First deck

[Hootsmon]

Hi Guys and Gals,
I'm going to ahve a go at my first deck. It'll be about 3m x 2m and will be on top of an exitsing concrete slab in the back yard. My main question is how to fix it on. Can you have bearers direct onto the concrete or do you have to have posts. I don't fancy digging through the concrete to put stumps in. There is a drain in the middle of the concrete and I dont want it raised too much as my grass is flush with the concrete and I don't want too big a step up. Anyway what would be the best route to go?

[Gaza]

Get some 90deg gal angle, dyna bolt (use gal ones) this to the slab, then coach screw your bearers to the angle, to adjust your level pack the angle and move the bearer up and down to find the postion.

[journeyman Mick]

Alternatively you could use post stirrups with the little plate at the bottom cut off. Drill holes in the slab to take the stirrup's post, and glue in with chemset. You'll have to do a dry run first, setting them up on packers to get the right heights so it's a bit more mucking around. Even gal dynabolts tend to rust after a few years, at least with our high rainfall they do.

Mick

[Just George]

Go to your local Hills Clearence Centre and buy the Triton Home Improvement Video(parts 1 and 2), some of the standards and prices will be different may be different but you will learn a great deal from them which will help in your current project and any future projects.

[Just George]

At the Hills Clearence Centre in Brisbane they have both volume sets 2 for $30. It is well worth it for that much.

[Hootsmon]

Cool Bananas,
I like the idea of adapting the post stirrup. I had looked at them but with the footplate on they were too high. Cutting it off and drilling into the concrete will be great. One query. What is chemset, where do you get it and how do you use it?

[journeyman Mick]

Hootsmon,
Chemset is a Ramset product (other manufacturers have similar products). It's an epoxy glue for fixing fasteners into concrete, masonry or rock. There's a few different systems:
Glass capsules with resin and a 2nd capsule inside with hardener. Place in hole, push fastener in and spin with drill to mix glue (about 5 - 10 seconds).
Cartridge system, either to fit normal sealant/glue cartdridge gun (one cartridge inside the other) or to fit proprietry gun (2 cartridges side by side). Squirt glue in hole, push fastener in.
Liquid, in tins, mix required quantities, (don't use a plastic container as the heat given off will melt it),add some cement powder for body, tip in hole, push in fastener.

Mick