When building a deck, is it best to dig footings and put the posts in after the deck is framed or before? This has been a big debate with me and some others.
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I put them in before. Takes time to layout But framing goes easier. If your unsure on layout then by all means dig after.
definitely before. my levitation skills are poor and when I hit my head on the deck above while crawling in the mud and spiders under it, I lose my focus and the levitation thing just falls all to pieces. I can't imagine why it should be a source of controversy unless you want to get it built in the dead of winter and pour the crete in the spring after it warms up.
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This was a new idea i had seen in a book, maybe it isnt the best way. I do know that i just built a deck and after completing it, i saw a few places where i could improve. For one, i was building on a gradual slope and in the end i saw that 2 of the footing holes i dug missed the posts by the whole hole. By having the header temporarily tacked on the front of the deck before installing the posts, i could have more accuratley determined where the footing holes should be, removed the front header and dug the footings. Just a thought
Edited 9/5/2005 10:30 pm ET by UniqueBuilder
OK, I suppose if it is a high enough deck and steep sloping grade, there is an argument for that. But I have built on a 45° rock slope and hit my footing pods.
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ok... what about...
pour the concrete thick and make a pad for the post to sit on top of ?
or
Run the posts to the frost line and fill with concrete?
I never fill crete around a post. There are a dozen reasons why not to, but not the subject of this threead - search "fence posts" + concrete here on this site to see why notI don't understand your other comment.We dig hole below frost level and as with any foundation layout, we set batter boards and string to ID post locations, then install whatever of the many kinds of pier in reference to that layout.One easy basic way is to drop the plumb bob into the hole from the specified location on the strings. Thjen drive a rebar ritght on that dot. Make it long enough to protrude a few inches atop the crete, whether footer or pier. Then when setting PT posts, drill a hole in the pier bottom to seat it onto the protruding rebar.I know that the rebar will rust out when exposed, but the ground contact PT is only going to last 40-60 years anyway, so the rebar willself destruct in the same time frame.When we have easy access and digging and a backhoe or excavator on site, we use pre-cast pyramidical shaped piers 60" tall with a threaded insert to accomadate the 1/2" galv bolt for seating simpson post bases. That is the easiest, fastes and cheapest of all, and possibly the best.
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Have always done it before also.
Do it before...leave your posts long and cut them when youre ready to frame.
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I wanna say that I saw an article in FHB 'bout 2-3 years ago, and the builder temporarily supported the rim joists and a few deck joists off the ledger and some temp posts, then squared it up, and then dug the holes. It looked like a sandy soil that was fairly easy to dig in. Down here we use pickaxes and gas powered augers.
Heck, it might have been those crazy boys in Rhode Island if I remember correctly.
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All depends on height of deck off ground for me. Less than six feet, I dig and pour first....higher than that and I`ll usually do it after the framing is complete.
J. D. Reynolds
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All these replies make sense. I have also done it both ways. I think the factors to be most concerned with for digging and pouring before is acurate layout and having the time blocked out to do so patiently. Digging and pouring after definately helps you get more accurate results all around but does require temporary supports that can just get in the way.