Thread: Deck Construction

Looking good. Make sue you pier those footings up above ground level and slope them away from the posts.

Yeah i ran out of aggregate mix to finish that one off. the rest slope off

Put the roof posts up... need to straighten them up a bit. One of them is leaning towards the house at the top. its fine on the other axis

Cheers,

I've heard others say, be careful trying to push the post straight using the rafters or beams. If you do that, you may put stress on the post. Can you loosen the bolts and pack out or is it a bend in the post? Don't take my word for it as I'm not an expert. Hopefully someone with loads of experience will comment.

Thanks for the reply, the steel and timber posts are not bent but i'd say the bearer is on a slight bend.

I will pack out between the timber post and the bearer to bring it back into line.

Originally Posted by shauck

I've heard others say, be careful trying to push the post straight using the rafters or beams. If you do that, you may put stress on the post. Can you loosen the bolts and pack out or is it a bend in the post? Don't take my word for it as I'm not an expert. Hopefully someone with loads of experience will comment.

All components should be stress free except for the loads they are meant to carry - so pack out or check in, don't simply pull or push into place.

Fibro is your friend.

You might have a problem later on by locking your joists to the post, when the timber shrinks from green to seasoned those joists could end up 20mm or so higher than the remaining ones. With the leaning post just temp' pack it plumb then fill gaps with no more skills.
regards inter

Guys,

Thanks for the help, the next thing I am looking at is the handrail. Please excuse my poor grammar

I plan on using 90x90 posts and 140mm top handrail with a 19mm rebate under it with vertical slats. I will probably use ladies waist down the stairs to give extra grip to the users.

the 140mm top will be centered around the 2 115x115 roof posts and directly over the center of the 90x90 handrail posts. I was planning on just going for about a 2m gap between the newel posts, hope that is OK because the deck is 6x6 and i was just going to have 3 equal spaces if that makes sense....

Thanks,

Based on previous experience, you will need support every 1 mt on the bottom rail ( I assume you are having one to take the slats) to stop it sagging and looking like crap. All you need is a nice timber block between the bottom rail and the deck, or carry one slat through the bottom rail to sit on the deck.

I will have a bottom rail yes and support it in the middle

Be warned, the vertical slats are a PITA to paint or clear finish and a bigger PITA to maintain. Be sure to seal the end grain of the slats good and proper as this is where the rot starts when the bottom rail holds water.

Thanks mate.

I only warn you as the number of less than 5 year old balustrades that I have redone in SS cable just seems to be growing. H3 pine battens, no primer on the ends, bright nails, quick lick of paint with a spray gun = rust stains and rot. Get a few good wet seasons and it happens pretty quickly. Hardwood battens are much better for durability IMO but cost more $$$. But the main issue is sealing the ends. If painting, 2 coats of oil based primer and 3 top coats with a brush. If clear finishing soak the ends in a bucket of the whatever finish you choose overnight at least. Or just go cable and be done with it for ever.

Im hearing you, It will all be kwila.

no pine down below, only pine will be the LVL's in the roof.

[QUOTE=adam.baxter;881176]Im hearing you, It will all be kwila[QUOTE]

watch for the staining

[QUOTE=stevoh741;881198][QUOTE=adam.baxter;881176]Im hearing you, It will all be kwila

watch for the staining

I'd be giving it 3 coats min before install

So if i was to go down the stainless path, what spacing do i need? is there a bsa guide? i had a quick search but couldnt find specifics

also, ringtail can you tell me where i can get those flat stainless intermediate posts from??

Thanks,

Originally Posted by adam.baxter

So if i was to go down the stainless path, what spacing do i need? is there a bsa guide? i had a quick search but couldnt find specifics

also, ringtail can you tell me where i can get those flat stainless intermediate posts from??

