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Simply placing them on the ground or on a poured concrete pad a few inches deep usually isn’t enough to comply with codes — they must be set at least 12 inches deep in undisturbed soil. However, concrete deck blocks can be used without restriction for a freestanding deck that’s not attached to your house.
Can I use deck pier blocks instead of footings?
Ease of installation. Deck blocks are much quicker to install than concrete footings, as they are preformed units. Also, concrete footings require considerable amounts of soil to be excavated, whereas minimal digging is required to install deck blocks.
How far apart should pier blocks be?
While 8 to 10 feet apart is a sufficient distance for foundation piers to support most structures that would sit atop a post and pier foundation, if the building is particularly tall or made of heavier materials such as brick or metal, it’s not uncommon to place the foundation piers even closer together.
How much weight can a pier block hold?
A single 8” x 16” concrete block can carry 8,000 lbs. Don’t go over 36′′ high. The single blocks that can be used for your pier can easily carry 5,500 lbs. They limit a dry stack, single block pier to 5,760 lbs.
Do deck blocks sink?
The deck blocks can sink if the soil under them erodes for some reason or the weight is unevenly distributed. That’s why it’s a good idea to use more than less.
How do you hide pier blocks?
Uneven deck piers can be hidden by planting ornamental flowers, shrubs or vines around the perimeter of your deck. Place weed barrier around the perimeter of your deck where you intend to place your plants. Use plastic gardening fencing or stone to separate the area to be landscaped from the rest of your yard.
What are concrete pier blocks?
Above-ground deck piers are precast, tapered concrete blocks with a wide base that are intended to rest directly on the ground or a concrete base. When constructing a deck in an area that receives minor amounts to no frost, these piers often serve as suitable deck footings.
How many pier blocks do I need for a 10X10 deck?
Without knowing how I came up with the number of blocks for each deck, you could arrange them incorrectly. Or not understand why some decks have more blocks than the total weight needs. For example, a 10 x 10 floating deck needs four-deck blocks.
How many piers do I need for my house?
Piling or Pier supports should be installed at each corner when an exterior wall changes direction. There should be a minimum of one piling support on every side of the corner piling. A masonry fireplace measuring two by five foot should be supported by 4 piers for a two story and 3 piers for a one story structure.
How do you use adjustable pier blocks?
For Pier Block, insert threaded rod into existing hole. Insert threaded rod and adjust nut to desired height. Do not exceed 2 ½” of clearance between slab and bottom of post. Adjustable Post Bracket For Pier Block, insert threaded rod into existing hole.
Do I need rebar in sonotube?
To support a beam for a residential deck, does a Sonotube pier need any rebar? A. We usually recommend that a minimum of two pieces of #4 rebar be placed vertically in an 8-inch-diameter concrete pier supporting a structure. A larger-diameter pier should have four or more pieces of vertical rebar.
How much weight can a 4 inch concrete block hold?
On average, cinder blocks can support at least 1,700 pounds. However, depending on the size of the block and the holes, a cinder block can support more than 1,700 pounds.
How far apart do you put deck blocks?
Space the deck blocks at 4′ to 6′ intervals to offer the frame good support.
Do I need gravel under deck blocks?
Deck blocks should be installed on stable, non-organic material with good drainage. You can put gravel, sand, or limestone screening under a deck block. Regardless of what you put under a deck block, it must not absorb water but provide good drainage.
How do you level pier blocks?
You can cut a slight angle at the bottom of the posts, or shim the top of the pier with concrete to make a level surface. Just make sure the posts are “perfectly plumb.” Adding patching concrete to the tops of the piers is one option. Another is to grind the concrete flat, as several posters suggested.
Are deck blocks a good idea?
Which type of footings should your deck have? Deck blocks are a good idea for low decks, decks around trees, areas with low frost levels and economical decks. It is a bad idea to use deck blocks when attaching the deck to the house, on stable ground or supporting elevated decks, pergolas or a roof.
When can you use pier blocks?
Overall, pier blocks are best suited for low- or ground-level decks, where smaller framing materials are common and additional posts and blocks are not an eyesore. Uplift and lateral forces on the posts are also of less concern in ground-level decks.
How much weight can a concrete deck block hold?
All concrete blocks must support at least 1,700 pounds of weight per square inch according to standards published in 2003 by the international building standards non-profit. Minimum requirements are only described in the standard.
When can you use concrete deck blocks?
Simply placing them on the ground or on a poured concrete pad a few inches deep usually isn’t enough to comply with codes — they must be set at least 12 inches deep in undisturbed soil. However, concrete deck blocks can be used without restriction for a freestanding deck that’s not attached to your house.
Can you bury concrete deck blocks?
Although they can be buried, and sometimes are, they’re really designed to rest on the ground and spare the builder from digging, although the ground may require some leveling first. One advantage of sitting on top of the ground is that deck blocks are unaffected by frost heaving.
Can I build a deck without digging holes?
Yes. It’s possible to build a deck without digging holes. This type of deck is called a floating deck, and it sits right on top of the ground without any posts or support areas that you’d dig down into the ground [to secure].
