1. Outdoor Decks Tim Aubin Algonquin College

2. Deck Components

3. Preparing the Site  Before beginning deck construction all sod and weeds should be removed from the deck area.  The ground should be graded at this point to ease deck construction.  Pier locations are marked and dug.  Piers and footings are placed or poured.  Landscape fabric or black plastic is then placed over the excavation area to prevent plant material from growing up under the deck.

4. Footing and Post Layout

5. Floating Decks  Decks can be solidly secured to the ground with footings and piers or if they are low to the ground they can be placed on blocks that are set directly on the ground.  This type of construction is referred to as a floating deck.  Supports for this system should be place on a layer of gravel for drainage.  Deck (Dek) Blocks can be used as supports for this type of construction.

6. Deck (DEK) Block

7. Deck Block

8. Dek Block  Dek-Block® piers are solid pre-formed concrete foundation blocks designed specifically for the Floating Foundation Deck System.  1-3/4" wide x 1-3/4" deep slot accepts 2" thick (1-1/2" net) lumber horizontally  3-3/4" square x 1-3/4" deep socket accepts 4x4 (3-1/2" x 3-1/2" net) posts vertically  Block accepts all lumber species and surfaced sizes currently manufactured in the U.S.

9. Dek Block  Blocks allow for lumber attachments in parallel and/or perpendicular configurations  6" distance from bottom of block to bottom of lumber slot  Block porosity wicks moisture from slot/lumber to ground  Each block is manufactured from 5,000 psi concrete to ensure the greatest strength and durability.  Weight: 38-45 lbs per block

10. Preparing to place the block

11. Beam, 4 X 4 Post and Deck Blocks

12. Joist on Beams on Posts on Deck Blocks

13. Beams Directly into Dek Blocks

14. Dek Block Spacing  1. Along the support boards: The maximum distance between any two piers along the 2 X 6 support board should not exceed 5 ft.  2. Between the support boards (2x6 Surface): The maximum distance between the support boards should not exceed 30 inches when using 2x6 surface boards.  3. Between the support boards (5/4 or composite Surface): The maximum distance between the support boards should not exceed 16 inches when using 5/4x6 pressure treated lumber or composite surface boards.

15. Dek Block Spacing  Spacing Dek-Block® piers for 8', 10' and 12' 2 X 6 Support Boards. Space three Dek-Block® piers along each support board as shown in the next slide. Place one Dek-Block® pier 12" in from each side and one Dek-Block® brand pier in the center of the support board.

16. Dek Block Spacing for 2 X 6 Supports, 8, 10 and 12 Feet Long

17. Dek Block Spacing  Spacing Dek-Block® piers for 14', and 16' Support Boards Space four Dek-Block® piers evenly under each board. Place one Dek- Block® pier 12" in from each side and two Dek-Block® pier evenly spaced between the support board. Space four Dek-Block® piers evenly under each board. Place one Dek- Block® pier 12" in from each side and two Dek-Block® pier evenly spaced between the support board.

18. Dek Block Spacing for 2 X 6, 14 and 16 Feet Long

19. Joints in Supports using Dek Blocks  When Two or More Support Boards are Joined End-to-End Place one Dek-Block® pier 12" in from each side. Place one Dek- Block® pier centered under the joint of the connecting boards. Place one or two Dek-Block® piers evenly spaced between each of the support boards depending on the length of the support boards

21. Plank and Beam  It is possible to deck right over supports without using joists. This is referred to as Plank and Beam Construction and is rarely used.

22. Plank and Beam Dek Block Spacing  Row Spacing for 2"x6" Surface Boards. The maximum spacing from row-to-row with 2x6 surface boards is 30 inches (when the decking boards are 90 degrees to the surface boards).

