When I was happy with the height, the block got another good compacting with the mallet, and more sand was added around the block to lock it in place. If I needed to raise or lower the block, more leveling sand was either added or removed. The block was removed and a layer of leveling sand was added, and compacted again as described. I added a few inches of paver base (basically a mix of jagged rocks, gravel, and sand), and compacted this layer by placing a block on it and pounding it with larger rubber mallet. To set the blocks, I made sure each hole had all loose earth removed and only hard-packed earth was at the bottom of the hole. Any differences will be made up with shims later on when the deck frame is in place. I just tried to keep the level of all the blocks within an inch or so, but there's no need to fuss over the precise height of the blocks. As long as all other blocks are set either level with this one or lower, things work out very well. Just pick the highest looking spot and set that block first. However, it's not critical to place all the blocks completely level with each other. The area where I was laying out the blocks was mostly level, which was nice. PS: I wrote an instructable on my shed too, if you're interested. The internet is overflowing with information on how to build a deck. If you're looking to build a deck, this Instructable will give you some ideas for starters but I strongly recommend taking a couple weeks and studying everything you can find before making a plan.
Total time spent was over 100 hours during a period of a couple months. The footings and framing totaled $600 and the decking itself was $1000. The total cost for this was almost exactly $1600 USD.
But it is do-able and you can save a lot of money by doing it yourself rather than hiring it out. In colder climates, the ground goes through freeze and thaw cycles which result in surface ground upheaval and movement over time, which would ruin all your work in short order.īuilding a deck is a lot of work, and it isn't cheap. This type of deck can only be made in areas that do not have a deep winter frost. It's a "floating deck," which means it simply rests on blocks at ground level, and is not anchored deeply in the ground. Here is how I built a deck in my backyard.
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