| There are many occasions after a rain that your | | | | bar-b-que grille and some chairs and a table, your |
| yard is not usable since the grass is wet and | | | | joist spacing can be sixteen (16) inches on |
| soggy. Warm overcast summer days are a loss if | | | | centers. If you expect heavier loads go for |
| you and the kids are stuck in the house. You can | | | | twelve inch centers. Layout all the joists in their |
| of course use patio block, poured concrete or | | | | respective areas including the rim or end joists. It |
| stone to make your patio but wood seems to be | | | | is best to create the exterior box or rim joists |
| a softer, warmer material to work with. You can | | | | first and get them set level. Nail or screw all the |
| add a ground level wood patio for less than a | | | | perimeter joists together. Screws are preferable |
| deck would cost and extend the number of days | | | | as you will not be able to add fasteners after the |
| you can grille or just sit outside and enjoy the | | | | joists are buried and the decking is applied. Using |
| summer months. | | | | your two foot framing square, make sure the |
| You will need a fairly flat area to build your patio | | | | box is as perfectly square as you can make it. |
| pretty much the same as if it was concrete or | | | | Measure corner to corner to assure these |
| stone. Some minor hand grading can be done but | | | | measurements are exactly the same. If they are, |
| if you need to use heavy machinery, the area is | | | | the box is square. Now using the level and tape |
| probably more suited to a raised deck than a | | | | measure, take measurement shots at the four |
| patio. You will need to have a builder's level and | | | | corners and assure they are all exactly the same. |
| tape measure to set some elevations for the | | | | You may have to dig a little or add some dirt |
| tops of the floor joists as you install them. If you | | | | under the joists but make sure if you are adding |
| are planning a great many yard projects you may | | | | material under the joists that the dirt is |
| want to consider buying a builders level instead of | | | | compacted firmly. You do not want the deck to |
| renting. One or two days of extra rental fees | | | | settle later. |
| because you forgot to return it can pay for the | | | | Now that the perimeter box is level and square |
| level itself. | | | | you may start adding the rest of the floor joists. |
| Setup the level and make sure it is perfectly level | | | | The use of Teco hangers or other types of joist |
| in all directions by adjusting the screws. Make sure | | | | hangers is not really required as the patio is |
| the built-in bubble level is level in all directions as | | | | ground level and the joists will be supported their |
| you turn the head itself. | | | | entire length by the ground below. If you have |
| Starting in any corner of the patio, take elevation | | | | them and want to use them that is fine. Continue |
| shots in all four corners. For this example we will | | | | framing and constantly checking that the entire |
| assume your first shot is 5'-0" on your tape. | | | | assembly has remained level and square. Once the |
| Looking through the level glass, the left-to right | | | | framing is done, back fill all the joists with as |
| cross hair is exactly at 5'-0" or sixty inches. Now | | | | much materials as available that you removed in |
| read the other three corners. We get readings of | | | | the beginning. Remove any really large rocks |
| 4'-10", 5'-3" and 5'-2". This means the patio area is | | | | unless you can bury them well below the bottoms |
| fairly flat and by adding or deducting the shot | | | | of the decking boards. |
| measurements from the original 5'-0" we see | | | | I know you want to start installing the decking |
| there is only a maximum of three inches in height | | | | boards now but first we are going to run some |
| difference to the high point and we may need to | | | | landscape wiring under the deck. Figure out where |
| fill in two inches or so at the low point. Take a | | | | you want to add some low voltage lighting, even |
| couple more shots in the middle area of the patio | | | | if it is in the future, and run the wires now. It will |
| to make sure there are no real high points or low | | | | be near impossible later on ot travel under the |
| spots that will cause major hand work to level. | | | | deck and you will use a lot less wire going from |
| Our sample wood patio is going to be ten feet by | | | | corner to corner under the joists instead of |
