tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21054991.post2178611916305272682..comments2023-11-02T05:18:38.925-05:00Comments on Antiquity Oaks: No use crying over flooded pasturesDeborah Niemannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754242197245805551noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21054991.post-36263010351043034682008-12-29T13:39:00.000-06:002008-12-29T13:39:00.000-06:00Thanks Ivy and MM, you've given me some good thing...Thanks Ivy and MM, you've given me some good things to think about!Deborah Niemannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10754242197245805551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21054991.post-61896641372299110762008-12-29T13:28:00.000-06:002008-12-29T13:28:00.000-06:00My brother-in-law did a deck for my mother from a ...My brother-in-law did a deck for my mother from a product called "Trex(tm)" ( http://www.trex.com/ ). It's not a structural product (meaning the structural members will be of another material - usually wood), but has withstood weather and grandchildren very well. It does fade somewhat, though, and I don't think it takes stain or paint. All told, it was a good choice. But you don't need to put the support beams into the ground - you've already got a stable platform in the pad. All you need are some precast concrete footers that will set on the pad, and into which your support beams will socket. That raises the wood or composite material up out of the wet zone, and not coincidentally makes building the deck much easier for non-specialists. Check your local codes first, of course!<BR/><BR/>Some other links for floating decks:<BR/>(I am in NO way affiliated with these, nor am I trying to sell you anything - Just trying to help. Smack me, if I'm not helping)<BR/><BR/>http://forum.doityourself.com/decks-patios-porches-docks/93105-dek-block-pier-system.html<BR/><BR/>http://www.freedeckplans.com/MaskedManhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01847118110075039840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21054991.post-84115827850627650072008-12-29T10:23:00.000-06:002008-12-29T10:23:00.000-06:00I thought about the materials for the decking. I k...I thought about the materials for the decking. I know you might prefer natural materials, but in this case, I would check plastic lumber or things similar. I googled "plastic lumber" and a slew of sites came up. It seems many companies use recycled plastic to make this. I would think plastic would withstand water damage and fading by sunlight better.Ivyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15309567455630273586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21054991.post-25225205987009911132008-12-29T09:03:00.000-06:002008-12-29T09:03:00.000-06:00In my also-unprofessional opinion, I like Ivy's su...In my also-unprofessional opinion, I like Ivy's suggestion, but I'd go a bit further. Not only punch drainage holes through the pad, but cover it completely in gravel - up to the level of the tops of the cinder blocks, if you can afford it. Putting a deck of some nature there might turn it into useful space, but I don't think you want free-standing water under your deck. Gravel, at least, will give you a solid surface.<BR/><BR/>On the subject of "productive" vs. "good," well, I tend to call productive days "good" anyway, even if the weather sucks. A bad day would be one in which nothing gets done AND you can't enjoy the day. Frankly, "productive" is one of the better ways to spend a dreary day.MaskedManhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01847118110075039840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21054991.post-50269157746360921282008-12-29T02:44:00.000-06:002008-12-29T02:44:00.000-06:00My unprofessional opinion on what you could do w/ ...My unprofessional opinion on what you could do w/ that concrete pad is... Drill some holes on the pad until you hit dirt below, fill holes with gravel. I imagine this will allow water to drain at least 9 months of the year, and eventually drain when the ground is frozen solid during the other 3 months. Then build some type of deck over the pad for walking from house to parked cars.Ivyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15309567455630273586noreply@blogger.com