Deck layouts

[R650R]

Deck layouts.....

pondering designs.... wether to go standard square type or adventure into other shapes and layouts, wrap around corner of house etc..... is its worth the cost of consents and supervision etc to go past the 20m2 thre4shold I have room to do so easily.......

Top left of image is back door and kitchen area where the sunny side is, deck to be built here somewhere and maybe spa pool nearby....

[Moi]

On one hand consider where the sun will be during summer and would you want to be on a deck in full sun at that time of year and on the other hand what about having somewhere to sit in the winter sun? Is it possible to roof part or all of deck and make it a verandah which can be used on wet days as well? What about privacy from the street?

Just a few thoughts...

We have a verandah across the back of the house which is north facing, about 12 ft wide and roofed - it's like another room off the kitchen/family area and can be used almost all year round.

[GazzaH]

Our house has decking about 2m out wrapped around 3 sides of the house ... but we really only need pads by the doors, and a piece big enough for table & chairs plus a barbeque, in an area that catches the summer evening sun on the West side.

[Akzle]

do you not have a wife to make decisions for you?? asking KB about all this domestic shit...

[Honest Andy]

do you not have a wife to make decisions for you?? asking KB about all this domestic shit...

Ar come on azzle, be helpful, you always seemed like such a knowledgeable deckhead :laugh:

[Honest Andy]

is its worth the cost of consents and supervision etc to go past the 20m2 thre4shold I have room to do so easily.....

oh whoops, there's a m2 threshold? I thought you could do what you liked up to 1m high... I hope the council doesn't spot my deck or I might die in a firey tornado of non-compliant dooooom

[pritch]

Guy in the States I used to correspond with had a mate who built decks for people. I imagined fairly basic decks, the sort of thing you see around here. My guy put together a promotional CD for the builder and sent me some of the photos. Those bloody things were like Japanese temples. Amazing stuff, built around trees, built in seating, multiple levels, a real eye opener. Sadly that was back about three computers ago and both of them have died since so no pics now.

[Akzle]

. Sadly that was back about three computers ago and both of them have died since so no pics now.

damn son, betcha they were recoverable if you didn't chuck them out. or let windows try and fix it.

[Akzle]

square is easy and any youngblood with an apron and nailey could put one together.

hardwood tread>pine. but needs predrilling (=more time+money)
FSC>rape and pillage, but do your homework cos kwila is like kauri, and not always managed.

round is fokken sikk, but expensive. -agons and shit are In between obviously.

dont much care for teh rules but:
<1.5m height doesnt require handrails so less subfloor framing but even at that height may require braced pile system.

sails are versatile but need good poles. clearlite etc CAN be easier. dont fix anything to the house keep that shit freestanding

[Akzle]

and if u want a spa pool on-deck will need m0ar joisting and shit. in-deck you could sit it on concrete pad and build up around it.
presumably that aerial is north-up.

you could of course build several 19.9m decks abbutted to each other.


give me a call bro. my rate's top fucken notch.

[george formby]

On one hand consider where the sun will be during summer and would you want to be on a deck in full sun at that time of year and on the other hand what about having somewhere to sit in the winter sun? Is it possible to roof part or all of deck and make it a verandah which can be used on wet days as well? What about privacy from the street?

Just a few thoughts...

We have a verandah across the back of the house which is north facing, about 12 ft wide and roofed - it's like another room off the kitchen/family area and can be used almost all year round.

Couldn't agree more. We have verandas on 3 sides of the house, 1 for storing a vast quantity of shoite, 1 where we spend most of our relaxing time, night and day, and 1 for the evening sun and firewood. Almost doubles the size of the house.

As Axolotl says, shade sales are very versatile, too. But defo need some heavy duty structure to keep them in place, not the house..

Getting the foundation bang on is paramount and what really takes the time, after that it's a jigsaw regardless of the design you decide on. And yeah, measure accurately and pre drill hard wood. Allow room for expansion and contraction.

[Swoop]

Go to your local timber merchant (trade supplier - not a DIY place) and tell them what you want to do. They have heaps of good ideas and suggestions.

I took a plan to my local ITM timber yard and the guy said "nah, whack another joist in so you can go down to 19mm decking. She'll be solid as!" and he was right.

[Laava]

Go to your local timber merchant (trade supplier - not a DIY place) and tell them what you want to do. They have heaps of good ideas and suggestions.

I took a plan to my local ITM timber yard and the guy said "nah, whack another joist in so you can go down to 19mm decking. She'll be solid as!" and he was right.
Yep, the 35mm stuff can be a prick to straighten sometimes as well, although when you put down the 35x140mm decking, it looks quite classy. IMO!

[Moi]

Something else to think about...

decking that is grooved is not very pleasant to walk on with bare feet...

[Mike.Gayner]

Grooved decking should be illegal, and use of it should be punishable by being flogged to death.

[Laava]

Something else to think about...

decking that is grooved is not very pleasant to walk on with bare feet...


