Decking ideas?

[Crofter]

I've got an 8ft wide tilt/slide door on the front of the house, which currently opens a metre above the ground- obviously not ideal! This is due to the house sitting on piers above a sloping site.

The plan is to have some sort of decking out here, where you can enjoy the view over the loch. I'd like it to lead around the side as well so that I can put a bench for people to sit with some shelter from the wind.

I've searched Google images for decking ideas but most decking projects are far bigger than I had in mind, and would look pretty silly next to such a small house. A really big deck would also dominate the view out of the window. And with the sloping site, the further the deck extends from the front of the house, the taller the legs supporting it will have to be.

 

I've thrown together a crude sketch of one possible design. The decking is 300mm lower than the floor of the house, so the step at the door is actually where you sit. This helps keep the pier height to 1072mm and also makes it easier to drop down meet the garden at the side of the house. Have given no thought yet to how I actually put it together... the winder stairs at the corner are easy in Sketchup but I suspect a little tricky in the real world

 

Is it too small? Is the integrated seating a daft idea? What would *you* do??

 

[Triassic]

An early interesting topic, I'm also in the market for a small area of decking, my biggest problem is that we're close to trees and timber decking is treacherous when wet, so I'm looking for non-slip options.

[ProDave]

To some extent this is similar to our balcony we will have (except there won't be steps down from the balcony)

 

It wants to be level with the door theshold, and at least 1.5 metres deep to allow for a table and chairs. To avoid spoiling the view it needs a glass balustrade.

 

It's an easy structure to build and finish with standard decking timber.

 

As your site is on a slope, rather than stairs, why  not a gentle ramp leading all the way to the front where the ground level comes up to meet it? And then perhaps steps down from the right hand side of the deck (as viewed in the picture from outside)
 

[joe90]

I must confess I don't like decking simply because of wet timber being slippery, however thinking out of the box for a second if the deck was painted or treated could you not sprinkle sharp sand on it before it dries ?.

[PeterW]

19 minutes ago, Crofter said:

I've got an 8ft wide tilt/slide door on the front of the house, which currently opens a metre above the ground- obviously not ideal! This is due to the house sitting on piers above a sloping site.

The plan is to have some sort of decking out here, where you can enjoy the view over the loch. I'd like it to lead around the side as well so that I can put a bench for people to sit with some shelter from the wind.

I've searched Google images for decking ideas but most decking projects are far bigger than I had in mind, and would look pretty silly next to such a small house. A really big deck would also dominate the view out of the window. And with the sloping site, the further the deck extends from the front of the house, the taller the legs supporting it will have to be.

 

I've thrown together a crude sketch of one possible design. The decking is 300mm lower than the floor of the house, so the step at the door is actually where you sit. This helps keep the pier height to 1072mm and also makes it easier to drop down meet the garden at the side of the house. Have given no thought yet to how I actually put it together... the winder stairs at the corner are easy in Sketchup but I suspect a little tricky in the real world

 

Is it too small? Is the integrated seating a daft idea? What would *you* do??

 

 

Really like the integrated seating - you could put a double step in front of the doors and make it lower still as it would give you the building to lean back on. 

 

What do you plan as a balustrade ..?

[Crofter]

Thanks all.

That first draft has a 300mm drop because that is the thickness of the floor buildup of the house. But no reason not to drop further, except that it might complicate things slightly in terms of structure.

 

Ballustrade will probably be my old 5mm stainless steel rigging wire from my boat, it's just lying around looking for a job. Will need some new end terminals but the non-yacht grade stuff is quite cheap. Glass would be nice but from the little research I've done looks too expensive.

 

[ProDave]

An interesting question is what timber are you planing to make the frame? (a question I have not yet decided for my balcony)

 

Ordinary kiln dried construction timber with some form of timber treatment painted on?  Pressure treated decking joists from the decking suppliers but they don't seem to be available in large enough size?
 

[Onoff]

Handrail height would concern me as you step out and are standing on the "seat". You'd be that much higher than when standing on the deck. Plus the danger/effect would be exaggerated if the deck doesn't project far enough - as in you've only one way to fall and that's over the handrail rather than onto the deck. (Especially after a wee dram or two!)

 

I'd have the deck level with taller supports and disguise the height with bushes or by building the ground up a bit.

 

As for putting it together I've seen some good brackets and connection techniques on kids timber climbing frames. You could even have a climbing net up the front or a love seat down below! 

Edited January 27, 2017 by Onoff

[Triassic]

I'm looking to use a composite recycled plastic decking board, as every decking I've ever had has been treacherous when wet and slimy in winter. The last thing you want is to step out of the door, slip and fall out of the back door, this happen to my mother last year and she broke bones in her foot!

