Not saying it is right or wrong... but my neighbours built a very, very large deck over their old patio about a decade ago. Not how I would do it but... They used 2X6 joists/framing. They cut 4x4 posts up (say 6.5 inches) and just sat them on the old patio and bolted the deck framing to them with the framing an inch (give or take) off ground for "drainage". With decking and space below the 2X6 framing they are about 7.5 inches from ground level to surface. So far, no serious issues...
Enough of COVID...what are you doing to the house?
- Thread starter mimico_polak
- Start date
Ahhh…looks like I can do something similar to this….plus I could even try to screw a few sleepers into the pavers. It’s going to be a fair bit of shimming but should work.
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2x4 x12 for sleepers and then I could use 5/4 deck boards. I have a bunch of shingles for shims from the roof.
PEX is so simple to use it’s crazy . My advice in an outbuilding ( unheated ) design your runs so you have low points to drain it out in the winter . Our off grid place had an air line hookup in line so the pipes could be blown out for winter . A barn would be simpler
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@JC do not use your old shingles for shims , it’s just hillbilly engineering . I’d use two x six for sleepers , they lay flatter and span nicer and twist less than two x four . Then use your five/quarter deck boards and you’re good to go . You probably don’t need to screw into pavers , gravity will hold it down. I like to use wooden shims and some construction adhesive so when I stick them in , done , they don’t move .
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Mad Mike
Well-known member
It would have been simpler to do a straight intersection, any carpenter could handle that.
For on grade decks, there are a few options, the simplest is sleepers 24”oc. A sleeper is basically a square timber ground contact pressure treated 4x4 laying on level ground, or a 2x4 on its side over 2” eps laying on the ground or across level patio stones or pavers. For both options, you need 2x6 decking for the 24” span and to counteract warp and twist on the sleepers.
If it was me, I’d lift call a guy to and level the pavers- done right that’s a 20 year maintenance free deck.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
That’s not uncommon. Not all ground heaves, if it’s well drained it shouldn’t move.
We just did a 60x10 deck on the front of a sixplex. Our footings? 6” compacted gravel, 2 ply’s of eps 6’x6’, 2 ply’s of 2x10 x20” then 8x8 posts on top.
The pavers look like crap though that’s the issue. I’ve built decks in other parts of the garden and they look great but they had more clearance than I have for this one and not built one on sleepers before.
I’ve thought about just pulling up the pavers and pouring a concrete pad too but that wouldn’t look as nice as a wooden deck for this area.
I priced up the materials for this area and it comes to about $400 in lumber and screws so may just go ahead and try it. Worst case scenario is it’s crap and I pull it up and have a bunch of lumber for another project somewhere else. I may not be the best carpenter out there but I also like working with wood more than stone/concrete etc.
I have a fancy idea about building in a little water feature in the area which would look better built into a deck.
