Large Flat Garden Deck - Ground level deck

Full decking sequence with images of decking sub frame right through to finished deck. Large garden patio decking for ease of access into garden, serves as a truly superb garden room. Excavation of the old patio area was carried out to allow room for the combined depth of the timber sub decking and finished deck. Total depth - thickness - of deck is 20cms.

The joists are 150x50mm and deck boards 28mm thick. Substantial sub deck frame required before decking is installed.

Always a pain in the neck when it has to be done, but in this case the existing paving patio had to be removed to allow the proper depth required as where the deck abuts the house - in particular the door frame sill.

Images show the clearances now available for building this ground level patio deck. The deck frame and deck boards will now fit properly under the door sill of the conservatory, and where above the damp proof course, spacer washers will be incorporated to leave a small gap between deck and house.

The ground has been cleared and sufficiently levelled to allow work to commence unhindered. In many places, the deck frame will be above the ground level. this will allow for added ventilation under the deck, and prevent the deck from soaking up the groundwater in rainy periods.

The construction of the ground level deck sub deck frame can be seen. Note that joist hangers were used for this sub frame. The deck frame divided into two by the use of an intermediate bearer joist which is well supported by posts concreted into the ground.

Laying of deck boards is now well advanced. When joining deck boards like this, extra care has to be taken to ensure that the gaps are suitable for the next layer of deck boards to be affixed.

For those who are not experienced in this size and type of decking project, it would probably be easier to lay the run of deckboards the whole length of the run, and then proceed with the next row - rather than as done here.

A good level ground level patio deck - eminently suitable for client who is confined to wheelchair. The colour of the deckboards has already toned down to the honey brow - before finally toning through to grey - unless treated with a tinted decking oil.

Finished levels on the deck can be seen matching the door sill and also under the patio doors. This makes for ease of access and egress, and is a feature that can be best utilised with a deck - rather than paved patio.

It is even more imperative that all stages of the deck and sub deck frame construction are thoroughly checked on a large decking project such as this. the basic maxim is simply never to proceed to the next stage until you are fully happy with the section of construction in hand at that moment.