Raised Decking project on sloping garden - dartford Kent.

Two decks - angled and octagonal with a substantial pergola included. A substantial staircase was also included to connect the decks. Overall the double decks were a feature - almost a theme park within the garden.

Combined, the two decks made for useful sitting space in the steeply sloped garden. Sloping gardens and decks are made for each other - as can be seen by these images.

Sketch Plan shows approximate position and dimensions of both decks with linking steps. There is a steep slope to garden, and heights of decks at highest points will be in the region of 1.8metres. (There is also a small bridge over a dry ditch - which has been proposed to develop as a 'dry' stream bed.

Decking is an ideal way to 'level' a sloping garden.

A substantial pergola will also be included on the octagonal deck.

Basic plan - diagram - not to scale. With angles etc to sort according to ground space and contours. In this instance the experience of the decking team - together with the vision of the client was enough to bring the sketch plan to a satisfactory conclusion. It was very much a case of "Let's build the first deck, and then visualise, where to go after that.

Prior to work starting!

Looking down on to octagonal deck area : View up through the proposed deck areas : Proposed 'dry' stream bed - looking down through deck area :

Building the main deck frame for a sloping garden.

All images can be clicked for enlargement

Basic Frame erected and concreted into ground.
Whereas building a deck frame for a deck on a sloping garden is no different structurally than that of a substantial flat deck, the slope of the garden makes the task much more difficult to assemble, level and line up.

It helps a lot if the highest part of the deck frame can be positioned on level ground. You can see here where some of the slope has been cut out of the garden to allow this to be so.

The structural procedure is basically the same as most decking frames.

Fix joist hangers to the front plats frame.
Position the frame base plate.
Install bearers on which the joist will sit. These can be temporally clamped until the whole frame is constructed.
Sling the end joists only from joist hangers on to the deck bearers.
Then the bearers can be double checked for level and position. If happy, then bold the bearers to supporting posts.
Place all remaining joists in hangers and on top of bearer.
Brace the loose joists with a length of decking or joist.
Fix the joists into the joist hangers with galvanised nails - or screws.
Mark the joists to be cut - in this case at an angle.
Double check all measurements and ensure that the frame is square where need s to be.
Cut the joists and then fix the end plate by angle nailing through end plate into the joists.
Double check everything - then concrete in the bearer support posts.

Once the concrete has set, you will (should) have a sturdy deck from - level surface - from which to work and install the balustrade newels.

You can now install additional bearers as requires - in this case at no more than 1.8meters distance.

Bear in mind that working on a steep slope will have many extra hazards compared with working on float ground.

View from lower end of scheme : Getting to grips with the balustrade newel posts

The additional bearer in the centre of the deck has also been installed.
The balustrade railings newel posts have been fixed to the outside of the deck - not notched - to allow for the balustrade spindles to be fixed to the deck fascia when finished. This will give additional support for the balustrade, on what is essentially a raised deck - even if a deck on a sloping garden.

In this instance, the highest part of the deck was at 1.5m (5ft). It is nonetheless a raised deck and must be built with all the specifications that would apply to a deck evn twice that height.

Get started on the lower deck - which is to be finished in octagonal shape, but essentially a rectangle frame to start. Note the extending upright support posts. these are to be used to fix the pergola! Whaw! An octagonal deck AND a pergola on a sloping garden deck complex! Just wait till you see the pergola detail on the next page.

After the rectangular deck frame was installed, a few slats of timber were laid down to allow the client to visualise how the octagon would look.

They were not fixed. This allows the client to move things about a bit - as they are inclined to do if invited to do so!

In the event, the 'octagon' shape was exactly as the client wanted :-)

In building an octagonal shape, extra attention had to be given to the supports under the frame - both upright and bearers. It is always advisable - however experienced you are - to draw up a sketch of the frame and support areas. Methods of supporting an octagonal deck will often be different to supporting a standard rectangular frame.

The supports of a raised octagonal deck - especially when on sloping ground - should be thought out carefully. With sloping ground - especially if the ground has been made up over years - bear in mind that gravity will almost always try to make the slope move downwards.

Angled deck now decked, newels fixed and well supported. Octagonal deck ready to be given final shape after client agreement. Not too bad for a couple of days work!

Octagonal Deck - Pergola - sloping Garden. - Day 3