Grooved decking should be illegal, and use of it should be punishable by being flogged to death.

What the fuck is wrong with you people! For fucks sake its like the story of the princess and the pea!

[ellipsis]

...turn the shit flat side up like it's supposed to be and that dislike problem goes away...

[Honest Andy]

A builder told me a plausible theory about that grooved decking, he reckoned it was originally meant to be used groove side down to prevent water capilliarying in between the decking and the joist, then not drying out, causing rot. I've seen a few rotten decks and he could be right. But then some smartarse advertising exec called it Griptread and now we have decks that are groove side up and slipperier than a politician who's been caught lying about tape recording office conversations...

[russd7]

A builder told me a plausible theory about that grooved decking, he reckoned it was originally meant to be used groove side down to prevent water capilliarying in between the decking and the joist, then not drying out, causing rot. I've seen a few rotten decks and he could be right. But then some smartarse advertising exec called it Griptread and now we have decks that are groove side up and slipperier than a politician who's been caught lying about tape recording office conversations...

no could be right about it, he is right.

on another note, im surprised no one has picked up the big problem with all this, he hasn't formed a proper educated opinion about whether he needs a deck or can even afford one, the money should be going in to making the shed bigger as there is a heap of wasted space that should be filled up with more shed

[russd7]

been caught lying about tape recording office conversations...

missed that bit of ya statement, yeah never liked the slimy little prick, put me right off voting national and will never vote for the other party that allowed the leader of their party at the time to firstly apologize for being a man followed up by saying that it was going to be party policy to have a quota of women in the seats, fucken politics, who started that

[Akzle]

Something else to think about...

decking that is grooved is not very pleasant to walk on with bare feet...

that's because that shit is UPSIDE DOWN. whichever asshole sold that as "griptread" should be shot.

the grooves promote circulation of air over the landing on joists so they don't rot.

[BMWST?]

19 mm decking is shit unless the joists are only 400 mm apart.Even then it can have a springy feel underfoot.Get the griptred decking and use it upside down except for the borders.Cantilever the joitsand bearers out from the piles a bit so that the piles remain invisible and deck looks like its just floating there

[Moi]

that's because that shit is UPSIDE DOWN. whichever asshole sold that as "griptread" should be shot.

the grooves promote circulation of air over the landing on joists so they don't rot.

Don't have it on either the front or back verandah floors - have a proper villa style verandah floor on the front [T&G sloping to the outer edge] and the back is one of the hard woods - been down too long to remember what the builder used...

If anyone had suggested using that crappy stuff they'd have been shown the door and probably propelled out the door with some help from my boot.

[neels]

Something else to think about...

decking that is grooved is not very pleasant to walk on with bare feet...
Thats because its the wrong way up, the grooves are to stop it rotting against the joists.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

[Akzle]

obviously i didnt read any other cunt's shit befoer posting that.
point remains.



19 mm decking is shit unless the joists are only 400 mm apart.Even then it can have a springy feel underfoot.Get the griptred decking and use it upside down except for the borders.Cantilever the joitsand bearers out from the piles a bit so that the piles remain invisible and deck looks like its just floating there

450 nigga. can go out to 550 with 32mm tread.

200 is max legal cantilever nowdays. boundary joisting yo.

[Akzle]

Don't have it on either the front or back verandah floors - have a proper villa style verandah floor on the front [T&G sloping to the outer edge] and the back is one of the hard woods - been down too long to remember what the builder used...

If anyone had suggested using that crappy stuff they'd have been shown the door and probably propelled out the door with some help from my boot.

rich white guys, ehh...

[Moi]

rich white guys, ehh...

Shh! don't tell IRD...

[Akzle]

Shh! don't tell IRD...

no fear geezer, i dont talk to them. evar.

but i'll totally laud it over you when i need a couch to crash on

[Akzle]

wait? auckland? na fuck you.

[eldog]

There has been a lot of good suggestions already:clap:

i have a larger than normal eave around my house.
there is a small deck area on one side of the northern corner..
there are 2 bench type seating areas on each side.
really nice in the evening, afternoon or lunch to sit there and shoot the breeze, plan a ride.

i value privacy after living in a house which had 7 neighbours.

suggest making 3 separate decks. my deck extends 2m from the house and is 4m wide, I have visions of extending it and getting rid of the 1.6 drop on one side with a ramp in the same style.
at each end of the deck the benches are approx 300 wide and one has a return which I find very nice, as I can have the sun on my back, knocking back a drink.

suggest making deck stand further out from house than benches, say 2.4, benches 2m.
bench seats so you can sit either side. Being able to select which area to sit due to weather is nice. Maybe you can have a divider that you could move to provide shelter/shade as required.

one deck would be the back
one deck would be the side
one would form the corner.
bench seats wouldn't go to edge, so you have some roomo walk around on the deck without stepping on the grass etc.

if your kitchen is close you may want to add a bench outside the window and a sliding window for access. For food etc.

