How To Lay Decking On Concrete Patio

Beware Of A Sinking Patio

Most of the time, you dont have to worry about a concrete patio being in terrible shape prior to installing a new surface. However, installing composite decking over a concrete patio may not be a good idea if your concrete is still settling. When a concrete foundation begins to sink, it can take 5+ years to stop. And if you decide to build a new surface on your patio during that time, then the new surface will continue to sink along with its foundation.

Pros And Cons Of Decks

Pros: You could build your own deck if you are a little bit handy and have the right tools, but a DIY job does require time and patience to get right.

Cons: You need to have or borrow the right tools. If your deck requires any complicated grading or level of the ground or anything similar, you may want to hire a professional deck contractor or builder to ensure the deck is stable and safe for you, your family, and your guests.

How Tall Should My Deck Be

Adding a deck over an existing concrete patio will add height. Depending on the step down from your back door to your concrete patio, this additional height could be problematic. However, you do have options if space is limited.

If you are using a composite tile that can be laid directly onto the concrete, the deck will only add an inch or so to the height of the patio. You will likely be adding retaining pieces, called fascia, at the edges of the patio to hide the sides of the tiles and hold them in place. The tiles themselves are designed to allow for water run-off, so this option may be more feasible if your patio is close in height to your back door.

On the other hand, if you have a considerable step down from the back door, a raised deck might be a big improvement! Rather than that short drop to get out to the grill while youre carrying a big plate of ribs, your new deck could be level with the back door. It will be a straight transition from the house to the deck, making it a lot less likely that you drop dinner before you can cook it.

If you have stairs down from the back door to the patio, you can add height to the stairs themselves to compensate for the added height of the deck. This is especially easy if you are using the composite tiles that lay flush on the concrete.

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As With Any Project Knowledge Of The Product And Preparation Is Key

Whether youre preparing to take on your own DIY outdoor project, or collaborate with a professional builder, its important to understand the best practices for installing Fiberon Decking material. Thats why we encourage customers, as well as contracted builders, to educate themselves on our materials best installation practices. In this post well highlight important recommendations and requirements that should not be overlooked to ensure the best, finished look of your new deck.

Will It Work On Your Patio

Even if your patio is in terrible shape, you can deck over it. Cracks, craters and seasonal movement along cracks are no problem. But beware of these three situations:

• If an area is badly cracked and sinks noticeably year after year, any decking you put over it will also sink and develop a low spot. In most cases, settling concrete stops sinking eventually, so delay this project until it does.
• This project raises the level of your patio by 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 in. . So any door thresholds adjoining the patio must be at least that far above the concrete. If not, this project wont work for you. If you live in a climate where the ground freezes, allow an extra 1/2 in. so that seasonal frost heave can raise the slab without damaging the threshold.
• Stairs connected to the patio can complicate this project. To keep step heights equal, youll have to raise the treads by the same distance you raise the patio . On concrete steps, thats a straightforward job: You can treat them just like the patio, screwing sleepers to the treads and risers and decking over them.

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Best Results When Adding Railings

Railings aren’t typically required for ground-level decks, but are sometimes added for aesthetic reasons or to allow places to put shelving for plants, entertaining, etc.

There are two ways to install the posts for railings. The first, and most sturdy, is to set rot-proof posts into concrete around the perimeter of the deck.

Or you can use surface fasteners to attach the posts directly to the deck. When using surface fasteners to secure railing to a composite deck, joist location may affect the ease, price and method of the installation of the railing system. Leaving the required 1.5 spacing for surface fastening at the end of the board and 1 from the side of the board, requires two joists for every end-to-end seam. Board seams with double joisting can affect post placement for your railing system.

You may also want to install additional sleepers beneath the decking to give the post supports more strength. Planning is key, since once the decking is installed there is no easy way to go back!!

Thoroughly reading all installation instructions first will make for more successful projects. Failure to do so may result in a more difficult installation and may void the warranty.

Keeping It Simple: More Ways To Improve A Patio

If you’re a beginning DIYer, don’t let all the details on our deck scare you away. Your project can be a whole lot easier if you choose a simple decking design. The simpler you can make your deck plan, the faster and cheaper it will be to build.

