I’d like to ask if anyone has built a concrete deck that was not slab on grade but instead was built over supports, like a wooden deck.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Source control, ventilation, and filtration are the keys to healthy indoor air quality. Dehumidification is important too.
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
jg-It can be done, but is somewhat more complicated than a wood deck partly because of the weight, partly because concrete is an unusual material for decks. It's less forgiving in some ways than wood. Talk to an architect/engineer about the options and get some plans, then contact a couple builders or contractors for bids. You might want to rethink the need for the concrete.
Not over wood, but steel, several times. Bar joists are inexpensive and provide spans considerably longer than wood.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Or maybe a composite metal deck. Looks like deep crimped metal roofing but it's actually specially designed to be self-supporting once the concrete sets.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
I've built an elevated slab deck. Start with some 18" D concrete columns. We created an eye, or pocket in them and threaded an I-beam through the eyes (now THAT was fun). The beams are at the edges of the deck, and concrete is between them. No pans or anything...just structural scaffold to form the deck bottom. For giggles, stamped and stained the surface. Sloped the deck surface and added drains every 10' or so. Wrapped the beams in stucco. The concrete and steel were engineered, of course.
Plenty...that's all the high end homes have out here. ( ok, least the ones I've worked on) Main thing it must be engineered for the weight. But essentionally they can be built like a traditional deck. Most of the ones I've worked on will have PT 2x10, 12" on center. You might even see in some cases doubled joists. But let the engineer sort all that out. Then they use torch on. then you put up perimeter forms and pour. You can use what ever finish you want ei: stamped concrete or whatever. Some I've worked on they put stone over the concrete.