Construction of a Pressure Treated Deck

5/6/2013 at 6:50:12 AM

Rob

Definitely dig! For a deck this size you need the support. But simply farm that job out to someone who does it for a living. You will be surprised how inexpensive it is. They have the right equipment and know how to address any surprises that may come up.

The company I use here in Burlington charges about $25 per post hole for fences and a bit more for deck footings. They get everything aligned perfectly every time. It is the BEST value for the money.

Good luck.

5/6/2013 at 6:51:31 AM

Good morning Rob,

Not so much the square footage size of the deck but the height. Make sure your deck meets Ontario Building Code and your local municipality requirements. Most likely you need a permit with the square footage you mentioned.

A low deck you can use dek blocks but if you want to ensure it never moves due to frost heave then you should install sono tubes. As you mentioned, If using dek blocks never attach the deck to your house. If there is deck movement, frost heave it will tear the deck right off your home.

Cheers

Dave

5/6/2013 at 7:48:57 AM

I would recommend auguring about 6 to 8 ft deep to make sure frost will never effect your deck. If you decide to make it a 2 tier now or later your foundation is solid.

5/7/2013 at 8:30:57 AM

My suggestion is you hire one of those post hole companies to do your digging. that's what i do when i run into clay. Its worth the extra cost!