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Please click on the following links to gain information on each of the
following subjects:
How to start the planning process?
Where to
get ideas for your deck?
Some considerations at the concept and
planning stage
Drawing a plan
of your deck
Involving a designer
Building Approval
How to deal with existing garden features
Special considerations for a screened area
Pool Safety
Tannin
staining (timber staining)
How to start the planning process?
Start planning by considering the activities
your deck will accommodate, whether it will be a sunny breakfast area, a
safe play area for children, a place for barbecues and entertaining or will
host a number of activities.
Where to
get ideas for your deck?
A handy source for ideas for the concept of
your deck is house, garden and landscaping magazines. However, keep in mind
that the projects are often the best of their type and often carry a high
price tag. Generally, a simple design will be less expensive to build than a
complex one and medium length spans require smaller cross-section timbers,
which are more readily available and cheaper.
Some
considerations at the concept and planning stage
Some considerations when developing the concept for your deck should
include:
• the size you will need, shape you would prefer, and how it will influence
the circulation from inside and outside your home
• the number of people you may have at any one time and whether they may be
standing or seated. 1 square metre per person, standing, plus furniture and
circulation spaces, is a reasonable starting point for calculating the area
you will need.
• the size of your current or anticipated outdoor furniture - allowing
appropriate circulation space even when chairs are pushed out.
• the position of your deck - will it be sunny in winter, shady in summer or
protected from blustery winds? Will it affect your security or intrude on a
quiet area of the home?
• if your deck is to be a thoroughfare or incorporate a stairway, is there a
clear space for people to walk through without having to avoid furniture or
plants or intruding on social gatherings?
Drawing a
plan of your deck
Draw a plan to scale on a drawing of your
house to check the usability of your deck e.g. the size and position of
furniture, circulation spaces and standing areas. Check for other impacts,
such as access to other areas of your yard, clearance from property
boundaries and possible intrusion on utilities such as electricity,
communications, water and drainage lines. If you have any doubts as to
requirements for separation from utilities, or where they may be located, be
sure to contact your local authority or service provider, employ a
professional services locater and maintain the required separation.
Confirm locations before submitting plans and
definitely before you start to dig.
Involving a designer
You may feel more confident dealing with a
designer or draftsperson for preparing the working drawings. Alternatively,
your local Deck Master will be able to prepare the drawings for you and
submit them for local authority approval as part of the contract for
construction of your deck.
The more thought that you put into deciding what you want from your deck -
what it is to look like, the size and positioning, before consulting the
designer or builder - the quicker the process will be and less costly your
drawings should be.
Building Approval
You will need building approval for your decking
project, so consult with your local building authority for the requirements
for gaining building approval in your area.
How to deal with existing garden features
Rather than cut down
a favourite tree or destroy a rock feature, you can design the deck to allow
the tree to grow through it or to follow the outline of the rock or other
garden feature. Draw your bearer and joist layout to trim around the
rock or the trunk of the tree making sure you allow plenty of room for at
least 20 years of growth in the tree and for swaying in windy weather.
During construction, you can scribe the decking in around the feature,
allowing room for a tree to sway. The decking can be trimmed back every few
years if necessary as the tree grows. When setting out the joists and
scribing the decking around the feature, ensure that you have allowed room
for any waterborne dirt to flow away and not become trapped in the timber
work as this can lead to accelerated deterioration.
Before construction, consider whether your favourite tree needs pruning or
removal for safety or the health of the tree. It will be easier and cheaper
to prune or remove the tree before construction, when the tree pruner can
work without concern about damaging your deck.
Special considerations
for a screened area
If building a screened area, it is necessary to insect proof the
underside of the decking. This can be achieved by attaching metal insect
screening to the underside of the joist or placing the screening between the
joist and decking. Screening attached to the underside of the joist can be
removed (not necessarily easily), if required, for cleaning any debris that
falls through the decking. Placing the screening between the joist and
decking would be a neater solution but would be more difficult to clean.
Pool Safety
If your deck forms part of your
pool area or overlooks your pool, ensure that your deck, including
handrails, balustrading and gates, conforms in all respects to pool safety
requirements.
Tannin
staining (timber staining)
Hardwoods release tannins during
weathering. Release of tannins is initially high and reduces over time as
the tannins are washed from the surface. The dripping of water containing
tannins will not affect natural ground, but will stain expensive brickwork
or tiles.
Tannin staining can be reduced by using standard or custom made “drip
strips” to direct water away from walls. The area under a fully exposed
timber deck should not be used for a purpose where tannin staining may be an
important issue.
Buying kiln-dried hardwood does not remove the tannins - it simply dries
them out and they are reactivated on exposure to moisture from wet weather.
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