if there is grass, would place a nib or paver to make cutting the grass next to the deck easier.
if you stain it, use some of that deck cleaner then stain it, probably have to do it each year.
best in dry weather. Brush is slowest but puts more on and looks best if careful. A speed brush on a pole works wonders if you have forgotten and someone is coming round in a few days. Which reminds me I will have to redo mine in a month or two.

one of my mates has an area, they call the sunroom, it's enclosed, they have a clear roof and windows all round. During the summer they place blinds on the inside of the roof and have slatted curtains with the windows open. Winter they remove the roof blinds and have a cosy area to work/play in which is not the house. Basically it's a conservatory.

i would like to have a sail cloth or one of those retractable awnings that RVs have, but Akzles post about keeping it separate from the house, has made me re think this idea. Was going to do it as I am planning to remove the internal guttering with external(or enclosed) spouting. This needs a new fascia board etc, ideal time to incorporate such additions.

my current house came with a sunken spa pool, never used it. Sold it. It was as cold as ice and when it rained it floated completely out of the ground, as it couldn't retain any water, a pipe had a crack in it.

Insulate the spa, Or buy one of those portable ones, you can take it with you.

[Moi]

wait? auckland? na fuck you.

Something good about living in Auckland... it's an Akzle-free zone. :laugh:

[R650R]

do you not have a wife to make decisions for you?? asking KB about all this domestic shit...

She's too busy cooking ,cleaning and other wifey shit to be trust with grande engineering projects of national siginificance lol

[Akzle]

Something good about living in Auckland... it's an Akzle-free zone. :laugh:

just wait till i'm voted king, asshole. better hope you have a boat handy.

[R650R]

oh whoops, there's a m2 threshold? I thought you could do what you liked up to 1m high... I hope the council doesn't spot my deck or I might die in a firey tornado of non-compliant dooooom

In general most coucils are as per MBIE building code exemptions, you can go 20m2 and up to 1m? high without resource consent/permit etc..... The issue being once you go large you have to have the work done by or supervised by a builder etc adding to cost.....

[R650R]

and if u want a spa pool on-deck will need m0ar joisting and shit. in-deck you could sit it on concrete pad and build up around it.
presumably that aerial is north-up.

you could of course build several 19.9m decks abbutted to each other.


give me a call bro. my rate's top fucken notch.

wondering how tricky you can get with cheating the system.... BTW anything that is improving disabled access is exempt fromneeding council permit, so a big kick ass ramp (motorcycle emtrance to house) is not blowing out yourm2 like integral steps m,ight....

[eldog]

just wait till i'm voted king, asshole. better hope you have a boat handy.
Auckland 'City of Sails'

South Auckland: stopping the rest of Auckland from leaving

i have access to boat, so no worries.

[eldog]

wondering how tricky you can get with cheating the system.... BTW anything that is improving disabled access is exempt fromneeding council permit, so a big kick ass ramp (motorcycle emtrance to house) is notblowing out yourm2 like integral steps m,ight....
From memory you need an 'approved builder' to build a disabled access ramp.
i have a similar idea which would get rid of my current over height problem. I have no idea who :sweatdropbuilt the current deck.:pinch:

or do you need a disabled builder to build an approved ramp:whistle:

[R650R]

Something else to think about...

decking that is grooved is not very pleasant to walk on with bare feet...

long as its not any worse than working on concrete floors ;)

Already have this out front, getting cleaned and aquadecked soon.... on shaded side of house tho.....

Bit more info, the top of image in first post is pretty much facing north...

[R650R]

no could be right about it, he is right.

on another note, im surprised no one has picked up the big problem with all this, he hasn't formed a proper educated opinion about whether he needs a deck or can even afford one, the money should be going in to making the shed bigger as there is a heap of wasted space that should be filled up with more shed

No I cant afford the deck but I am going to have one lol, along with my spa pool and new fence and gates... Shed will be motorbike only so ample although 1m shorted than current place.

[Swoop]

Make multiple decks of 20m?

Wait until the local cuntcil do their annual comparison with google earth (too pricey to hire aircraft and photo the area like they used to) then join the decks together!




19 mm decking is shit unless the joists are only 400 mm apart.Even then it can have a springy feel underfoot.
Yup, that's what the ITM guy suggested to me and I did. No springy-ness whatsoever.

I also laughed at the engineer who noted on his bracing calculations that "some movement will be noticeable". Hah! Not the way I built it. That mother is solid - even 3m up and on poles!

[BMWST?]

Make multiple decks of 20m?

Wait until the local cuntcil do their annual comparison with google earth (too pricey to hire aircraft and photo the area like they used to) then join the decks together!




Yup, that's what the ITM guy suggested to me and I did. No springy-ness whatsoever.

I also laughed at the engineer who noted on his bracing calculations that "some movement will be noticeable". Hah! Not the way I built it. That mother is solid - even 3m up and on poles!

thats the way!If the deck isnt that wide then an extra joist or three doesnt make much difference ,because the 25 mm decking is cheaper.
Nothing worse in my opinion than any kind of discernible movement in a deck or a upper floor.Big decks sometimes have a vibration/lateral movement that i hate.The deck it self is solid ie no flexing of the actual decking but whatever is moving i dont like it!