Thanks,

80 mm spacings with intermediate support every 1 mt. Miami Stainless do everything. The middle posts cost me about $ 90 each last time I bought them. If you go for a DIY system where you make the cable runs yourself ( as opposed to having the cable pre swaged) go for 3.2mm 7x19 cable as it is much more flexible than 7x7. Costs a tiny bit more but much better to work with if bending around thimbles before hand swaging. They also have the BCA regs on their site which refer to tensions and deflections etc...Apparently the certifier is meant to turn up with a testing kit. A weight of a certain value is placed mid span and the deflection is measure. I have never had a certifier do this ever. As long as the spacing is 80 mm and the cable is tight its all good.

I was going to use those stainless intermediate posts but they are too expensive, i would need around 7 of them which would be many hundreds of dollars.

Do you see any problem if i divide up the required spans making them around 1.4-1.5m and use 90x90 posts? my concern is given the side of the deck where the stair landing is the handrail is shorter than that of the other side of the deck and the posts wont be in the same spot. Just a visual thing..... perhaps i could work out from the house with the same spacing as the other side and have 2 posts closer together at the top of the landing.

I hope this makes sense it does to me!

Regards,

Adam

Those stainless posts are pricey but do achieve / complete the look and in the overall cost of the job are not that big a factor but the customer pays for them ultimately, not me. 1.5 mt for the post spacing is not ideal but certainly do able. Have a look on the miami stainless web site for the regs. There is a section there with post spacings and how this changes the cable requirements. I'm not really in the position to say yes or no but suffice to say, if you comply with the regs you will be fine. Sometimes you do have to compromise post location to achieve the end result and Ive found over the years that it doesn't matter if post spacings are different on different sides of the deck as long as each run has equal spacings it will look fine.

Thanks,

this is from their website. I will go with that option I think.

3mm 7 x 7: We have found that when using 3.2mm 7 x 7 wire having your posts spaced at 1500mm with your wires at 80mm spacing is the easiest way to ensure that the tension required for your balustrade will be easily achievable and will pass inspection.
This means that a balustrade with wire support posts every 1200mm or 1500mm, and a top rail height of 1 metre (960mm under the top rail) will require 11 runs of wire when spaced at 80mm with a tension that will be easily achievable.

As Ringtail was saying they can measure,
That will equate to Max 5mm deflection with a 2Kg mass placed at mid span

I would still go for the 3.2 mm 7 x 19 cable. Much nicer to work with. The 7x7 is ok but for not much more $$ the 7x19 is heaps better IMHO. Lots more flexy but if $$ are tight 7x7 will do the job

Just need a bit more tension on the 7x19 to get it to spec. also

Do you mean 1x19 ?

sorry, i see you can get 7x19. I cannot however see on the miami stainless website the regulations for 7x19 3.2mm.

305m roll on ebay is around $270 shipped... for 7x19

my posts are now 1200 apart.

Regards,

Originally Posted by adam.baxter

sorry, i see you can get 7x19. I cannot however see on the miami stainless website the regulations for 7x19 3.2mm.

305m roll on ebay is around $270 shipped... for 7x19

my posts are now 1200 apart.

Regards,

Be careful of the quality if the source is unknown. How much do you need ?

Around 260m

Originally Posted by adam.baxter

Around 260m

Soon adds up eh.

What sort of fittings would you recommend ?

to suit the 7x19

hydraulic or hand swage

Originally Posted by adam.baxter

What sort of fittings would you recommend ?

to suit the 7x19

hydraulic or hand swage

I hand swage everything on all of my jobs. I'm not much of a fan of the pre swaged as they generally don't allow for much, if any adjustment which can be a issue if your posts aren't dead plumb. Although I have noticed Miami recently added a pre swaged system using the 5 mm bottle screw which would work great. It is more expensive than making on site but saves time on install and would look heaps neater if you have no experience in hand swaging. I've redone quite a few DIY jobs that just look awful because of dodgy swaging.

Miami Stainless - Jaw Swage Bottlescrew Wire Balustrade

rite, so to do those which i like i would need to buy a hydraulic swaging tool?

I have seen them pretty cheap...

Originally Posted by adam.baxter

rite, so to do those which i like i would need to buy a hydraulic swaging tool?

I have seen them pretty cheap...

Nah, they swage them in the factory. All you need to do is give them the dimensions. Give Andrew a call or send him a email.