23. Plank and Beam Dek Block Spacing, 2 X6 Decking

24. Plank and Beam Dek Block Spacing  Row Spacing for 5/4"x6" and Composite Surface Boards The maximum spacing from row-to- row with 5/4x6 or composite surface boards is 16 inches. The decrease in spanning distances is in account for the decrease in strength of the surface materials The maximum spacing from row-to- row with 5/4x6 or composite surface boards is 16 inches. The decrease in spanning distances is in account for the decrease in strength of the surface materials

25. Plank and Beam Dek Block Spacing 5/4 X 6 and Composite Decking

26. Plank and Beam Construction with Dek Blocks

27. Techno Posts http://www.technometalpostontario.ca

28. TechnoPosts  This unique technology is based on the concept of using an oversized screw drilled into the ground by custom hydraulic equipment.   These metal posts give the advantage of a foundation without costly excavation. In addition, there is no heaving of the posts due to frost.

29. Techno Post Certification  IRC's Canadian Construction Materials Centre (CCMC) has just evaluated a product that gives builders in Canada another option for a foundation system to support various building constructions such as decks, sun rooms, carports, cottages and storage sheds. The product, Techno PieuxTM/Techno Metal Post, was evaluated against technical requirements developed by CCMC for this type of product and was found to meet these requirements

30. Techno Post Construction  constructed of helical-shaped, circular steel blades welded to a steel shaft  The blades, which can be single, double or triple and which are located at appropriate spacing on the shaft, have a controlled pitch  are available in diameters of 150 mm to 600 mm.  The diameter of the helix, or blade, is chosen on the basis of the bearing pressure of the soil and the load the pile is required to support.

31. Techno Post Construction  The shaft is available in various diameters and wall thickness and is covered with a ribbed polyethylene pipe, which acts as a frost sleeve to isolate the pile and keep it from being subject to annual frost heave in the surrounding soil.  comes with various other accessories, such as support plates, to facilitate adaptation to the building structure, extension shafts and connectors.

32. How Techno Posts Work  Blades are screwed into the ground using mechanized equipment with sufficient applied downward pressure (crowd) so that the anchor advances one pitch per revolution until the appropriate bearing stratum is reached or the applied torque value attains a specified value.  Extensions can be added to the shaft as needed  Applied loads may be tensile (uplift), compressive (bearing), or some combination of the two.  Helical anchors can be rapidly installed in various soil formations, using a variety of readily available equipment, and can be loaded immediately after installation.

33. Advantages of Techno Posts  No digging necessary   Guaranteed against frost heaving  No delay, construction begins as soon as posts are installed  Hot dipped galvanized  Installation equipment is less than 29" wide, so it fits through a doorway  On-site load testing before applying static load

34. Techno Post Installation

36. Techno Post

37. Techno Posts

39. Sun Room With Techno Post

40. Sonotube Foundations  fibre forms  spirally wound and laminated  inside coatings vary according to various uses  one-piece units

41. Advantages to Sonotubes  Lightweight, easy to handle, fast-forming method.  Easily sawed to proper length on job site - can be cut to tie in with walls or beams, drilled for tie-in rods or anchor bolts, or scored for utility outlets.  Any number of columns can be set, poured at one time. Variety of types to meet different forming needs.

42. Advantages of Sonotubes  Placing, bracing, pouring, stripping, and finishing require less time, less labour. Skilled labour not required as with "permanent" forms  One-piece, one-time use form.  No cleaning. No reviling. No reassembling. No return shipping.  Water (rain) resistant

43. Sonotube Sizes  Column Diameter Cubic Yd. Concrete Pour Rate Weight  (inches) per foot of height feet per hour per foot  6.0073 Convenient 0.8 lb/ft  8.0129 Convenient 1.1 lb/ft  10.0202 Convenient 1.5 lb/ft  12.0291 Convenient 1.9 lb/ft  14.0396 20 ft/hr 2.5 lb/ft  16.0617 20 ft/hr 2.8 lb/ft  18.0654 20 ft/hr 3.6 lb/ft  20.0808 20 ft/hr 4.0 lb/ft  24.1164 20 ft/hr 5.4 lb/ft  30.1818 12 ft/hr 8.8 lb/ft  36.2618 12 ft/hr 10.5 lb/ft

44. Sonotubes

45. Sonotube installation

46. Pouring Concrete into Sonotubes

47. Sonotube Footing

48. Advantage of Sonotube Footings  Pier and footing poured monolithically  Don’t need to worry about securing footing to form  Saves costs: less time, labour and material

49. Pier to Post Connection  Posts should be anchored to the piers with a HDG post anchor. The post anchor is embedded in the concrete.  Direct burial of posts should be avoided to limit rot and prevent twisting.

