Deck post suggestion (to bury or not to bury...)

[flcruising]

I will be building a simple detached 8' x 8' deck off our back door in the next month, and as I am getting a material list, am torn between concrete pier bases and anchors or buried wood posts. I am in NW Florida, so the soil is sand, which compacts and perc's extremely well.

I 'planned' on digging a hole (about 3' deep), pouring a concrete footing base with 1 - 80# bag of concrete in each hole (or simply a deck block), then set post and back fill with gravel layered and compacted. I would prefer to bury the posts because of lateral/wind loads of a deck that's 5' in the air, but if you guys have better techniques, please let me know. After searching a contractor forum, it appears there are mixed opinions on the longevity of concrete buried wood, but I don't plan on setting it in concrete, so I think that may alleviate 1 issue.

Ideas?

[Greg]

Since you are going to be at 5' I would bury the posts and add diagonal braces also. Between the two the deck should be rock solid. Also use 2x8 rather than 2x6 joists, still more solid.

Greg

[JD]

I think you have a good plan there. One of my first forays in construction was building pole barns with 6x6 pressure treated poles. The plans called for filling the hole with concrete but all the engineers, draftsmen, and old time contractors said the poles would last longer set in just the fashion you are planning. Water will drain away from dirt whereas concrete leaves the posts soaked for a long time. I would use concrete instead of a block to reduce the chance of the pole working it's way off of the block.

[flcruising]

Sounds like a plan then. Cross-bracing would be simple.

JD, just to clarify, this is the type of post block I was referring to. I believe the one in the foreground is what I've seen at my local Lowes.

[UmpJJ]

If you go to the Post Office and request a "Change of Address Kit", it comes with a Lowes coupon for 10% off your next purchase - no matter how big or small the purchase is. Best part - although you turn in the coupon when you buy, you can go back to the Post Office for more "Change of Address" kits! Saved enough on my last purchase to pay for Lowes to deliver what I bought. I bought 8 of the blocks shown above (plus 20 sheets of OSB plus 13 rolls of insulation, none of which would have fit in my Prius) and was tickled that I didn't have to figure out how to get it home!

UmpJJ

[bobfather99]

UmpJJ,
I do this all the time!!! So much that when the post office counter guy sees me coming, he just says "How many??" The funny part is that he's my neighbor!!!

[Rod]

I agree pour the concrete first (or use a deck block or pill) set the post on top. You also may want to consider sealing or tarring the post from the ground level down to the concrete to give added protection to the wood. This is what I did when I built my shop (pole barn) and have no signs of rot or decay to my posts.


Good luck & post some photos when done

Rod

[flcruising]

Thank you for the coupon suggestions, I will look into it.

What kind of tar do you suggest? Roofing tar like this - http://www.lowes.com/pd_108952-29-0311- ... facetInfo=

Wouldn't that lock in the moisture, because we all know that Lowe's lumber isn't KDAT (kiln dried after treatment)?

[Greg]

I don't think ANYONE has dried lumber anymore. And it seems like after it dries it tries to turn into a corkscrew.

Greg

[Rod]

If you are only sealing the bottom 3 feet the wood will still be able to dry out, if you were encapsulated the entire post that would be a different story. The sealant we used was a thinner consistency than the leak stopper. I dont remember exactly what it was, it was a number of years ago. Last year I did some drainage work on the back side of my shop and the posts that we exposed while we were working looked great.

As long as long as you are using a wood with a .40pcf or greater you should be OK. If you cut the bottom of the post for any reason then I would atleast seal that end......

[flcruising]

Completed this 3 days ago. Believe it or not, it took 7 days to build this thing with my wife helping about half that time! Rest of the time I was solo. Thanks for the suggestions on the coupons again, the post office didn't hesitate handing me a couple at a time. Total cost for this was about $550 after the 10% discount.

deck01.JPG

deck02.JPG

[JD]

That looks great, Aaron!

[flcruising]

Thanks JD. It's definitely begging for a grill now isn't it !?