Whether your patio is in bad shape or just bland, there are many ways to revive it. But before you weigh the options shown below, there’s one thing to consider

The crack factor: Cracks in your patio drastically limit your options. That’s because cracks tend to move. Some grow wider over time, while others shrink and widen as the soil freezes and thaws. Some become uneven as one side of the crack sinks. Any movement happens so slowly that it’s hard to detect. But if you knowor even thinkthat you have moving cracks, you have to choose a patio upgrade that can float over moving cracks without becoming damaged.

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How Do You Attach Wood To Concrete

With wood decking, you have to really account for water seepage. If you have water pooling underneath the boards, it could soak into the wood and cause considerable damage. Damp wood can attract insects, cause dry rot and otherwise damage your deck.

For a wood deck, it is important to build a framework of sleepers and attach them to the concrete with plastic anchors and concrete bolts. You can use angled brackets to hold the vertical sleeper planks in place.

What Other Options Do I Have For Covering My Patio

Building a deck is a very attractive option for covering your old concrete patio, but there are several other options you could try.

• Resurface your patio to repair cracks and pits.
• Use paint or stain to lend some color and dimension to a boring old patio.
• Cover your patio with pavers and youll add visual appeal and texture, not to mention long-lasting durability.

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Attaching The Deck Frame To A Building

This step is only necessary if you are fitting your deck to a building. Otherwise you can move onto fitting your joists.

Many decking structures are fixed to buildings and act as an extension of the home out into the garden. Should you need to attach your deck to the wall of a house, it is very important to understand exactly where the decking frame will meet the wall.

First, hold your ledger board up against the adjoining wall, ensuring that there are no obstacles such as wires which will get in your way. Holes should be drilled in the centre of the board one hole for every 16 inches.

Once you have begun building your decking frame, you should understand the height of your structure and where it needs to fix to your outside wall. After determining the right level, you can then offer the ledger boards up against the wall and use a pencil to mark through the holes. This should mark the spots where you should drill holes of at least 7cm in depth, to allow your screws to anchor the frame sufficiently to the wall.

Anchor bolts should then be hammered into the holes, before lag screws are used to fix the ledger board firmly to the wall. Be careful to use galvanised screws to prevent rust. They should be screwed into the anchor bolts, with washers used between the ledger board and the screw heads to tighten the screws. Be careful not to tighten too much or you may risk crushing the wooden ledger board.

How To Build A Concrete Patio

Create a prominent outdoor space with a strong and stylish concrete patio. The base of rigid patios can be constructed with mortared brick, mortared flagstone, tile, or concrete pad. Concrete provides a solid base beneath these materials. It also prevents them from cracking as the ground shifts from temperatures changes.

In most areas, a concrete patio begins with 4 inches of compacted stone. The difference is the depth you dig before you pour.

If you install a concrete patio, dig out a space 8 inches deep 4 inches for the some, another 4 inches for the concrete, and another 2 inches to allow for mortar and brick.

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You Can Easily Install A Deck Over Brick Paving Or Level Compact Sand

The nature of raised decks makes it easy for them to be installed over existing paving or sand. In fact, experts point to the installation of floating decks as a cost-effective way of covering dated or worn brick or patio. Depending upon the size of your project, you should likely be able to complete the installation process in one or two weekends.

Floating Decks Are Low

Floating decks are ideal for busy professionals who seek the lasting beauty of a deck without the hassle of daily maintenance. By choosing high-quality composite decking material, you can eliminate the hassle of sanding, oiling, and cleaning. With its attractive non-porous surface material, composite decking can be cleaned quickly with soapy water, allowing you to spend your time relaxing with family and guests on your gorgeous new deck.

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Our Deck Concrete Footing Installation Process

When you hire Heartland Decks for deck construction, we always start with concrete piers. During the installation, we will use piers that are a minimum of 12 inches in circumference and placed at a depth of 36 inches.

For larger or heavier decks or structures with a roof or pergola, wider piers may be used, such as ones with a width of 18 inches. However, the depth of 36 inches will remain the same. The goal of the 36-inch depth is to ensure the piers are installed below the freeze line, which provides a strong foundation for the posts to sit on and prevents potential issues.