50. Post Base Anchor

56. Standoff  Wood is susceptible to rot. The chemicals and moisture in concrete cause rot.  Post anchors are constructed to prevent the post from contacting the concrete.  The distance from the concrete to the post is referred to as the standoff height.

57. Components: Recommended Types  Decking boards Pressure Treated Wood - Cedar, Redwood, Composite or Tropical Hardwood  Joists Pressure Treated Wood Rim Joists (outer) Top Grade Pressure Treated Wood Beams  Posts Pressure Treated Wood, Cedar or Redwood  Balusters Pressure Treated Wood, Cedar, Redwood or Composite  Rails Pressure Treated Wood, Cedar, Redwood or Composite

58. Deck Substructure  The deck substructure is the structural component of the deck.  The substructure consists of beams, joists, headers, bracing and load bearing posts.  If the posts do not extend to the ground and do not carry the weight of the deck they may be constructed of cedar. For example if they are only installed to support the handrail.

59. Structural and Non-Structural Posts

60. Rot  The Deck substructure is treated to prevent rot.  Rot results from water infiltration but may also occur with fungus infestation. This latter type of rot is referred to as “dry rot”, and results in punky wood. Either type of rot results in the loss of the structural properties of the wooden member.

61. Preventing Rot  The best way to help prevent rot is by treating the wood with a preservative which increases the wood’s resistance to both water and fungus, and sometimes, insects.  Treating wood does not indefinitely prevent rot but rather extends the life of the product.  Some woods, most notably cedar, contain natural fungicides which make them a good option for outdoor work. Cedar, however, is not a load bearing species due to its softness and thus should not be used for the deck substructure.

62. Pressure Treated Wood  Preservative-treated wood is typically pressure- treated, where the chemicals are driven a short distance into the wood using a special vessel that combines pressure and vacuum.  Although deeper penetration is highly desirable, the impermeable nature of dead wood cells makes it extremely difficult to achieve anything more than a thin shell of treated wood.  Key results of the pressure-treating process are the amount of preservative impregnated into the wood (called retention), and the depth of penetration.

63. Pressure Treated Alternatives  Waterborne, Creosote, and Oil-borne (penta) are the three broad classes of preservatives typically used when pressure-treating wood.  Wood treated with waterborne preservatives is typically used in residential, commercial and industrial building structures. Creosote is primarily used for treating railroad ties, guardrail posts, and timbers used in marine structures. Oil- borne (penta) is most often used for treating utility poles and cross arms.

64. Pressure Treated Wood, the process

65. Retention  Retention, usually expressed as kilograms of preservative per cubic metre of wood (pounds per cubic foot), is the amount of preservative retained in the wood after completion of the treating cycle and is one measure of the degree of protection provided.

66. Incised Lumber

67. New PT Laws  The Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Health Canada announced in March 2002 that the manufacturers of Chromated Copper Arsenate, (CCA) had requested a change to their pesticide registration in order to eliminate treatment with this product for the residential market. This would facilitate the introduction of new preservatives. Effective date for the change was January 1, 2004. The Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Health Canada The Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Health Canada

68. Pressure Treated Wood  Since 2004 pressure treated wood used in Canada has changed. New preservatives to treat wood first introduced in early 2002 have become the mainstay of the industry.  ACQ (amine copper quat) and CA (copper azole) will replace the traditional CCA (chromated copper arsenate) in the treatment of pressure treated wood products destined for residential applications. CCA will continue to be used to treat wood for industrial, commercial and agricultural uses. In addition, existing inventories of CCA treated wood produced before January 1, 2004 can be sold into the residential market until exhausted. (amine copper quat)(copper azole)(amine copper quat)(copper azole)

69. CCA  Wood intended for use in construction has most commonly been treated in the past with the chemical chromated copper arsenate (CCA)  CCA will still be available for shakes and shingles, permanent wood foundations, and most non- residential uses such as utility poles.