Few questions..

what is the best way to put a handrail post in after decking has been laid? I was going to use stainless posts that screw down between the kwila posts but have since changed my mind after seeing the price of them.

I need to add 1 90x90 kwila post where there is currently decking nailed down... i was going to just mark the measurements and cut the edges with a drill bit to get the round part... then use the jigsaw.

also. the end joists where the posts bolt to are not exactly all standing upright, am i best off bending them straight then nailing the decking down so the posts wont need custom work on each one to get them to stand perfectly upright...

Regards,

Adam

Originally Posted by adam.baxter

Few questions..

what is the best way to put a handrail post in after decking has been laid? I was going to use stainless posts that screw down between the kwila posts but have since changed my mind after seeing the price of them.

I need to add 1 90x90 kwila post where there is currently decking nailed down... i was going to just mark the measurements and cut the edges with a drill bit to get the round part... then use the jigsaw.

also. the end joists where the posts bolt to are not exactly all standing upright, am i best off bending them straight then nailing the decking down so the posts wont need custom work on each one to get them to stand perfectly upright...

Regards,

Adam

You should put all the posts in first, plumb them up and brace them off so yes get the joist right first. Then lay the decking. With that 90 x 90 you could do as you described no problems or just batten screw (2) up through the decking boards if its just a mid span post. Give the decking board a good clearance hole so it doesn't split and seal the bottom of the post well with decking finish.

How's ya back and knees going ?

Do you know anyone else who sells those intermediate stainless flat posts?

$100 each from Miami is rather expensive, I need around 9 of them.

Regards,

Originally Posted by adam.baxter

Do you know anyone else who sells those intermediate stainless flat posts?

$100 each from Miami is rather expensive, I need around 9 of them.

Regards,

Not off the top of my head but any SS fab shop should be able knock them up for you. Maybe do a quick sketch with dimensions and hole placement ( for cable and mounting), scan and email it around to a few shops. Once you get the price ask how much for trade as you are a owner builder

Hi Guys,

Things are progressing well, I am looking to make a start on the roof and was wondering about using a 100PFC for the roof beam that sits over the tiled roof on the house as this is a flyover roof.

Does anyone know the maximum allowable cantilever for Steel PFC sections??

Regards,

Adam.

Not 100 % sure but timber is half the back span. PFC will be a PITA to get up there. I just use LVL's for my roof beams.

This should help, but remember details may vary so check with your manufacturer. May need engineering approval depending on what you are planning

Steel In Housing - Including Steel Beam Span Tables

Something you don't always see on the pdf's downloadable from website is the cantilever/backspan. When you get the brackets, it's in the packet. I found it online, so here it is. It's a bit limited in information but it's something to go off.

lengths.pdf

Personally I'd speak to an engineer for using steel. Cheap insurance if nothing else.

If you haven't done your stainless wire yet and are still looking for an alternative to the stainless intermediate posts, we use 45x45 kwila for the intermediates at work. They tie in nicely with the rest of the timber. Just make up a jig out of a bit of box section so you can drill your holes through it nice and straight. Or if you like the look of balustrade and don't want the problems of timber, we often get aluminium panels fabbed up. Get them powdercoated whatever colour you want and you don't have to paint them. take no time to install either.

Thanks Guys.

What is a good way to attach a 140x42 handrail to the top of the 90x90 posts?

The handrail will sit on top of the posts, not go around them, what i was going to do to conceal the fixings was get some 75x5 stainless plate, cut it around 200mm long and batten screw it to the top of the post then use 4 smaller batten screws or something similar to screw up through the plate into the handrail.

Thoughts? I dont want screws going straight down through the handrail into the post

Thanks,

Originally Posted by adam.baxter

Thoughts? I dont want screws going straight down through the handrail into the post

Thanks,

May I ask why not ?

Is that using filler or a cut bit of timber to fill

Plugs cut from waste Kwila. There are 4 of them there.

@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @Ringtail Carpentry - Home

Ok im sold.

Just have to get hold of a good set of plug cutters - maybe look at carbatec