![]() Since we went with 5/4 cedar decking (actual thickness = 1″) we are good to go. Kreg states that it will work with cedar or redwood decking as well as composite decking with a square edge (not with the groove in the side). It was more work but in the end we are so glad we did it. This screwless look is so cool! To conceal the fasteners we used the Kreg deck jig. This was one of my favorite parts of the whole deck build. How to Install Decking with Concealed Fasteners It ended up being a little higher than I would have liked but I think we will eventually add a row of pavers or something if the last step proved to be too high. Then, we laid and leveled 4″ concrete blocks for the final step to rest on. To create the first step down we installed joist hangers and a 2×8 within the beams and added 2×8 joists spaced 20″ apart. Then the freestanding box built from 2x8s spaced 20″ apart was built for the final step. We stopped our joists 16″ short of the end of the beams to create the first step down. Then, we toe nailed the 2x8x12′ joists in place with an overhang of 2′ on both sides and added end caps to the sides. Leaving about 1/2″-1″ between the house and the deck for drainage, we marked where the edge of our joists should go. We decided to space our 2×8 joists 16″ apart to allow them to span a larger gap (8′ between beams). Then, we added the cap to our beams since we would be using the beams to create a step. Placing the beams we double checked for level and made sure the beams were square to the house and spaced correctly apart. Now we screwed our two 2x10x16′ together using 2-7/8″ heavy-duty screws. This allows us to connect the 4×4 post to the beam which will be two 2x10s screwed together. Now we attached the BSC post cap bracket to the post using 1-1/2″ connector screws. Then, we headed over to the saw and cut them all down to size making sure to place them back in their correct block. Now we placed our 4×4 posts in the deck blocks and marked them with a laser level 18″ (9-1/4″ for beams + 7-1/4″ for joists + 1″ for decking + 1/2″ for good luck) below where we wanted the top of our deck to be. We ideally wanted to be slightly lower than that. The overall height of the blocks was not crucial at this point as long as it was no higher than 18-20″ below the bottom of the door. Then we made sure they were level and if not we added more stone dust to the low side, tamped it down and checked again. Next, we placed the deck blocks and assured they were where they needed to be. Next, we added about 6″ of stone dust (aka paver base or slag) and tamped it down. Either way we needed 11 holes for the deck blocks. This meant we would need three beams however, there was a bump out in the house that would require another small beam. We used 16′ beams so with a maximum span of 6′ and 2′ of overhang on both sides we only needed 3 posts per beam. Our deck was 20′ wide so the spacing between beams is 8′ with 2′ of overhang on both sides. We started by marking where we wanted the deck blocks and dug down about 6″ and tamped it down to make sure we were placing our deck blocks on solid ground. With our deck being freestanding, the frost may heave it up slightly but once it thaws it will settle back into place. To do so, dig your holes with a rented auger or post hole digger and pour the cement into the hole to create a footing. The required depth of your footing is determined by your local code. If you are connecting the deck to the house you will more than likely need to pour concrete footings that will extend beyond the frost line to prevent the deck from heaving up with a frost. ![]() ![]() Since this is not connected to the house the deck blocks were sufficient for us and saved us a lot of time. Since this is a free standing deck and less than 36″ off the ground our local code did not require a permit. First and foremost, always check your local codes and pull permits if required.
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