[HenryDorsetCase]

We have a verandah across the back of the house which is north facing, about 12 ft wide and roofed - it's like another room off the kitchen/family area and can be used almost all year round.

Agree with you. Often they arent that practical a space - your sounds great. I am currently mulling over something similar. Our most used deck (we have two) is tiny (around 3 x 3 m) but it doubles as my outdoor kitchen - I fucking hate open plan kitchen living and hate stinking up the house particulary if I am cooking fish or meat or whatever.. I was going to put up a roof over it but at this point I am leaning towards a shade sail. basically to keep the rain off while I am cooking...

a lot of our Chinese clients designing houses have two kitchens too - one indoor and one outdoor for precisely that reason.

[george formby]

Agree with you. Often they arent that practical a space - your sounds great. I am currently mulling over something similar. Our most used deck (we have two) is tiny (around 3 x 3 m) but it doubles as my outdoor kitchen - I fucking hate open plan kitchen living and hate stinking up the house particulary if I am cooking fish or meat or whatever.. I was going to put up a roof over it but at this point I am leaning towards a shade sail. basically to keep the rain off while I am cooking...

a lot of our Chinese clients designing houses have two kitchens too - one indoor and one outdoor for precisely that reason.

Very pertinent for those of the cooking persuasion. I use the BBQ most weekends, charcoal and Ti tree. Goes on at 10am and my beef cheeks are ready by 6pm..:drool: Can't do that inside..

The better half loves having a clean oven, too.

[ellipsis]

...I can't even begin to count the number of decks , verandahs I have built, but being the resident chippy in a very steep, sloped, town for more years than I like to remember and then shifting to another steep, valleyed area where I built more of the bloody things, I can say that of all the BIG decks I have built I reckon most of them only use 10 to 20% of the space, the rest is just a wasted, preconceived idea of a lifestyle of the rich and famous...some of my decks have been twenty to thirty feet high on the downside of the slope...I wouldn't touch the thin 'heinous, penis radiata' decking, even if the joists were a foot apart...there is not enough guts in the board size to handle wet, hot, cold, moist seasons like we have here...I dont even like the 35 mm stuff but will always go with the clients, wishes...I always let my feelings be felt...80% of the decks I have done have been 40mm Macro-Carpa...a little more work involved, but a better result than the 'heinous penis', route...

[Akzle]

thats the way!If the deck isnt that wide then an extra joist or three doesnt make much difference ,because the 25 mm decking is cheaper.
Nothing worse in my opinion than any kind of discernible movement in a deck or a upper floor.Big decks sometimes have a vibration/lateral movement that i hate.The deck it self is solid ie no flexing of the actual decking but whatever is moving i dont like it!

somebody skimped on their BUs..

doesn't take much to make shit unshakable.

[BMWST?]

...I can't even begin to count the number of decks , verandahs I have built, but being the resident chippy in a very steep, sloped, town for more years than I like to remember and then shifting to another steep, valleyed area where I built more of the bloody things, I can say that of all the BIG decks I have built I reckon most of them only use 10 to 20% of the space, the rest is just a wasted, preconceived idea of a lifestyle of the rich and famous...some of my decks have been twenty to thirty feet high on the downside of the slope...I wouldn't touch the thin 'heinous, penis radiata' decking, even if the joists were a foot apart...there is not enough guts in the board size to handle wet, hot, cold, moist seasons like we have here...I dont even like the 35 mm stuff but will always go with the clients, wishes...I always let my feelings be felt...80% of the decks I have done have been 40mm Macro-Carpa...a little more work involved, but a better result than the 'heinous penis', route...


so what in your opinion would be a good sized deck and what would YOU use as the decking/joist combo.Why is mac more work than pine?

[ellipsis]

...as far as size goes, that would be only opinion, mine...a couple of things I have observed is, on a deck that is on sloped ground, often the side decks are as big as the view/ sunny disposition side which is to be the main playground but often the huge wide side deck is also just a pathway to the main deck yet is often 3 or 4 meters wide yet in their life only get 1.2 meters of them used...that's a big heap of money on materials and labour for no apparent reason...on a flatter section stepped decks of the permitted max size or less, juxtaposed in whatever semblance can be more interesting and split decks into different zone, one of which should be covered...this doesn't mean it has to be the bit off the house covered but generally that makes for a more useful seasonal use of the deck...

...I like working with square posts and recently used 200 x200 pinus about 4.8 meters long...they were overkill and a cunt to work with...150 square posts are not that bad for tall structures but what you pay for and what you get is sometimes a mile apart, twisting, opening etc...round poles are just plain ugly to me unless they are completely covered in...as with all building, timber dimensions are often irrelevant when it come to strength, it's more about correct and enough bracing...I wont go over a 400mm center with any 100x50 joist and these would be on a minimum 150 x50 or 100x100 bearers though square bearers seem to bow or twist more than a longer dimensional timber...

