Should i use deck blocks

They are concrete forms that are buried so that your deck has something stable to sit on. Plastic piers require the digging, but unlike footings, there is no concrete involved. The pier is put into the hole and attached the post, giving you your deck without wasting hours installing footings.

One of the cheapest options out there is deck blocks, which are blocks that literally sit on the ground and provide the foundation for your deck. They will save you a good chunk of change, but you should be sure to buy more than enough so you have plenty of support for your deck.

The last thing you want is an uneven deck that begins to sink into the ground. Deck blocks come in two different types. The first one has an indentation in the top for a 4 x 4 post, and the other has a cross-shaped indentation that supports beams with no post. While ground anchored spikes are commonly used for fence posts, some of them use modified load plates and are an ideal option for your deck foundation.

Like the deck blocks, these spikes are quite cheap, and they prove more lateral strength than the deck block footing. It may seem like a hassle to have to call someone in, but the strength of your deck foundation is important, and this is a great option to consider.

I have sometimes wondered about people paying for composite decking that will last 25 years or more when they plan to move in less than five. But I digress, back to deck blocks. Deck blocks are a good idea in places like RV campground and Trailer parks, where you are not permitted to build something permanent. Deck blocks provide a good base for the deck without violating bylaws for temporary construction only. With deck blocks just like the mobile home beside it, you can jack it up on a trailer and move it to its new home without worrying about footings when the time comes.

Hey, you can even reuse the deck blocks on the next site. If you want to build a deck for the backyard in a weekend, precast deck blocks may be a good idea. Digging and pouring footings will take a day or more of your weekend.

Really eating up your deck building time. Even when properly installed, deck blocks should take no more than 30 minutes each. Poured concrete footings will often take a couple of hours or more to dig and pour. Then it would be best if you waited at least a day for the concrete to set. Concrete blocks are ready to use out of the truck.

As an added bonus, if placed incorrectly. It is a lot less work to move a deck block than a footing. Just saying. If deck blocks will provide sufficient strength, they are cheaper than poured footings and require less work. How much cheaper depends on your frost level and deck footing requirements. For the concrete, forms and post saddle.

But before we say that deck blocks are a good idea, there are some situations when deck blocks are not. There is a little weighing the pros and cons, but if you answer yes to one, deck blocks are a bad idea.

A few years ago I was building a deck in a new neighbourhood. And saw a guy climbing and frustratingly working under his deck. In the excitement of a new home, he had built a deck in the backyard before the ground had time to settle. Now his deck was sinking into the ground. I am not talking a fraction of an inch, but a sinkhole was forming below his deck block. With the deck tilting so much that a chair could slide on it. Fortunately, not too many years ago, a plastic deck pier form was introduced to the market that creates the footing at the same time as you pour the concrete pier.

The form snaps together in less than a minute and all the horizontal rebar reinforcing comes pre-cut and pre-bent. This simplistic plastic form weighs just a few pounds assembled. One person can easily pick it up and drop it into a hole. You can adjust the height of the pier to get it exactly where you want it by just adding self-compacting gravel to the bottom of the hole.

Once the form is exactly where you want it, you start to carefully backfill it with dirt to hold it in place while you pour the concrete. There are no pesky support boards you have to deal with.

The soil around the form locks it in place. A third option is to purchase precast concrete deck piers. These come in a variety of heights, contain reinforcing steel, and are extremely heavy. You can only set these using a crane or some other machinery like a backhoe that can lift the pier and gently drop it into the footing hole.

You only want to drop a precast pier into a hole one time. This approach is best executed by a professional as it is not easily achieved by the typical DIYer. The connection of the deck support post to the blocks is not consistently regulated throughout the country.

Some regions with high winds and concerns of uplift forces may not approve them, as there is typically no physical connection between the post and block. Therefore, building codes require lateral restraint at the base of a post. While pier blocks commonly have protruding concrete lugs that surround the post, there is only opinion as to whether they are of sufficient strength. Overall, pier blocks are best suited for low- or ground-level decks, where smaller framing materials are common and additional posts and blocks are not an eyesore.

Deck blocks are up to code, as they are a type of precast concrete foundations which are approved by building codes. However, local building code offices may not permit the use of deck blocks if the soil is prone to frost heaves, or there is a tendency for high or uplift winds. Continue reading, as this article discusses deck block foundations, how they compare with concrete footings, and when to use deck blocks.

Deck blocks are precast concrete blocks used to hold up beams for supporting structures, especially floating decks. There are different types of deck blocks; some have notches to hold beams, joists, and posts, which makes them excellent for constructing freestanding decks decks not attached to the building.

Though their sizes vary according to the manufacturers, deck blocks are generally 10 to inch squares, and 7 or 8 inches high, and weigh about 48 pounds. Building codes approve the use of precast concrete foundations, and deck blocks are classified as precast concrete foundations.

However, the size, bearing capacity, and composition of the blocks must be appropriate for each location. Also, it is advised to confirm from the local building code office, as some areas may require the use of additional anchors. Deck blocks are appropriate foundations for low freestanding structures. They do not decay and are largely corrosion-resistant. The blocks are preformed concrete units, as such, makes it easy and quick to construct decks.

They make excellent foundations for small to medium decks when used correctly, as they have considerable load-bearing abilities. Additionally, blocks also remove the complexity of deck construction, with rudimentary carpentry skills, one can successfully construct a deck as a DIY project. Deck blocks are great options for building a grade-level deck that requires no permits.

Concrete footings and piers are popular options for deck foundations, and you may want to know how deck blocks compare to these.