Pre-cast cement footings

[96SC]

Has anyone used or know of anyone who used the pre-cast footing to support their spa deck instead of putting cement footing into the ground?
The deck DW designed will be a max of 18" off the ground (slight slope to the yard).  With 2 x 10 joists, 12" on center.  As of now we plan on putting a Vanguard on the deck.  I am a firm believer in the axiom, you get what you pay for, and the pre-cast footiings will be a lot cheaper and labor intensive than poured footings.

Any comments?  Thank you.

[Chas]

From the site: "Deck building 9" (http://www.doityourself.com/stry/8deckpierblocks)

"Pier blocks serve as a transition from the posts supporting the girder to the concrete foundation footings. Although they can be built at the site, they are available at all home centers and hard- ware stores in a range of styles and sizes and are therefore not worth the hassle of pouring them yourself. The most common type is simply a small truncated concrete pyramid on top of which the wooden post sits. The weight of the deck keeps the post in contact with the pier block A version of this is a pier block that has a small piece of redwood or pressure-treated lumber embedded in the top so that the post can be toe nailed to the block. Often metal fasteners are used in areas where there are earthquakes. They are embedded in the fresh concrete and the posts are bolted to them. This prevents the posts from shaking off the pier blocks in a quake."

I have found that you need to dig and pour a footing for best results. You also need the footing to extend above grade to keep wood from contact with earth. An easy way to do this is to simply dig a hole - below frostline if that is an issue where you live - and pour a bag or two of concrete into it. Then set a pre-cast footing block on top of the wet concrete, check for level, and you have it done! Go to the site above for good detail. Here in California we use blocks with metal straps incorporated into them, and bolt the post in place.

[Spiderman]

I've got two decks and both are a "floating" deck.  The one my tub sits on is 14 X 20 and I doubled up 2X8's either 12" or 16" o.c. for my joists 14' long.  Underneath the 2X8's I ran (2) 2X10's down the middle for extra support.  I used concrete pads that measure around 8" X 12" X 4" thick.  I scraped off the sod and leveled the pads on the dirt.  I then put my 4X4's on the concrete pads to support the deck.  Works like a charm and both decks have been in place now for 4 years with little or no shifting.  My dad's deck is also built this way and his hasn't moved in 16 years.  It's the best way IMO to build a deck.  But, all of our decks are no more than 30" off the ground, if that matters.   One final note; we have a Jetsetter so filled with water and people it's less than 3000 lbs.

[Garyjr]

96SC,

We used the precast blocks (from HD or Lowes) for our Maxxus (580 gal of water.)  I did put about a 6" based of 1" clean rock under each one, and in the little over a month since setting the tub, we have had 0 shifting and settling.
Used the same method for both our decks, and have needed to level one of them 1 time in 3 years (due to the dirt not being settled right around our pool.)
Chas does make a good point about needing to tie them down if you are in an earthquake area, but personally I just have my 4x4's sitting right in the concave of the blocks.

Jr

[geekd]

I built a floating deck last month with Dek Blocks : http://deckplans.com/faq.html

It's a pretty big deck, 22 feet wide by 12 feet deep at the center (curved front).  We used 60 Dek Blocks.  It took my wife and I about 9 hours to lay out the blocks and joists.  That was hard labor, and leveling everything was a pain in the back.  It took a further 3 days to put on the decking (Trex).  The curve was tricky, but it looks great.  The deck is 6 - 12 inches off the ground, depending on the slope of the yard.

I had never built a deck before.  It was not as hard as I thought it would be.  I'll post some pics once the whole yard is done.  We finished the paver bricks this past weekend, so now it's fence & sod.

We got the blocks at Lowes for $5.95 each and had them delivered to our driveway for an additional $65.

-geekd

[96SC]

Chas, Spiderman, Garyjr, and geekd.  You folks are just what I was looking for, 'the voice of experience'.  When we get closer to doing the project I may be contacting each of you.  Fortunately, we aren't in a quake zone or need to worry about a frost line.  The piers we are looking at using are the Dek Blocks from Lowe's.  I have some reservations on setting the piers in the correct place as DW's plans have the new deck being next to a current deck, but on a different level and joined by stairs.

We have retired neighbors, one was a contractor and another a builder.  If you can't impose upon your neighbors who else, besides family, can you impose on?  Folks in a Forum!!!!

Again, thanks.

[Chas]

We have retired neighbors, one was a contractor and another a builder.  If you can't impose upon your neighbors who else, besides family, can you impose on?  Folks in a Forum!!!!
Again, thanks.

[geekd]

I posted some pics of my deck under construction over in the General BS forum:


http://www.whatsthebest-hottub.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1157612155/0#0


You can see the Dek Block layout.

-geekd

[TrikkeAddict]

We used dek blocks also for our deck.  The plan was to put the spa on one side of the deck but at the last minute my husband decided we should put it on a concrete slab instead.  I'm glad that we did because we get more privacy with the spa being on the ground, and it's so much easier to get in and out of the spa from the deck.  Here are pictures of the building of the deck - it was hard work getting the blocks lined up and leveled, but after that it was a breeze.

http://www.pbase.com/soozin/deck&page=all

And we just had our yard landscaped and fenced so this is the finished project.

http://www.pbase.com/soozin/image/64616912

[geekd]

TrikkeAddict:  That looks great!  I like your built in bench.

-geekd

[TrikkeAddict]

Thank you geekd!!!!  It was fun building it - my husband and I did the whole thing ourselves - including the concrete pad for the spa!!!  What a job!!!  But so worth it!!

I look forward to seeing pictures of your finished yard - so far it looks really nice!!

Susan

[hottub.pool_boy]

Pour the sonotubes.

[still sore]

I'd have to agree with pool boy, 60 dek blocks @ $22 a piece is like three million dollars (OK, I'm not a math guy!

Unfortunately, I've never not had to worry about the frost line but mixing and pouring a few sonotubes really isn't as much work as it sounds.

[geekd]

I'd have to agree with pool boy, 60 dek blocks @ $22 a piece is like three million dollars (OK, I'm not a math guy!

Unfortunately, I've never not had to worry about the frost line but mixing and pouring a few sonotubes really isn't as much work as it sounds.

60 Dek Blocks @ $5.95 a piece (not $22).  

I've never built a deck before, though I did build a front fence, and set the posts in concrete, in our previous prject.

I guess what I'm getting at, is that pouring concrete foundations just seemed kinda intimidating to me.  The Dek Blocks seemed easier, and mistakes less permanent.

Now that I've done it, I think pouring footings might be just as easy.  I think for our size deck the time and money was about the same either way.

In SoCal, I don't really have to worry about weather.  No real hard rain, no strong wind, no frost.  The weather is dulll & predictable here, and I can't really complain about that, as much as I miss the odd thunderstorm.

Sorry, I'm rambling, had a few beers.

-geekd

[96SC]

I went to our County engineering dept., as a good citizen would do, to find out some of the local codes when we do build our deck.  I was hoping to find info on railings, steps, electrical, decks in general.  

I was told they follow the International Building Codes and could access them on the internet.  To get to the bottom line........A Chinese Fire Drill would be easier to understand.  (no offense to our Asian-American readers).

Looks like the best thing to do is 'Just build it and hope it doesn't fall in'.  
However, the engineer did give me some info on mistakes people normally make when building a deck. .  One of which I would have made.