[smallcrpt]

I just finished some stonewall work around my 2500 gallon pond and the mother-in-law says she'll pay for a deck for the portable gazebo and swing so we can sit at the pond easier...

My issue is that footers for a deck in CT are around 42" or something like that. So I was thinking of going with a Dek Block deck from deckplans.com .

Has anyone ever used these piers in Conn and still had the deck look normal after a few years? It won't be attached to the house by any means.

I was thinking of going around 12x16 or so and using trex accent decking. We got a swinging deal on the trex at a dollar a lf so I couldn't pass it up, esp. since staining a PT deck around my koi wouldn't make them very happy.

Any insight into the floating deck system would be greatly appreciated, their website basically does all the designs for me, I just don't want to have to take the thing down because i'm slidding off it because of frost heave...

thanks
chris

 

[stadry]

just my $.03 BUT these ' float ' on the grade,,, as most know, grade changes when attack'd by frost thru expandsion,,, therefore no frost = no expansion/grade change,,, if it were mine, i'd rent the auger & dig :yes:,,, then again, it ain't :laughing:

probably wouldn't hurt to ck w/your local bldg inspector, either,,, realize this may tip him off that a capital improvement's being made but i have no doubt you'd do the right thing & pay the taxes on the property's increas'd assess'd valuation, right ? ? ?

 

[smallcrpt]

sure...

hehe. i'm not sure on the regulations of building your own pond as it is... so i'm keeping this all on the downlow...

i think i'll dig the footers anyway... its more work, but buying 50 of those cement blocks seems like a lot of work too... i think i'll dig til i can't dig no more in terms of depth and call it good... put in a sono tube and cement it...

we'll see... tomorrow may start the work, but first i need to log up the trees i had dropped today before i start the next project... 150' of trees laying in my yard needs first priority...

thanks for the reply...

-chris

 

[Scuba_Dave]

Have you read up on the ongoing problems with Trex ?

 

[Knucklez]

there's a huge thread here on TREX systems. seems for good results they are very particular on where they are installed and how they are maintained.

the pond is "probably" OK in your yard as long as your fence fully encloses it and has a lock. it is similar rules to owning a pool.

i am also building a fully floating deck in the near future. in my area, deck blocks wouldn't work because of frost heaving.

from what i have researched..
1)when you build a fully floating deck you lose the lateral support that attachment to the house gives. so, some extra bracing between studs, or other techniques, can be applied to get back the lateral strength.

2)there will be an overhang of atleast 12" at the deck end closest to the house. this is because you do not want to put a post right along the side of your house. so your deck must be rated for this.

otherwise, building a floating deck is pretty much the same.

Knucklez

 

[Gary in WA]

Contact your local Building and Land Use. Clear your pond with them. A neighbor could complain about the mosquitoes, the raccoons trying to eat your fish (eating her garbage instead), or can't find Fido anywhere. It is fenced, right, or at the very least, your property. The current safety codes are in force to stop people from building drowning pools in their yards. If, hopefully never may that happen, your Insurance Company would not cover it and your visitor's family may be the new owner of your house.

As you have been told about safety, more than once, and still want to keep it a secret, I for one won't help you with your deck. G

 

[stadry]

maybe 2500 gal qualifies as a ' pond ' in ct but down here its a mud puddle - that's only 334sf @ 1.0' deep, , 167sf @ 2.0', or 111sf @ 3',,, what size boat do you plan on launching into this body of wtr ? ? ? :laughing:

not sure what color stain your koi wouldn't like,,, i'll have to ask my n-bor as we acid-stain'd his koi pond :thumbup:

 

[smallcrpt]

thanks for the replies

i'm thinking i might go back to actual footings w/ sono tubes and just dig it down right...

as far as safety is a concern there will be a fence around it soon enough, as for right now i'm going to start w/ the deck.

thanks again...

-chris