the ground so not worried about it. Hopefully by December I will have the shed built and at least weather tight and insulated. This deck project has really reaffirmed my ability to do these kinds of project and that my planning and estimating of materials was really good. I haven't built anything in a very long time so it was fun and I look forward to more. It was challenging building in a somewhat remote location without a full arsenal of tools and power, and I had to make sure I brought everything I would possibly need. GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhitter Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 That deck looks awesome. I want to build a couple of small basically on ground decks at my house. My OBXT build Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 (edited) That deck looks awesome. I want to build a couple of small basically on ground decks at my house. It's was actually pretty easy, just a lot of fevered work to do it the time I had. Drawing it all out was key for me, that way I had all my dimensions firmly in my head, knew the exact amount of lumber I needed and could keep the cost in check. I didn't even bring my plan with me, I did the build from memory and didn't sweat the little stuff. I managed to keep my OCD in check and couldn't let myself get frustrated if every little detail wasn't perfect. I had to focus on the completion, not the process. I also put together this time-lapse video to archive the build. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAiGKsD_C4M]Karock Deck Build 2017-06-29 - YouTube[/ame] This is final product with the last fascia board on the front. Those damned 2x12's were freaking $88 each. All that's left to do is deck stain it later this summer. Edited July 6, 2017 by GTEASER GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhitter Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 hmm I do the opposite, just start building and then planning. I probably should plan better... Couple stupid questions 1. the concrete footings - did you set them on gravel? Or just dig out and set them on level ground? 2. How did you attach the support 4x4s to the footings? Just screwed into the top wood piece? 3. How did you cut the 4x4s at the right length so that the deck is level. Aka how did you measure the length the posts needed to be. My OBXT build Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 (edited) hmm I do the opposite, just start building and then planning. I probably should plan better... Couple stupid questions 1. the concrete footings - did you set them on gravel? Or just dig out and set them on level ground? 2. How did you attach the support 4x4s to the footings? Just screwed into the top wood piece? 3. How did you cut the 4x4s at the right length so that the deck is level. Aka how did you measure the length the posts needed to be. 1. Concrete piers are on solid undisturbed insitu earth, no gravel. In most cases I had to dig down more than 12 inches because of all the pine needle debris in order to find mineral earth. As you can probably see, I had excavated the area a little bit previously to provide 2 level pads for 2 7x7 tents when my buddy and I camped up there a few weeks back. Since we don't really have a frost line, and this is just a low, freestanding platform deck, poured concrete piers were not necessary. If it was any higher I would need to worry about wind load from underneath lifting it. Also, it won't ever have anything very heavy on it like a spa. 2. Yes, screwed to pier blocks with 3" 10 gauge deck screws. On a side note, because the one side of the deck ended up higher off the ground than anticipated, it has a little wiggle. So to stop that, the next time I am up there I will put a few diagonal cross braces on the tall end to triangulate it which should remove the wiggle completely and keep it that way as the lumber shrinks over time. 3. Marked the centers of the pier locations on the 4x4 frame. 6' OC with 10.5" overhang on each end. Leveled the uphill-most pier and sat the 4x4 on it with the mark lined up on the center, then held the downhill end up over the downhill pier and my wife told me when it was level (48" level mid-span). Then I measured down from the underside of the 4x4 to the pier block, all the while checking with my wife that the bubble was still in the middle, many times to be sure. Then filled in the center post when the ends were done. It wasn't scientific, but it worked well. Getting the whole thing square was probably harder, just because you have to check the diagonal measurement so many times and go back and forth, moving the next frame board a little at a time. In the end, I wasn't picky that pier locations varied by an inch or more on the frame, what mattered was the frame was squared. Everything after that went very fast, as you can see from the vid. Probably 4 hours work or more to get the frame (3 parallel 4x4's) level and square and less than 1 hour attaching the joists. And then probably 2 hours for the deck boards themselves which I precut to length the evening before at home. It probably took another 1 hour to mark the joists and cut them to length on each end before attaching the final deck board on either end, and then another 1 hour to put up the 2x12 fascias and cut them. Edited July 6, 2017 by GTEASER GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 (edited) This was my drawing in AutoCAD. The north-south dimension was the known dimension, 14', and the frame 4x4's and deck boards were cut to 165". The unknown, because there were 30 deck boards and 31 joints, each with some variation in width, was the final dimension east-west. I didn't want to rip 1 deck board length-wise without a table saw, so that's why