...things seemed to have changed over the 45+ years since I started swinging a hammer and not always for the better...I don't think I'm just being a stuck in the past type of cunt when I say that, if we wanted to buy shit timber in the past we would have had to ask for it... I have always bought my Macro direct from a miller and sorting, taking the arris off and general time spent on drilling etc puts it in the 'a fair bit more work', category than 500 meters of Pinus straight off the big machine...I'm a bit green, and that's not round the gills, when it comes to using hardwood for decks...yeah it looks good, it rots out at the same pace as any other decking in bad situations and looks as tatty as a heinous penis deck if not looked after and I think it's a waste of a fairly good timber resource...

[Moi]

Agree with you. Often they arent that practical a space - your sounds great. I am currently mulling over something similar. Our most used deck (we have two) is tiny (around 3 x 3 m) but it doubles as my outdoor kitchen - I fucking hate open plan kitchen living and hate stinking up the house particulary if I am cooking fish or meat or whatever.. I was going to put up a roof over it but at this point I am leaning towards a shade sail. basically to keep the rain off while I am cooking...

a lot of our Chinese clients designing houses have two kitchens too - one indoor and one outdoor for precisely that reason.


Very pertinent for those of the cooking persuasion. I use the BBQ most weekends, charcoal and Ti tree. Goes on at 10am and my beef cheeks are ready by 6pm..:drool: Can't do that inside..

The better half loves having a clean oven, too.

A few years ago a colleague of the time was saying they'd installed an "outside kitchen", under the carport alongside the garage, which consisted of a stainless steel bench with inbuilt double sink, gas hobs and a small under bench fridge which had come via TradeMe from someone "upgrading" their kitchen.

[george formby]

A few years ago a colleague of the time was saying they'd installed an "outside kitchen", under the carport alongside the garage, which consisted of a stainless steel bench with inbuilt double sink, gas hobs and a small under bench fridge which had come via TradeMe from someone "upgrading" their kitchen.

:laugh: I had a 6 burner gas hob and sink unit intended for such a thing, someone's rubbish, but have changed my mind. Too much like a filleting station and the steel hurts your eyes on a nice day.
The latest plan is polished granite slabs, Californian oak wine barrels, macrocapa bench tops, wood fired pizza oven (made from the bricks of my chimney when it gets pulled down), hot and cold smoker / bbq, and a big char-grill topped with storm water drain grills for the cooking surface. An "ice pond" for beer and heat gun ignition system for the neolithic toys.

My place is like Steptoe's yard, just need to pull finger and make it happen. Then again, good things take time.

Oh decks, sorry, I ventured into outdoor living. Moi, you're naughty.

[Moi]

:laugh: I had a 6 burner gas hob and sink unit intended for such a thing, someone's rubbish, but have changed my mind. Too much like a filleting station and the steel hurts your eyes on a nice day.
The latest plan is polished granite slabs, Californian oak wine barrels, macrocapa bench tops, wood fired pizza oven (made from the bricks of my chimney when it gets pulled down), hot and cold smoker / bbq, and a big char-grill topped with storm water drain grills for the cooking surface. An "ice pond" for beer and heat gun ignition system for the neolithic toys.

My place is like Steptoe's yard, just need to pull finger and make it happen. Then again, good things take time.

Oh decks, sorry, I ventured into outdoor living. Moi, you're naughty.


The "latest plan" is definitely a step up from stainless steel bench... :2thumbsup


As for venturing into outdoor living, isn't that what decks are about?


As for being naughty...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJmg-879j5o

[george formby]

Dick Emery! I am floored. Totally decked me, heh. :wings:

[HenryDorsetCase]

:laugh: I had a 6 burner gas hob and sink unit intended for such a thing, someone's rubbish, but have changed my mind. Too much like a filleting station and the steel hurts your eyes on a nice day.
The latest plan is polished granite slabs, Californian oak wine barrels, macrocapa bench tops, wood fired pizza oven (made from the bricks of my chimney when it gets pulled down), hot and cold smoker / bbq, and a big char-grill topped with storm water drain grills for the cooking surface. An "ice pond" for beer and heat gun ignition system for the neolithic toys.

My place is like Steptoe's yard, just need to pull finger and make it happen. Then again, good things take time.

Oh decks, sorry, I ventured into outdoor living. Moi, you're naughty.

Shit, while I think of it: I have a bunch of cut up macrocarpa which is bone dry - do you reckon it would be good for charcoal? It burns pretty hot so I think it would be at least OK.

Oh, and beef cheeks - yum. do you add extra liquid to them? (guinness, red wine?) I very rarely can source them from my butcher they are so popular. And forget stuff like beef short ribs unless you preorder. Got a decent recipe today (at least it sounds nice) for pulled beef mexican style which I will try in the next week or so.

