I know I won’t pay someone and I do not care to use a saw if I can avoid it. I’m glad you enjoyed it and decided on a deck. Regardless, we were planning to stain and seal the wood within the next year because we wanted to give it time to properly weather itself and let the treatment settle. Thank your for the guidance that I need to get started and for the inspiration! haha! Here’s the finished product. Good job Construction Mom! It dresses up the space beautifully, and it’s a lot more pleasant for bare feet than concrete. Like I said — patience. I loved your quote ,“don’t pay anyone for something you can do with your own hands” . Congratulations! Cap blocks on paver base will support the step section. Thank you so much for this tutorial! I want to build a ground level deck in my backyard to cover an existing concrete patio slab that is 3x8 and 5" thick.I am having trouble figuring out how to cover the patio slab since I only have 2-½" from the slab to the bottom of the threshold. I have a crawl space issue too and want to understand better how that part worked out. Was wondering if you could tell me how you did your step? Hi there! My 25 years of experience and thousands in dollars in tools and overhead and my kids dental costs shouldn’t ever be factored into the price of your deck. No you’re completely right and looking at the right wood. To make the process easier, plug in your desired dimensions into any deck designer website and receive a custom report on everything you'll need to complete your floating deck. I only used 2 cement footers under the 2nd deck., to support the midpoints of the interior 12′ joists. But, if you wish to use wood or composite, it is also possible. Can this deck be built on uneven ground or a small slope from the patio doors being highest ground? You’re awesome! . That’s incredible. I love that it was under $500. That is a mistake. There’s a debate about this, but it seems pretty logical to me. It was so nice to be out of the dirt! Mar 1, 2016 - Building A Floating Deck Over Concrete Slab. I attached pictures to give you a better idea of what my current patio and the space restrictions look like. That’s so exciting & I’m glad I could inspire you. Join in and write your own page! Hard pack is what’s used on unpaved roads to stabilize it. I’m hoping it does, otherwise I wish I had just spaced them again. I live in Southern California so I don't have to worry about placing the footing below the frost lines or anything like that. Sufficient planning and research is key! I can’tAitkin to get started on my deck….I’ve put it off for 7years. Not worth it. With the rings turned up, you create a cupping feature which just adds to water damage and warping. But unfortunately everything is hyper specific to the particular space that it’s being built on. All Rights Reserved. delivery fee. I really enjoyed your article, but I’m very confused about how you did the footings. Like, why? It was a sweaty, good time. Great article ! With everything else, I’m seeing it closer to $800-$1000. So I already knew I needed a deck, and now that it is all said and done, I have a 10’x22′ floating deck with a 2’X8′ step on one side. Some people do this around 6 months, but we’ve held out and it honestly still looks awesome! After having some time in all seasons, do you notice any affects that the vent has on your deck? It is easy to do and can be built by most do-it-yourselfers. This deck will have composite decking with fascia boards around the perimeter to cover the frame and give it a finished look. Have you had to do any type of maintenance? Measuring dimensions, researching building codes, and finding my big deck energy. I’m also not exactly sure it’s a “floating deck” at that point, but I could be wrong. But the thing is, that wasn’t going to work. Also, the time value of money says that I’d be paying for a much sooner completion date. And I know what I want. I’ll be sure to share our sealing/weatherproofing when that happens! I do understand about all the dirt. woof! How? It sure looks creepy right? Toward the end of my project, I would order everything online for in-store pickup. (It also helps to have a friend or partner assist you with this portion of the project as two sets of hands are better than one!) It made things soooo much easier for a mom like me! I’m also in Florida (lakeland) and the PTL size 5/4 x 6 x 10ft at both home depot and lowes is just over $14 a board. People do not get “shop” in high school so much- instead spend all their time on their smartphones. Forgive me, I’m just super proud and love this stuff…! By myself. so thanks for that tip!!! It left a nice little space which is perfect for dirt and tree debris. This sleek and subtle floating deck design was made to be tucked into a lush garden. 3. I used bricks/pavers/whatever I could find to prop it up while I leveled it. Large Floating Deck With Pergola. Check this out: My uncle kept bugging me about building a deck in his backyard. I don’t want to mislead you, so here’s my secret to speed. So fresh & so clean… for the first hour. At that point there was only one thing left to do. I saw four women put together a deck once on a slope at a lake house in Indiana over a two weekend period. I’m calculating just the top wood to be $660 for 10ft by 20ft deck. I am going to challenge myself. DIY: … I placed posts on the other side of both corners of the frame. What’s holding us back is the pressure treated wood condition. While a floating deck might be next to a building, it may also be a standalone structure in the middle of your yard. If I learned anything from my finance degree, it’s the value of a dollar. I’m having the same problem, I cant see any photos!!! No paving, but solid footing without the sandy or muddy. The materials for his estimate ran about $1,200 so ummmm what? Thanks to my little helper (& the baby was there too! I was nervous about that bit! So the left board is correct. A little each day like you said patience. I’ve learned that cedar and redwood are