Planning your deck

12 Important things to consider when installing a standard (square or rectangular) deck:

1. The area for decking should be carefully prepared and marked out.

2. The deck must be level but with a very slight fall away towards the outside of the deck to allow water to drain away - along the boards.

3. Corners must be 90 degrees square.

4. Sides must run parallel with each other.

5. Joists should be set and fixed at maximum 400mm centres.

6. The top of the deck must finish at least two brick courses below the damp course level of your property.

7. Ground level deck joists should be supported underneath at corners and at 1800 centres using 600 x 600 x 50mm paving slabs (fig.2) or 100 x 100 structural posts.

8. Raised level decks should have Richard Burbidge structural support posts sunk into the ground at 1800mm intervals to a depth of 450mm (fig.3).

9. If fixing to a wall, there must be a small (10mm) gap between the house/wall and the edge of the decking (fig.4) 2 bricks below the damp course level.

10. Decking boards should have a minimum 6 - 8mm gap between them if traditionally fixed.

11. Balustrading (rails, spindles and posts) must be assembled and then fixed to joists before installing deck boards (fig.5).

12. Raised level structural support posts must be concreted and left to set for 24 hours before commencing with the joist and deck board installation.

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