I started laying deck boards in the middle and worked my way out to the edges, trimming each joist last before installing the last board and fascia boards. That dimension in my CAD drawing was something like 169.125' plus fascia thickness, so probably about 14'-3" in real life. I will measure it when I go up to the property next time. Edited July 6, 2017 by GTEASER GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasejase Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Guessing you didn't lay the PT on the concrete piers without a galvanized Simpson bracket of sorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Right on the pier blocks. GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snm95ls Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 GTEASER, that's an awesome spot you all have there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bird2306 Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Sorry for barging in' I'm new. You're doing an excellent job! This is what I do in my spare to try an save family and friends money. We have the same style ,wood grain to show detail and caulk and paint the rest of the stuff(which is crooked,broke Up and out of plumb). Keep it up and keep adding pics. I'm glad to see somebody feels the same pain as me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bird2306 Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Wow I slaughtered that.I'm not a typer. sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Right on the pier blocks. No tar paper between the pier and wood? Just to break the capillary propagation of humidity. Not a huge deal on that construction, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 (edited) No tar paper between the pier and wood? Just to break the capillary propagation of humidity. Not a huge deal on that construction, though. We don't have humidity here in CA. Hell, we barely have rain. These piers are actually designed to wick the moisture out of the wood, so I'm not concerned with rot. It will last a good 25 years or more. My neighbors deck lasted 33 years and it wasn't PT. Edited July 7, 2017 by GTEASER GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 We don't have humidity here in CA. Hell, we barely have rain. These piers are actually designed to wick the moisture out of the wood, so I'm not concerned with rot. It will last a good 25 years or more. My neighbors deck lasted 33 years and it wasn't PT. Ah - I didn't consider desert conditions. I considered the conditions we have here where rain sometimes seems to be more common than any other type of weather! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasejase Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 We don't have humidity here in CA. Hell, we barely have rain. These piers are actually designed to wick the moisture out of the wood, so I'm not concerned with rot. It will last a good 25 years or more. My neighbors deck lasted 33 years and it wasn't PT. Like nils, that was my concern as well. However I have no experience with CA construction. I was thinking these bad boys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 (edited) Yeah those bad boys will get used in the poured piers for the deck that is attached to the house. That was just overkill for my little platform deck. My boss is a civil engineer and he helped me verify the structural spans for the lumber and when I told him I was going to lag bolt the base frame and posts using Simpson ties with lag bolts on all the joints, bolt to the concrete piers, and Simpson tie the joists, he looked at me like I was nuts and told me that was overkill. He said, "Just screw it! That will be plenty for a platform." I trust him because he is always the king of overbuilding. lol! Edited July 7, 2017 by GTEASER GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasejase Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 they're likely code too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJuan Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 That is code for CA, because it fully secures the beams to the foundation. My wife's balls are delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baconbits Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Decided to skip a concrete patio due to grading issues and the fact that they would be pouring the slab right up to some glass block windows. The concrete guy I had come out said they usually like to pour the slab 6" below windows and mine would be either at the window level or at most, 2" below. That and his price tag was $1800 or so. I've decided to go forward with a floating deck and pergola combo and because of local codes, I'm 99% sure I don't need a permit because it's not attached to the house, no power or plumbing, etc. I can do the deck plus pergola for about $1000 out of basic pressure treated lumber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasejase Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Nice! If I were a betting man, id bet that you would need a permit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baconbits Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 A coworker is having a deck built now and he's one county over from me and was told he didn't need a permit because it's not attached to the house. Who knows. Ask forgiveness, permission, ease, etc. All kinds of places require permits for simple things like light switch replacement or swapping a hot water tank or kitchen faucet... and we all know how many people get those permits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Put wheels on it - then it's a non-permanent item! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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