[Onoff]

56 minutes ago, Triassic said:

I'm looking to use a composite recycled plastic decking board, as every decking I've ever had has been treacherous when wet and slimy in winter. The last thing you want is to step out of the door, slip and fall out of the back door, this happen to my mother last year and she broke bones in her foot!

My missus went and bought some of that non slip Ronseal decking paint. I wasn't pleased as it costs a fortune. However it really does do what it says on the tin.

[Crofter]

More food for thought, thanks.

I think I can work out the safety aspect. As viewed in the sketch, only the RHS half of the door opens, so the ballustrade that runs behind the shorter section of seating sticking out from the wall should be close enough to use as a handrail, with your left hand. Would need to replace the top wire with an actual wooden rail (maybe I need to do that all the way round actually).

Not averse to making the decking a wee bit 'deeper' i.e. project out from the house a couple of feet more, especially if I drop it down by a second step.

 

I'll spend a couple of minutes on Sketchup and come back with a MkII...

[pudding]

Triassic, any ideas on what boards? I'm hoping to build a deck this year and it last for decades, using recycled plastic joists etc and I've had a few deck board samples through and the nicest to me is easily Millboard, but the cost...!!!

[Ferdinand]

14 hours ago, joe90 said:

I must confess I don't like decking simply because of wet timber being slippery, however thinking out of the box for a second if the deck was painted or treated could you not sprinkle sharp sand on it before it dries ?.

 

Yep.

 

Also we have antislip paint which seems to work OK. Yes expensive, but mine (Cuprinol) came as a Wickes BOGOF which mitigates the £25 per can.

 

For a decking that high you *must* have a pond and a plank, Blackbeard style.

Edited January 27, 2017 by Ferdinand

[Ferdinand]

Let me also fly the flag for raised patios, which are as cheap as chips if the situation warrants - especially if you have (or build as part of your house base) a slab in situ.

 

 

 

[Crofter]

I think a raised patio would be a bigger project than the house has been! There's a total of about 3 cube of concrete in the whole house. I guess a massive raised patio would be one more thing to stop it blowing away...

[Onoff]

Scaffold poles concreted in as supports and Tubeclamp fittings:

 

 

Very stable.

[Ferdinand]

Yep.

@Onoff Scaffold poles works.

 

I have a 90+ year old friends who has had her car (continuation of the main bungalow roof) port on scaffold poles since my dad designed it in 1971.

 

@Crofter

 

Perhaps. We had a concrete slab there already courtesy of the previous owner and his non-built conservatory.

 

Ferdinand 

[Crofter]

Next version...

[Auchlossen]

There are many proprietorial solutions to slippery decking, x2 costwise but probably worth the extra, eg  rubber inserts.

If BC have an interest, then horizontal SS cables will not be welcomed for the handrail. One cheap solution that I looked at was polypropylene mesh. Need to prevent folk Climbing and falling off.

On design, I would be more inclined to extend round the corner, and use the slope to reduce the number of steps.

[Construction Channel]

Whatever you decided make sure you treat it properly to prolong the life of your deck. I recommend Schaeffers deck sealant. 

 

 

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, Crofter said:

Next version...

 

Surely round the corner makes sense as you get a longer sun on deck period?

 

F

[Bitpipe]

We're using resort deck for our balconies and basement mezzanine deck.

This place looks good value - http://www.compositedeckingcompany.com

 

[pudding]

Thanks for that info, not seen resort deck/outdure before or composite decking co. Have you recevied samples from either? The prices look good compared to Millboard so hopefully samples are good.

Edited January 29, 2017 by pudding

[Triassic]

This looks cheaper http://www.edecks.co.uk/products/14783/135/58/0/Castle-Top-Ebony-Solid-Composite-Decking-(146mm-x-22mm---3600mm)

[Crofter]

On 27 January 2017 at 18:40, Ferdinand said:

 

Surely round the corner makes sense as you get a longer sun on deck period?

 

F

 

The wall with the patio door is facing west, so going round the corner takes you on to the north facing gable. So you'll onoy get sun there very late in the day in summer, but it will be out of the wind. I was thinking some sort of bench seat round there would do the job, no need for building a much bigger deck.

 

Likewise, the idea with the short 'L' on the integrated seating is that it tives you somewhere to sit with your back to the wind. It's not a lot of seating area but there will only be two people in this house. The ballustrade on the right hand edge of the decking would be more solid to provide a windbreak (I could even look at doing that one bit in glass?)