#SPACING FOR CONCRETE DECK BLOCKS INSTALL#

I would only suggest this option if the deck does not have skirting, and you really hate the look of unfinished concrete footings under your deck. It is the strongest of all deck block’s material but requiring the most money and work. If the water cannot freeze, it will not heave. Holding the beam or post up and out of the water.Ĭoncrete does not provide drainage, but if below the frost level is less critical. The strength of a footing below the heaving frost but clean in appearance. But in some applications, a deck block resting on top of a frost level footing is a good option. Not as common as the three other options because generally, you are using deck blocks to avoid the mess and work of concrete.

Poured Concrete Footing under a Deck Block Similar to sand but a little finer but with the added advantage that limestone naturally prevents weed growth. Pour into the hole, give it a couple of taps with the tamper and your set. A fine powder that very easily can be compacted and levelled. The opposite of gravel on the spectrum in regards to size. Not dropping one corner first, pushing away the sand and making the base unlevel. Simple shovel it into the hole, level with a block of wood and place the deck block.īecause it moves so easily, you will need to lower the block down carefully, evenly and level. Not quite half that of gravel but really close.īut for workability, you can’t get much easier. The same can happen under the deck.Ĭontinuing with the sandcastle example, you can form sand in your hand way easier than gravel, which is a good thing but at the cost of less strength. It won’t last all day, but you can make a small pool in your castle. Like when you build a sandcastle on the beach and fill the moat with a bucket of water. Not to the point of pooling, but will hold back some water with sand. Compacted sand will slow down drainage but not stop it. Sand is the middle of the road, a compromise of characteristics of material options.īetter drainage than topsoil but not as good as gravel. They all provide drainage under the deck block, non-organic resisting decay, and are easy to work with. Gravel, sand and limestone screening all meet the three criteria. With that, let’s look at a few recommended base material to put under a deck block. Creating a level base for the deck block with minimal work. Material that can be screeded or even flatten with a hand tamper. You want something easy to compact and level. It may be level during construction, but it can no longer support the deck as it rots and crumble. This is why wood is not a good base under a deck block. Not rotting and decomposing over time or even shift under the deck load. Whatever you use to level and support the deck block, it must be stable.

Draining the water away from the deck block, removing the potential of damaging the deck. But drainage will minimize the impact of water on the deck. Not as good as footings set below the frost level. Then sinking in the spring as the melting snow and ice wash away the ground, creating a pothole under the deck block.ĭrainage is the solution. When water freezes, it expands, and when it melts, it washes away the material around it. What you use for the base under the deck block will determine how stable the deck and blocks will be. You are using deck blocks to provide a stable base for your deck. A large rock may be strong but getting a deck block levelled on it makes a boulder a poor material under a deck block. Material that is easy to work with and level is a bonus. It must not decompose with time but provide a stable base for years to come. Regardless of what you put under a deck block, it must not absorb water but provide good drainage.

#SPACING FOR CONCRETE DECK BLOCKS INSTALL#

You should not install deck blocks on wood, organic material (Grass) or loam (dark soil).īefore discussing some specific materials for under deck blocks, let’s explain the essential material qualities. Deck blocks can also be set on poured concrete columns dug to below the frost level.

You can put gravel, sand, or limestone screening under a deck block. The deck’s stability and strength and the blocks supporting it are determined by what you put under it.ĭeck blocks should be installed on stable, non-organic material with good drainage. How you install the deck blocks and what you put under them will determine if you have a deck to enjoy for years. Making deck blocks light work and budget-conscious but giving you a great outdoor living space to enjoy your yard.īut deck blocks are only as good as they are supported. You can have stable support for your deck for less than $20 and a half an hour of work. Deck blocks are great for building a low backyard deck.

Spacing for concrete deck blocks