[HenryDorsetCase]

...as far as size goes, that would be only opinion, mine...a couple of things I have observed is, on a deck that is on sloped ground, often the side decks are as big as the view/ sunny disposition side which is to be the main playground but often the huge wide side deck is also just a pathway to the main deck yet is often 3 or 4 meters wide yet in their life only get 1.2 meters of them used...that's a big heap of money on materials and labour for no apparent reason...on a flatter section stepped decks of the permitted max size or less, juxtaposed in whatever semblance can be more interesting and split decks into different zone, one of which should be covered...this doesn't mean it has to be the bit off the house covered but generally that makes for a more useful seasonal use of the deck...

...I like working with square posts and recently used 200 x200 pinus about 4.8 meters long...they were overkill and a cunt to work with...150 square posts are not that bad for tall structures but what you pay for and what you get is sometimes a mile apart, twisting, opening etc...round poles are just plain ugly to me unless they are completely covered in...as with all building, timber dimensions are often irrelevant when it come to strength, it's more about correct and enough bracing...I wont go over a 400mm center with any 100x50 joist and these would be on a minimum 150 x50 or 100x100 bearers though square bearers seem to bow or twist more than a longer dimensional timber...

...things seemed to have changed over the 45+ years since I started swinging a hammer and not always for the better...I don't think I'm just being a stuck in the past type of cunt when I say that, if we wanted to buy shit timber in the past we would have had to ask for it... I have always bought my Macro direct from a miller and sorting, taking the arris off and general time spent on drilling etc puts it in the 'a fair bit more work', category than 500 meters of Pinus straight off the big machine...I'm a bit green, and that's not round the gills, when it comes to using hardwood for decks...yeah it looks good, it rots out at the same pace as any other decking in bad situations and looks as tatty as a heinous penis deck if not looked after and I think it's a waste of a fairly good timber resource...


I love macrocarpa. When we bought this house in 1998 we planned the new garage we wanted, then changed it to the new garage we could afford, and did all the landscaping in macrocarpa cut 200 x100 (i.e. railway sleeper size) but cut to length. It lasted about 15 years in the ground and is currently being replaced where necessary. I've not seen decking but would totally use it. It smells so nice when cut!

[Laava]

Shit, while I think of it: I have a bunch of cut up macrocarpa which is bone dry - do you reckon it would be good for charcoal? It burns pretty hot so I think it would be at least OK..

It is full of turpentine and totally unusable for the smoker. Not sure if it's transformation to charcoal would enable it for food use?

[Laava]

I love macrocarpa. When we bought this house in 1998 we planned the new garage we wanted, then changed it to the new garage we could afford, and did all the landscaping in macrocarpa cut 200 x100 (i.e. railway sleeper size) but cut to length. It lasted about 15 years in the ground and is currently being replaced where necessary. I've not seen decking but would totally use it. It smells so nice when cut!

Macrocarpa is a great timber to use inside your house for a varnished or oiled finish as it has lovely colour and grain. Outside it is average at best, doesn't take to paint as well as other timbers, is useless for the likes of weatherboards because it will cup and crack badly but makes for good beams and esp landscaping. It used to be a cheap timber that you couldnt get rid of, then became popular and expensive. I did a large floor in mac clears and itt looked like a lake of honey when it was varnished, unfortunately, it is very soft so didn't bear up as well as they would have liked.

[ellipsis]

...I have been using locally milled Macro for thirty years...on the odd occasions a batch that should really have been firewood from the outset gets milled and sold, and unfortunately sometimes I have ended up with it, very seldom though...
My verandahs are 200x25 macro, my weatherboards are 200x25 macro, they have been open to our extremes of heat, cold and wet for thirty years, apart from a tiny amount cracking up in the first hot summer in a few boards from the same tree that had a large stress line in the middle of them, they are all as straight and flat as the day I nailed them up...apart from availability and my preference, the biggest plus was not having to paint or oil them...I am doing some extensions and roof line change and had to remove about 40 or 50 meters of the weatherboards, all around 3 meters long...I thought I would be using them for shit around the garden but most of them are being reused as weatherboards in the final finish...
...Our kitchen is finished in macro and I glued up some 250x50 macro clears for the kitchen benchtops, it isn't the hardest of timbers but it's pretty much in real good nick after ten or twelve years use...I definitely wouldn't consider it a flooring material...
...I don't know how many thousands of lineal meters of 100x40 macro decking I have ordered from the local millers over the years, but I have had to replace very few boards for clients after the big check that a macro deck needs after a season...the nature of the stuff means some will bend, twist or occasionally cup and you should be prepared to have to hook the odd board out and replace it...I love the shit and am just about to dress up a whole heap for finishings for a kitchen and wash house and w/c for some other macro lovers doing renovations locally...It is possibly one of the best boat building timbers on the planet too, but that's another story...

[Laava]

Wonder if your lower humidity is a factor in that then Ellipsis cos my neighbours weatherboards, untreated and direct fixed, need replacing and water has been getting through in many places. The look is great but overall it is a fail. Not that I think pine weatherboards are better neccessarily, but generally they go on painted. i have not seen macro decking up here but that may be because of how expensive it is.

