You may be wondering how to build a deck on the ground. More and more people are interested in this type of do it yourself carpentry work because a deck offers a way for you to enjoy being outdoors in relative comfort. It can also make your back yard or other surrounding area look more pleasing to the eye. Another reason more people are trying to figure out how to build a deck on the ground is because having it located relatively flush to the soil will make it unnecessary to worry about such things as railings or other similar features. Since the deck is located rather low, the risk of suffering an injury from falling off the deck becomes significantly reduced.
Simple Deck And Walkway
One of the basic concepts that apply to this and other carpentry work is that it is best to measure twice and cut once. Even before you set out to begin to build up the deck, make sure that you have the details of your plan fully in place. For example:
- How large will the deck be?
- Where will it be located?
- What wood will you be using?
Once this information is final, measure out the relevant area in your yard or other surrounding area. Lock in the dimensions and location of the deck by using string lines.
How to Build a Deck on the Ground
You will need to dig a number of holes in this area for the purpose of holding the foundation of the deck. Six holes may be sufficient, and these will be a foot deep. Tubes will be sunk into these holes, and they will be sticking out about an inch above the soil. Make sure that these tubes are level so that your deck will also be level. The tubes will have diameters of 8 inches. These tubes will be filled with concrete. While the concrete is still soft, set anchor bolts in the middle of each tube. Make sure that these bolts are properly aligned with each other. Now follow the following steps:
- Prepare the wooden beams, which will form the perimeter of the deck’s support structure. Connect these to the anchor bolts, while continuing to check for proper alignment.
- Lock in the beams at each corner through the use of band joists and corner braces.
- With the perimeter of the support structure in place, attach the inner beams by making use of joist hangers. This will complete the support structure below the deck’s planking.
- Move on to the surface of the actual deck by attaching the first plank of decking.
- Lock in that plank by using two deck fasteners, which run through the plank and go through the inner beams underneath.
- Continue to add planking from there using the same fastening method.
- Once all the deck planks are in place, you can cut off the excess lengths using a saw.
Beautiful redwood deck
This is, of course, a general overview of the process. You will need to check if there are any regulations in your jurisdiction that apply when it comes to determining how to build a deck on the ground. Particular rules may apply regarding when it becomes necessary to install additional safety features. Also, if the deck will be connecting to another structure, you will need to check for the applicable rules regarding that type of setup. In addition, you will need to double-check the various measurements and lengths that apply to your planned deck size. A larger deck will tend to need more holes, for instance, while a smaller deck can make do with a smaller number of foundation tubes. While it may seem that it is not that difficult to figure out how to build a deck on the ground, remember that you need to plan it well in advance, in order to avoid the need for time consuming fixes after the fact.