Begin Installing The Deck Board

Install the first deck board. If a single board will not span the width of the patio, cut it with a circular saw so that its end lands on the middle of a sleeper. Take extra caution to ensure that the first course is aligned correctly because successive courses will run parallel to it. Secure it to the sleepers as per the manufacturers instructions.

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Make Sure Youre Not Blocking Any Adjoining Doors

Placing composite decking over a concrete porch will raise its surface by a minimum of 2-3. If theres a door leading to the patio, its important to ensure your new surface wont block that door. If your door may become blocked by adding a new surface, that doesnt necessarily mean that you cant install composite decking over a concrete porch — however, it will complicate your project and require you to either arrive at a creative solution, or enlist the aid of an experienced professional to devise a sound and safe solution for you.

How To Attach Wood/composite Planks Onto Concrete

Hello all,

I’m located in Seattle, WA. I will soon be having a large concrete patio of approximately 350 sq. ft. in my backyard However, the concrete patio is exposed aggregate and this type of concrete is extremely painful on bare feet.

I have decided that once the concrete patio is finished, I will buy deck planks of either wood or composite and then attach those planks directly onto the concrete so that the patio surface will become wood and easy on the feet. I am not interested in building a deck. . I just want to put wood planks on top of the concrete and enjoy something that LOOKS like a wood deck.

What is the recommended approach to installing planks directly onto concrete? From my research on the web, it is recommended that I go with composite planks instead of wood due to rotting issues associated with attaching wood directly to concrete. But I am not really sure how to affix the composite planks directly onto the concrete. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

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Slope Of The Yard On Which You Wish To Place The Deck Or Patio

A patio is usually placed directly on the ground, which is why it is preferable to choose a level space. A patio is often not the ideal option for uneven ground since the cost to create a foundation can double or even triple the cost of the addition. If you have uneven ground in your yard, a deck would be the cheaper option since the cost of installation is almost always never affected by the slope of the yard.

Whats The Roi Of A Deck Vs A Patio

While adding a beautiful outdoor living space will most likely improve your enjoyment of your home as well as its property value, there is a difference in the return on investment of decks versus patios.

Deckswhile more expensive to constructhave a return on investment of around 60 to 80%. On the other hand, patios cost less to install but tend to have an ROI of under 50%. In areas with warm climates suitable for outdoor living, the ROI from adding a deck or patio might be even higher.

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What Is A Sleeper System Here Are The Basics

If you have a crumbling concrete patio that needs replacing, you should consider installing a deck using Fiberon® composite decking, available in a range of stunning colors that complement any space. Its incredibly durable and, best of all, easy to maintain. Plus, you can install Fiberon decking easily over a patio or on a rooftop space on a sleeper system.

A sleeper system is a substructure comprising joists that sit between a solid surface and the decking. Ground-level present unique challenges when it comes to water management and air circulation. The sleeper system enables adequate drainage and ventilation which, in turn, protects the deck boards from damage due to moisture build-up. Sleepers also enable easier access to the area beneath the decking, either for clearing accumulated debris or maintaining the surface material.

Diy: Turning A Concrete Slab Into A Covered Deck

Posted on Published:

Ever thought about turning your concrete slab into a covered deck? Its definitely doable! Here are some thoughts, tips, & photos from our experience!

Well, this post has been a long time coming. We completed our wood deck covering for the front of the house back in the spring of 2017, and published that post at the same time I actually started this project, which was a much larger undertaking! Shockingly to me, that post about turning a cement porch into a wood deck has become one of the most popular posts here at Catz, and Ive had a number of people ask for this post about the back deck. My plan was to publish it last summer, but it ended up being a surprisingly busy season for us, so here I am shooting for this spring!

An idea began to develop, and after sketching it out and doing some research, we decided it was plausible a peaked, 12-foot, clear roof to cover the new deck. It was certainly going to be a little more complicated than a straight, slanted roof, but we thought the potential benefits were worth it. At 12 feet, it would be high enough in the center to feel open and airy, while the clear roofing would let lots of light through during the many, many gray days here in the Pacific Northwest. That was the idea anyway

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