| ten feet in size. If at all possible you want to use | | | | around the outside of the patio. I installed four |
| one piece floor joists as they will result in less | | | | three foot 4" x 4" posts in the corners and ran |
| framing work and you only need to set the level | | | | the wire up the posts for future lights keeping the |
| grade at both ends of the joist. Once the ends | | | | ends where I planned to place the low voltage |
| are set, you can either fill in the middle to support | | | | transformer. |
| the joist or dig out a little to allow the joist to sit | | | | If you installed your floor joists on sixteen inch |
| on the level pads at both ends. Remember we | | | | centers, you must use 2" thick (nominal 1 5/8") |
| are not digging out the entire patio. You only dig | | | | materials for the deck boards. If you used twelve |
| out enough to let the joists sit level with perhaps | | | | inch centers you may also use 5/4" thick decking |
| a three inch wide trench. Once the joists are all | | | | boards. |
| set level and the perimeter joists are installed, | | | | Using twelve inch joist centers also allows you to |
| you will back fill all the loose dirt against the joists | | | | install your boards on a bias and create interesting |
| themselves. Nothing to haul away! If you were | | | | designs in the boards themselves. Placing some |
| somewhat neat with your work by placing all your | | | | board areas on diagonals to others can create |
| excavated material inside the patio area, the only | | | | many different designs. I strongly suggest that |
| evidence of digging will be the small slit you | | | | you use galvanized deck screws to install the |
| created around the edges of the patio for the | | | | decking boards. Screws will not pull loose over |
| perimeter joists. These areas will fill in with lawn | | | | time as will nails. Screws also provide a tighter |
| very quickly. | | | | overall assembly when completed. |
| A ground level patio requires that all wood be | | | | When you start your first deck board, have the |
| pressure treated or other type of wood | | | | first board hang over the edge of the perimeter |
| acceptable for ground contact. Most if not all | | | | joist approximately one inch. This provides a nice |
| building departments do not require a permit for a | | | | shadow line and any bowing on the joist below will |
| patio but you should ask if one is required. Be | | | | not be noticeable. Make sure you allow enough |
| sure to be very clear that this is a patio and not | | | | board on the opposite side of the deck so the |
| a deck. There are no footings, no support | | | | last board will also hang over the same amount. |
| columns or beams and is not connected to a | | | | Do this on all four sides. Do not cheat on the |
| structure. In areas that have frost and freezing | | | | amount of screws you use. If you are working |
| temperatures, the inspector wants to be sure no | | | | alone, even with the best quality screw gun, this |
| damage will result from heaving in the | | | | work can be very tiring. Take a break or two or |
| freeze--thaw cycles. Since the patio is free | | | | come back the next day to finish. If you have a |
| standing there will be no damage to structures. | | | | helper, pre-drilling holes for the screws saves tons |
| There are some areas that due to local Zoning | | | | of arm stress and will help prevent splitting of the |
| regulations require permits for just about | | | | boards. |
| everything you do on your property so it always | | | | Curved areas can be built with a little extra |
| best to ask first. | | | | framing to support the decking and look fantastic |
| A minimum floor joist size should be 2' x 6" PT | | | | when done. If you are creating a walkway to the |
| but I prefer 2" x 8" PT for the extra rigidity the | | | | patio the same framing methods as the patio are |
| wider boards provide. If you can get the smaller | | | | used. The framing underneath is straight and |
| lumber at a great discount or perhaps used or | | | | square but by cutting the decking on a curve you |
| free it may be worth the extra time to install a | | | | can create some really eye pleasing effects. My |
| series of wood blockings to stiffen the deck. If | | | | second patio but next to my first is seven inches |
| you are going to place a hot tub on the patio, | | | | lower and twice as big. After heavy rains when |
| stay with the larger lumber to prevent future | | | | others are waiting for their lawns to dry out, we |
| sagging of the joists. | | | | can go out and sit or cook and have a dry place |
| If your patio is going to be for general use for a | | | | to enjoy minutes later. |