naturally rot/insect resistant, but I was sold on the chemicals considering the incredible risk of termites around here. We actually had pavers back there and they were more of a hazard than anything. That side tends to hold more debris and water. But if you ask a “deck builder”, it’ll be 3 times that amount. Does it affect your siding at all? This is so true and I also feel this in my soul! Would LOVE to see this too! This was surprisingly the hardest part! ? Now that I had a solution to my 10-foot-limit, I said Go big or go home! I’ve seen Final Destination, so any sort of saw is out. My husband was out of town for all of the construction of deck #2. Totally! And because I’m a clumsy fool, I designed it specifically so I would not need to trim any lumber. After making my own deck measurements and plans for a 10 X 24 floating deck, I went for it and actually had Lowe’s deliver all the deck material to my house. It’s not at all “wobbly”, which is something I’m very proud of! Ultimately, this is what the bottom side of the door looks like: The most important parts of this door are the “mini-beams” at the edges. Hi! So I started wielding my measuring tape again and thinking about what we could do. Thanks for the post. ... You could use deck blocks, traditional concrete footings, or the Titan Deck Foot Anchor™. Cramming those 48 hours into a weekend takes two things: But since I’m super frugal and I started this project just to make our daily outside time more bearable, it started small and kept going from there. Stay safe and healthy. Voila! A floating deck is a deck built on a gravel bed and/or concrete blocks instead of attached to the house. I’m sorry the timing is so bad right now, but it fluctuates: https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/lumber-price. Thanks for sharing. I want to build a floating 18x11 deck that is not connected to the ledger. Can you tell me how you made it? The hardest part for me was leveling it. I recently did the same as you did researching and looking for tutorials on deck plans. (Escondido, CA), Concrete Patio Slab and Threshold Elevation Closeup, Backyard View of Building Site And Working Space. In the midwest, a tilting of the posts would occur if the posts are not deep enough. If I had to do it again, I would’ve spaced the second deck just like the first. It could be done in about 3 hours with an extra power drill battery ready to go. Thank you. I notice your dryer vent point directly onto your deck. I am going to begin my endeavor of building a deck and this will be a great resource. People come over and see the potential of our fixer upper, so we get a lot of suggestions. My daughter just had to have her own tool set because of this project. Details of framing, waterproofing, and building on a concrete patio included! Installing decking over a concrete patio raises the level of the patio. I have been looking at ideas on building a floating deck. delivery fee. I understand the first one is on a slab, which helps a lot; but what about the second one? I fully expected for it to need a facelift around the 10 year mark and was more worried about the screws than anything! You gave me confidence that I can totally pull it off. I was happy with my mini-deck, and frankly I didn’t think I could extend it. Frugal me said “thanks but fuck that”. Protect against water damage. It was for the whole thing!! So with all my outside time, I was sick of being filthy before 10am everyday! The hardest part for me was leveling it. Yes please! There I am! Like you said it’s a big debate and either way you do it you get a deck. Best, Joe – Deck Builders Lake Charles LA. Ya’ll did an amazing job. The short answer is the cost of the materials. So in addition to my backyard’s quirks, I wasn’t comfortable using a buzzsaw so all the DIY posts weren’t right for me. Since I can’t cut myself, all of the cutting was outsourced either at the store or through my brother-in-law. Completely sound. We finally had a reason to access the crawlspace and just lifted my little engineering brilliance off like it was designed to do. Screwing all of these does not take too long. Did you dry the wood before building or did you start building as soon as you bought them from the store? If I do the math on that, that could be a couple hundred for those footer blocks alone. Love your article!!! Hi! But notice the beams only go as wide as the opening (or a little less) to sit within the lip I left. The spaced boards warped quicker than the not-spaced boards, despite my husbands fears of dry rot from tree debris. Cool? What did you use for covering the ground to keep weeds from growing through? I’m glad you liked it. Is there a reason your deck could only be 10×10 or was that so you didn’t have to cut anything? Eurotec Deck Support Plastic Adjustable Pedestal ECO XL - (15-Pieces / Box), Black. I hope my question makes sense. At the same time, boards will also warp away from the higher moisture area (ie the underside of the deck). Nails (I don’t know why, they told me to), 2 2″x6″ at 8′ PTL (for the step framing, one was cut into 4 2′ segments for joists), 4 4×4″ at 4′ deck posts (these were donated by my father-in-law, otherwise I would’ve purchased 2 8′ posts and had them cut in half at the store. I excluded the nail width spacing while building the 2nd half since I started it after noticing some warping/shrinking in the original deck, and the biggest difference I noticed was that the warping period has been extended. Nice tips/ tutorials! There wasn’t enough room for much of  anything. Hi! Good luck! It’s been a hot topic and is killing my vibe. Hi Brittany! It’s a great thing that you shared how important it is to find treated lumber so pests will be avoided. Floating decks are also called ground-level decks because they typically hug the ground. Sweeping dirt in between. by Corey A slab with this much damage can’t be fixed. Congrats on your deck! Your summary was stellar. I heard both ways. Follow proper safety precautions, including