pool decking

[williamg]

Hi everybody, this is my first thread!
I'm planning to build a deck at the back of an inground pool. I wonder what would be the best to support the deck: concrete footings and brick piers or concrete embedded posts? The maximum height is 700mm. The area is hard to dig and with a lot of tree roots.

[silentC]

William,

If Mick is around he'll give you the drum on it. My take is that brick piers are going to be more stable but they'll cost more (a lot more if you're not doing it yourself) and are probably overkill for a deck. I think most of the decks thrown up these days use posts, either steel or timber. 700mm isn't exactly a dizzying height, so I reckon timber posts with gal stirrups would be more than enough. Although, you say "at the back of an inground pool" - is it going to be freestanding? That might be a different story.

[silentC]

Check this out: http://www.tradac.org.au/newsite/pub/free/4_decks.pdf

[williamg]

That was quick, thanks.
Yes, it is a stand alone deck. It'll be between the pool and the back fence. A bit sloppy and with a couple of trees included. At the moment very bushy and useless as it is.
I like the idea of the bricks because I believe a 300mm deep footing will be enough. May be I'm wrong, but I think with the posts I need to go deeper and they are not as stable.

[Trav]

You will need deeped footings. I went with 600 x 300 for my deck that was 800 high at the highest point. Using posts is far and away the easiest - unless you are a brilliant brickie or something. Just dig some big holes, chuck in some concrete and either your posts or stirrups. too easy.

I hired a 2 person auger to dig the holes. It comes with a 300 diameter bit so that you can just dig away. I spent hours digging and got about 1/2 through one hole with a crowbar and shovel. Save yourself the hassle and hire one of these beasties to giet the job done quickly. It's also heaps of fun when you hit a big rock or something!

Trav

[silentC]

Because it's freestanding and less than 1800mm high, it looks like you can't use stirrups, you'd have to use embedded posts. That means a deep footing. I think it comes down to whether or not you can get the depth you need, ie. you might be on a rock shelf. You need the depth for the post because it's the only bracing you're going to have. If you can't get the depth (I think it's going to be at least 600mm) you might be stuck with the brick piers.

Where's Mick today? Must be out working for a change ;)

[journeyman Mick]

Silent C,
mate, I work at something everyday, just haven't been in the office much lately though!

William,
Like Trav said, unless you're a dab hand on the trowel don't go bricks. I just laid a retaining wall for my shed (stage two) last week as my brickie neighbour wasn't around and it was a frustrating experience. Just a few points concerning decking and other structures near pools. Salt and chlorine are highly corrosive and will play havoc with even hot dip gal steel. From my observations the best survivors are of treated pine posts with hardwood framing and decking. Best bet if you can get the depth would be embedded posts with the top of the concrete footing clear of the finished ground and mounded up around the post. Make sure the concrete has no depressions to hold water. It is possible to use a deep fish plate on both sides of a post with a shallower footing but you will need to paint the fishplates with some sort of bituminous compound to protect them from the salt/chlorine water. Note also that the salt/chlorine will in time work its way into the concrete and attack any embedded steel. My personal preference would be treated pine posts as deep into the ground as you can dig them (around 900) sitting on 150mm of coarse gravel. Back fill by throwing in a few shovelfulls of dirt and tamp down with the pointy end of a crow bar. Keep doing this till you've got the first 300mm of the hole filled. The continue to fill and tamp using the spud end of the crow bar. Use all the dirt that came out and then some. Finish this off with a collar of concrete mounded up around the post and trowelled smooth to shed water. End result: a deck you can be proud of which should last for a long time :) and lots of aches in muscles you didn't know you had :( .

Mick

[williamg]

Silent C,
mate, I work at something everyday, just haven't been in the office much lately though!

William,
Like Trav said, unless you're a dab hand on the trowel don't go bricks. I just laid a retaining wall for my shed (stage two) last week as my brickie neighbour wasn't around and it was a frustrating experience. Just a few points concerning decking and other structures near pools. Salt and chlorine are highly corrosive and will play havoc with even hot dip gal steel. From my observations the best survivors are of treated pine posts with hardwood framing and decking. Best bet if you can get the depth would be embedded posts with the top of the concrete footing clear of the finished ground and mounded up around the post. Make sure the concrete has no depressions to hold water. It is possible to use a deep fish plate on both sides of a post with a shallower footing but you will need to paint the fishplates with some sort of bituminous compound to protect them from the salt/chlorine water. Note also that the salt/chlorine will in time work its way into the concrete and attack any embedded steel. My personal preference would be treated pine posts as deep into the ground as you can dig them (around 900) sitting on 150mm of coarse gravel. Back fill by throwing in a few shovelfulls of dirt and tamp down with the pointy end of a crow bar. Keep doing this till you've got the first 300mm of the hole filled. The continue to fill and tamp using the spud end of the crow bar. Use all the dirt that came out and then some. Finish this off with a collar of concrete mounded up around the post and trowelled smooth to shed water. End result: a deck you can be proud of which should last for a long time :) and lots of aches in muscles you didn't know you had :( .

Mick

Hi Mick,
Thanks for your advice. I'll go for the embedded posts as per your suggestion.
Any idea were I can get recycled hardwood for the framing? (Sydney area)

[mrsxtro]

Hi all.
Very first posting, but have learnt a lot from lurking and reading here.
A suggestion about decking around the pool....
My husband and myself built a deck around our above ground pool. We used a new product called "Ozposts". See http://www.ozpost.com.au/index.htm
It was really quick (took 2 fellows approx. 1 hour to place 10 posts) and reasonably cheap in comparison to getting someone to dig holes, cost of stirrups, concrete etc. (cost $25 each installed). To date (18 months later) it is looking terrific and rock solid. And that's with my 5 children, plus numerous relatives and neighbourhood children jumping, rolling, leaping etc. all over it everyday for months on end!
Just another option for you to ponder,
-mrsxtro.