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Hi Everyone
I have been going through these discussion boards for a while and finally mustered to courage to post a question here 
This would be my first deck. Have done some landscaping for myself in the past including a raised garden bed, however nothing major. As far as tools, I've a drill kit including hammer drill, a cordked circular saw and a random orbital sander.
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My proposed deck would be 350 x 370 with height from the slab between 17 - 18 cm so it stays flush with the brick and same level as my internal floor.
I've been advised that i could use H3 structural timber (140 x 45) as joists and lay decking boards on top that.
My questions,
1. How do I attach joists to the concrete? Use galvanized angle brackets like this?
2. How can I adjust the height so the finished decking board stays flush? If i used 140 board + .5 bracket + 19 mm board = it would be around 165 cm height. Which is around 1.5 cm lower than bricks. Can I use plastic wedges / window packers to compensate for around 1.5 to 2 cm?
3. This deck would be under alfresco cover and under eaves. In terms for water drainage, what would be helpful. Would the packers / wedges mentioned in Q. 2 help with the same?
On the last image, pillar is on the corner of the alfresco slab and the decking to the south of it would be on top of soil (this would 370 x 45 cm). Not much height difference from alfresco slab. What do I need to provide here under joist for support? Not enough height for a stirrup.
Thank you very much for reading through.
Community manager's note: Check out How to build a low-level deck for expert advice.
Heya @Neo19,
Sounds like a fantastic project. We are pleased you have joined in the discussion. Let me tag @Brad who might like to kick off the replies to assist you with your decking questions.
Please let me know if you ever need a hand getting the most from the site. We are looking forward to seeing how your deck progresses, and are sure you'll get loads of helpful advice and inspiration from the community for this job as well as many others to come in the future.
Cheers,
Jason
Thank you very much for your very detailed response and advice. I really appreciate your inputs.
When you say brackets on the inside does it mean the horizontal bottom which is dynabolted to concrete slab stays underneath the h3 timber like my rudimental drawing???
Am I ok to have 3 brackets per timber (3.5 meter length) or do I need more?
“I would start with getting the flush fit with the door once the decking is on and then level it from there”
Forgive me if this question sounds very stupid, but how can I level further once the frame is bolted to concrete before I lay decking? Wouldn’t the packers go underneath timber frame before I attach them to the bracket?
Am I OK to have only one screw per bracket although there are two holes? That way I could raise the timber from floor by 2-3 centimetres.
I wanted to extend the deck past the house to maximize deck space leaving just enough room for a single column stepping stone path. Also there is a water / gas point on the brick pillar and if I wanted to add a gas barbeque I could keep it in that corner. There would be only 35 x 45 cm over hang next to the pillar. It’s less likely that anyone would every stand here in terms of load over deck.
Also as you can see on the first image, alfresco sliding door is more or less flush on the left hand side while the sliding door on right hand side is recessed and one layer of brick is exposed. Do I leave this brick exposed or do I cover it with decking board?
Thanks for reading through.
While it's not the best photo for showing how to fix brackets it may give you enough to go by.
Hi @Jason Sorry for this delay. Due to various dramas, it took me a while to finish the deck. Was i completely satisfied with the outcome? May be not, as i rushed towards the end. However learned quite a few things which would be handy when I build the next deck
Will it stop leaching tannins at some stage, or should I just oil the deck around two months from conpletion? Started getting some hot days here in western Sydney.
Many thanks for the update @Neo19. You've done a great job - it looks fantastic. Hopefully it gives you the confidence and experience to know tackle your next project.
Most will advise waiting a month or two before you oil the deck for the first time. Here's what Cabots says - https://cabots.com.au/faqs/how-long-do-i-have-to-wait-to-coat
Jason