wearing eye protection when using power tools. SUPER excited I found this post! This is the keyword I kept coming back to, and let me tell you it’s not easy to find “the perfect tutorial” for a solo amateur. We have a triangular lot! Use a framing square to help you square up the deck frame with the concrete blocks. Do you have this blog with photos anywhere else? You did a great job!!!! Lumber, etc.? I Never leave reviews, but your kindred spirit and this deck project so inspired me to end a Hello and thank you so much for presenting this deck project in such a precise and practical way? 10 essential tools for DIY home improvements, How to remove a load bearing wall – DIY kitchen renovation, Frugal DIY Hardwood Floor Refinishing for Beginners, Cheap & Easy Family Halloween Costumes: The Flintstones. It’s taken almost two years for the deck addition to catch up to what happened in the first 6 months of the original. I tried to explain to my uncle that he didn’t have enough elevation at the door to build a deck over his patio. How far above the deck does the vent sit? I saw something that may be of interest for the rest of your sandy yard. - Copyright © 2021, « The Surprising Reason why you should be supplementing with formula, The Best Tips for Handling Crazy Relatives with a New Baby ». Mar 1, 2016 - Building A Floating Deck Over Concrete Slab. 3 Tips for Building a Deck Over Concrete | Seven Trust . Yes, i’ve seen my fair share of footer-happy posts too, but the idea of loading and unloading them gave me nightmares. Doors that open onto the patio may need to be raised. Each approach is described below to help you decide what is best for your space. Not that I thought it would be, but I wanted the simplest deck plans I could get my hands on. Not sure I can dig post holes that deep in Indiana clay soil. Some people said they’d mixed a little cement in the “hard pack”, to add more rigidity. It wasn’t done in a weekend. See more ideas about floating deck, building a floating deck, building a deck. My husband came home for Winter Break and helped me make sure the deck was perfectly level before we set the posts in concrete. Below are eight reasons to build a floating deck. Your little girl is going to learn so much from you. I think it was worth the $75. haha!). You said you put your 4×4 posts in concrete. They had each other which you did not. Total height of low level ground level deck. Using a screwdriver made me a little uncomfortable too, so installing the deck boards was my husband’s job on deck #1. I was able to put together a hodgepodge list of rules and guidelines. It’s easier than they let us believe haha let me know how it goes! Someone had dug down/out 2 inches, filled it with “hard pack”, leveled that and tamped it down. Deck #2 is only a few months old, and the shrinking hasn’t happened yet. Often, the posts supporting them are not visible… Ground-level floating decks over a concrete patio are particularly susceptible to moisture build-up, so hard-working water management and air circulation is a must. Nice guide on DIY deck building, cheep and efficient. Almost everyone told me to do pavers. Sweeping is a pain, and lasts *maybe* 20 minutes with the dog and debris from those dang trees. With the rings turned up, you create a cupping feature which just adds to water damage and warping. It’s partially thanks to our giant, fetch-happy dog and partially just because it’s a fixer-upper. Building a floating deck is as simple as preparing flat ground, laying a subframe, and then attaching … With the deck #1, we used a few nails to space the boards before screwing them down. ***I recently heard “don’t pay anyone for something you can do with your own hands” and it reallllly resonated with me. And hey! If that makes sense? V common & hard to avoid these days. Thanks again! The roots from the trees in our neighbors’ backyard are serious. The 2x8s cover the other two exterior sides, and the 2x6s are the joists and carries all the way to the house wall. And maybe because I knew how limited my deck-building time was. Depending on the type and sizes of the lumber you could easily reach a grand, not to mention blocks, gravel, screws, etc. Hence the auto build features in every project your inquisitive mind can imagine!!! I should have posted a picture of my “plans” but they were on college ruled paper and “my dog ate my homework” might be a realistic excuse… But the 2×10 is for the step side. Either way you get a deck lol gotta love a deck. Due to your space restrictions I think it would be easiest to use paver stones. There are just too many pests and risk of wood rot here in Florida. Instead of removing those concrete front steps, save some time by building a wood deck over and around them. Haha! How? She would like it to be as high as possible, with. But all the lumber cost me less than $450 . ECO XL Adjustable height: 5-1/8 in. Garden Floating Deck. Before my daughter’s first birthday party, I called a specialized deck builder and asked for an estimate. Mind you, this picture was taken an entire year after the deck was built. From Deb You are a wonder!! Building a floating deck over concrete is one of the best ways to expand your living space while enhancing your property’s aesthetic appeal. The thing is our backyard is a dirt pit. I was able to acquire a few materials through word of mouth amongst family and neighbors. I just upgraded my hosting though, so we should have enough server space these days . And did I mention the dirt pit? I had predetermined that I would hire him if he came back at $3,500 or less. 18 posts related to Building A Floating Deck Over Concrete Slab. I know how frustrating it is trying to find the “perfect fit” of a template, so I’m happy to hear you were inspired to just go for it it’ll be fun and entirely your brainchild! Flat Deck Ideas Floating Deck Plans Deck Over Concrete Plastic Decking Flat Roof In Ground Pools Support Pool Ideas Backyard Ideas. Thanks Craig. 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