[Ocean1]

.It is possibly one of the best boat building timbers on the planet too, but that's another story...

:niceone: Not that stiff, bit rubbery like, but great for heavier sections.

A mate used to make steam bent furniture out of it and I was surprised how well it set. So I've since made steam bent laminated deck beams out of it which worked out well.

Another mate has just bought this: http://www.afloat.com.au/afloat-magazine/2012/november-2012/Argos_Odyssey#.WU74S_mGOM- Which is all Kauri, Beech and Huon Pine. I'm half expecting a call re a delivery trip.

[ellipsis]

Wonder if your lower humidity is a factor in that then Ellipsis cos my neighbours weatherboards, untreated and direct fixed, need replacing and water has been getting through in many places. The look is great but overall it is a fail. Not that I think pine weatherboards are better neccessarily, but generally they go on painted. i have not seen macro decking up here but that may be because of how expensive it is.


...possibly Laava, I'm not trying to sell the stuff and wont use it in some places...it doesn't mind being outside but will not tolerate being near the ground and definitely not in it...there is not a lot of quality control when I buy the stuff, I do inspect what I'm buying but a visual scan does not let you know what stresses or denseness of the material will be once dried completely...shrinkage from some sappier wood is far more pronounced than others and the situation the tree grows in has a lot to do with the end result...as these trees were originally grown as wind protection etc and have usually just been 'wild', the variances in grain, stress, length of straight limbs is hit and miss, although in saying that a gnarled and very untidy stand that was being taken down less than a k inland from the southerly facing coast which also took the brunt of our screaming northerlies ended up some of the best and straightest I have come across...there are some big straight buggers about 3 k from here that I really want down and drying in my timber shed, but alas the cocky doesn't want or need them down yet...

...humidity does have a lot to play in timber life and we are not very humid where I am which is probably a factor in the sustained use and life of it here...the powers that be, the ones back pocketing Fletcher's silver coin, tried to have it banned down here for any exterior use, mainly because of the fact that they would love to squash anyone not towing their, 'buy our shit only', line...direct fix is not the best option for any timber product, but it is the old method and still prevalent in lots of situations...my shed is clad in totara weatherboards, the borer like the sap and they are cupping more than I thought, but they were probably close to a hundred years old when I reused them...I'm an anarchic, Luddite too, which may have a bit to do with my outlook...

...there are still the odd older buildings out here where you can find Manuka boards and finishings...the skinny little twiggy stands that many think is the end result of the Manuka's life is a little askew...the rule back then, when they were ignorantly clearing everything was to only mill the Manuka that measured a yard at the trunk...

[george formby]

Oh, and beef cheeks - yum. do you add extra liquid to them? (guinness, red wine?) I very rarely can source them from my butcher they are so popular. And forget stuff like beef short ribs unless you preorder. Got a decent recipe today (at least it sounds nice) for pulled beef mexican style which I will try in the next week or so.

No liquid, they are slow smoked. I use my webber kettle with a charcoal "fuse" (https://youtu.be/nLfstT2goRk), ti tree, oak or plum on top for the smoke. I rub herbs, garlic, chilli, and a bit of spice into my cheeks the night before. I have a wee saucepan, sans handle, which I fill with water and build the fuse around in the base of the webber. This creates steam and stops any fat igniting on the coals.

The slow heat breaks down the collagen but keeps the moistness, it's divine!

Oh, I don't use those Chinese briquettes, I have a sneaking suspicion they are coal not charcoal. Hardwood charcoal for the win, preferably sustainable Namibian wattle cleared to regenerate native timbers. Green and tasty!

[ellipsis]

:niceone: Not that stiff, bit rubbery like, but great for heavier sections.

A mate used to make steam bent furniture out of it and I was surprised how well it set. So I've since made steam bent laminated deck beams out of it which worked out well.

Another mate has just bought this: http://www.afloat.com.au/afloat-magazine/2012/november-2012/Argos_Odyssey#.WU74S_mGOM- Which is all Kauri, Beech and Huon Pine. I'm half expecting a call re a delivery trip.


...i'm the one that stayed ashore in my family, the rest are boat builders, shipwrights, scabby dogs and AB's... boats, just holes in the water and givers of far too much freedom to just 'fuck off'...plus my old mum didn't want all her sons at sea, irrespective of my wishes...thank fuck for that, I can say in hindsight...

[R650R]

Very interesting comments people, good related info.

With regards to macrocarpa apparently it makes for great chopping boards as its actually able to be cleaned properly compared to a plastic board with fine cracks and theres something in the timber that is natural antibacterial or similar....

[george formby]

Very interesting comments people, good related info.

With regards to macrocarpa apparently it makes for great chopping boards as its actually able to be cleaned properly compared to a plastic board with fine cracks and theres something in the timber that is natural antibacterial or similar....