70. CCA  In CCA, the copper is the primary fungicide, the arsenic is a secondary fungicide and an insecticide, and the chromium is a fixative which also provides UV resistance.  CCA is applied to wood in a water solution and chemically reacts with the wood to form a virtually insoluble precipitate. This reaction is called fixation.  CSA standards require all wood to be tested to ensure fixation is complete before the wood leaves the treating plant.

71. ACQ  Amine copper quat (ACQ) was originally patented in Canada. It contains copper as the primary fungicide and a quaternary ammonium compound (quat) as the secondary fungicide. Quats are surfactants and some types are used to clean pipes in breweries and dairies. Others are found in moist antiseptic wipes and eyewash. ACQ’s are the most common preservatives in today’s pressure treated wood.

72. ACQ’S  In Canada, there are two main formulations for ACQ:  Type B: ACQ-B (ammoniacal)- used to better penetrate refractory species such as Douglas-fir  Type C: ACQ-C (amine)- more commonly found formulation

73. ACQ  Both chemical formulations (amine and ammoniacal) include copper oxide and a Quaternary compound as both fungicide and termicide. Both formulations give the ACQ treated wood the familiar greenish colour.

74. CA  Copper Azole (CA) is also available in Canada and is another alternative to CCA. This is a copper-based preservative with an organic secondary fungicide.

75. CA  Copper azole uses a formulation combining amine copper with a co-biocide, (tebucoazole) to protect against fungal and termite attack. In some West coast species ammonia is included in the formulation to aid in penetration. Over time, CA treated wood will weather to a honey brown and then finally weather to a grey.

76. Appearance of PT Wood  Wood products treated with the new preservatives are similar in appearance with the familiar green colour. Left to the elements treated wood will weather to a honey brown colour and eventually silver grey. Recommendations for the safe use and handling of wood treated with the new preservatives are identical to those first recommended for CCA.

77. Safety with PT Wood  NEVER BURN TREATED WOOD.  Wear gloves and long sleeves when handling treated wood  Wear dust mask, eye protection, gloves and long sleeves when sawing, sanding, shaping or otherwise machining treated wood to avoid skin contact with or inhalation of sawdust.

78. PT Safety  Where possible, cut or otherwise work with treated wood out-of-doors  Wash hands after working with the wood, and before eating, drinking, or smoking  Launder clothing before reuse. Wash separately from other clothing  After construction, all cut ends, sawdust and construction debris should be cleaned up and disposed of in accordance with local regulations

79. Installation and Maintenance of PT Wood  If wood is cut during construction, apply an appropriate "end-cut" preservative (e.g., copper naphthenate for above or below ground or zinc naphthenate for above ground only) to protect exposed, untreated wood.  Use these products according to the manufacturers instructions.

80. Installation and Maintenance of PT Wood  The service life of CCA-treated wood may be extended by regular application of coating or sealer which can protect the wood from weathering effects.  Such maintenance may also reduce the potential release of toxic chemicals from the wood.

81. Maintenance of PT Wood  The use of bleaches, deck cleaners or brighteners that contain sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, sodium percarbonate, oxalic acid, or citric acid is not recommended as they may release toxic chemicals from treated wood.

82. Installation and Maintenance of PT Wood  Use corrosion-resistant fasteners, HDG only, to minimize damage and discoloration caused by moisture and the preservatives themselves.  Use corrosion-resistant anchors for the same reason.  The new pressure treated woods have been shown to be even more corrosive that CCA. Stainless steel, cost prohibitive, or HDG connections MUST be used.

83. Staining PT Wood  Wood pressure-treated with waterborne preservatives such as ACQ or CA may be painted or stained provided the moisture content after treating is reduced to at lease 20 percent. The colour imparted to the wood by the preservative may affect the final shade of any stains used

84. Creosote  Wood that has been treated with creosote, creosote solutions or oil borne preservatives cannot be stained successfully, or painted.

85. Deck Details at House

86. Radius Edge Decking

87. Posts

88. Balusters

89. Rails and Lattice

90. Lattice Guard

91. Post and Rail Guard

92. Post and Balusters

93. Turned Posts and Balusters

94. A hole in the deck

95. Existing beam and post support

96. First joist/beam installed

97. 2 X 6 WRC Decking

98. Hand Rail Installation

99. The, almost, finished deck

100. Finished Deck View Two