Yup, defo. The same qualities that make it a noxious cooking wood deter bacteria. A thick board with no cracks, regularly sanded and oiled, is a pleasure to live with. Nice to your knives and lovely to look at. Plastic boards are hideous with a really sharp knife, well, generally hideous.
Make a big one, 1.5 x the amount of space your biggest knife needs to work.

[Swoop]

Yup, defo. The same qualities that make it a noxious cooking wood deter bacteria. A thick board with no cracks, regularly sanded and oiled, is a pleasure to live with. Nice to your knives and lovely to look at. Plastic boards are hideous with a really sharp knife, well, generally hideous.
Make a big one, 1.5 x the amount of space your biggest knife needs to work.

There was research done years back, comparing plastic to wooden work surfaces.
The plastic is a bacteria breeding ground. The wood was surprisingly low in comparison.

A bit like granite. Shockingly bad since the open pores of the stone provide areas for the bacteria to hide.
Engineered stone is the way to go if it's in a kitchen.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Yup, defo. The same qualities that make it a noxious cooking wood deter bacteria. A thick board with no cracks, regularly sanded and oiled, is a pleasure to live with. Nice to your knives and lovely to look at. Plastic boards are hideous with a really sharp knife, well, generally hideous.
Make a big one, 1.5 x the amount of space your biggest knife needs to work.

I have some offcuts of 50 x 200 I think. Good plan!

[Honest Andy]

Yup, defo. The same qualities that make it a noxious cooking wood deter bacteria. A thick board with no cracks, regularly sanded and oiled, is a pleasure to live with. Nice to your knives and lovely to look at. Plastic boards are hideous with a really sharp knife, well, generally hideous.
Make a big one, 1.5 x the amount of space your biggest knife needs to work.

Yeah man, lovely boards.
Just a small clarification: oil em with cooking oil, not leftover CD50 that you used on that outdoor table... :sick:

:Offtopic: I parked my housetruck out of the way under a macro hedge for a couple or three years, what a mistake. Those anti bacterial properties are a bit acidic or something, and the thing just about rusted down to the chassis before I realised :doh:

[george formby]

Yeah man, lovely boards.
Just a small clarification: oil em with cooking oil, not leftover CD50 that you used on that outdoor table... :sick:

:Offtopic: I parked my housetruck out of the way under a macro hedge for a couple or three years, what a mistake. Those anti bacterial properties are a bit acidic or something, and the thing just about rusted down to the chassis before I realised :doh:

Most excellent point. Thank you. Smear it with the oil of an extra virgin olive a couple of times. Old sump oil or Danish oil is not good.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Most excellent point. Thank you. Smear it with the oil of an extra virgin olive a couple of times. Old sump oil or Danish oil is not good.

If I could find a willing Danish woman I could smear it with her secretions.

[george formby]

If I could find a willing Danish woman I could smear it with her secretions.

Reminds me of a joke about a man who could identify any type of timber by it's smell, the mill owner pulled a fast one and the last smell test came up as "a shit house door made from old fish boxes"......

You would need a Danish gymnast methinks.

Oh, look! A Danish spready. Yum.

.331477

[Akzle]

Reminds me of a joke about a man who could identify any type of timber by it's smell, the mill owner pulled a fast one and the last smell test came up as "a shit house door made from old fish boxes"......

You would need a Danish gymnast methinks.

Oh, look! A Danish spready. Yum.

.331477

dunny door on a tuna boat*



was how i heard it, anyway.

[Black Knight]

Ya both told it wrong--The blindfolded guy got the sniff test right 6 timber types in a row,the boss quietly called his secretary over with instructions to drop her knickers,the guy had a sniff then asked the boss to turn the piece of wood over-had another sniff and announced it was a shithouse door made from old fish boxes.Very old joke.

[george formby]

Ya both told it wrong--The blindfolded guy got the sniff test right 6 timber types in a row,the boss quietly called his secretary over with instructions to drop her knickers,the guy had a sniff then asked the boss to turn the piece of wood over-had another sniff and announced it was a shithouse door made from old fish boxes.Very old joke.

Very old indeed, that's why I kept it short. Still a good one I feel. How's the green skid demon over your ways at the mo?

I'm a little disappointed that the old joke had a better follow through than the cheeky airborne spready.

I think in deck design a pole for dancing around could create an interesting social aspect. Possibly disguised as a shade sale support.
Just sayin, thinkin out loud.

[Akzle]

.

I think in deck design a pole for dancing around could create an interesting social aspect. Possibly disguised as a shade sale support.
Just sayin, thinkin out loud.

a top-less one.

4" sprung stainless bar to ffl+3000, vertically cantilevered and braced through.

baws.

©ax

[Black Knight]

The green ice ain't bad at the mo Mark-maybe last years council spray job has keep it coming back-time will tell.The Whangarei CC don't want to know about it.I understand the back road is now designated as a tourist route and therefore falls under NZTA for maintenance,ummmm,I wonder.