Thinking of building a 16x20' "deck"

[Toddavid]

So deck is done, but my body is so broken, I don't have energy to use it. Did the whole thing solo.

I sketched it out, made my materials checklist, and off to Lowes I went.

The plan was to frame it with 2x6x8' pressure treated, but apparently Lowes had the rack mislabeled, and I was too distracted to notice.

I brought all the lumber home, and began construction. After sliding the first 4x8 section aside, and wondering why the heck it was so heavy, I then noticed I was using 2x8x8's. Ugh. Rather than bring it all back and scrap the one section I already made, I decided to keep going.

After completing all six sections, I then realized stacked they would be taller than my pickup cab, plus I had no idea how I would get the top ones that high, each must have weighed 150lbs. So it took two trips to get all six down to the campground an hour away.

Anyway, I spent the last two days building the most over-built deck in the campground. Built like a brick s-house. This deck scoffs at hurricane winds, it rolls its eyes at flood waters, it yawns at 20 people partying on it.

To give me proper headroom to the awning edge, I had to dig and bury the one end in the (heavy, rock filled) dirt, but everything is now lined up, level, and bolted together. I built steps into the camper a little long so shoes can be stored to the left.

Looking forward to relaxing on it this summer.

[Jc furnace man]

Nice you will appreciate it in July the steps are a nice touch will keep the camper from moving every time someone goes in and out.

[PCWestlake]

Nicely done! The steps make a huge difference!

[Platokidd]

Nice job on the deck

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Toddavid

This deck scoffs at hurricane winds, it rolls its eyes at flood waters, it yawns at 20 people partying on it.

You might be ok with hurricane winds and people partying on it but I'm not so sure about the flood waters. Most decks, no matter how heavy they are, float really, really well.

Ask me how I know...

[JustB_Rad]

If we moved to a seasonal, I would do 4'x8' sections bolted together. Then have 4x4 legs so that it can be leveled and obviously remove the deck boards as necessary.

My though process was that in the event we wanted to move, I could stack the 6 of them in the back of my truck, and at 4'x8', it shouldn't weigh too much, meaning 2 people could move it if necessary.

My idea would be much like yours turned out except my deck would be 8'x24' when finished. Nice Job!

[Toddavid]

Originally Posted by JustB_Rad

If we moved to a seasonal, I would do 4'x8' sections bolted together. Then have 4x4 legs so that it can be leveled and obviously remove the deck boards as necessary.

My though process was that in the event we wanted to move, I could stack the 6 of them in the back of my truck, and at 4'x8', it shouldn't weigh too much, meaning 2 people could move it if necessary.

My idea would be much like yours turned out except my deck would be 8'x24' when finished. Nice Job!

I'll admit to a little secret: my sections are not 4' wide. Since 1x6x8 deck planks are actually 5.5" wide, I decided to use 8 planks per section so I did not have to mix and match widths or rip anything down lengthwise.

So my sections are actually 44" wide, not 48". That also ensured they would fit easy between the tire humps in my pickup bed.

Also, even if I hadn't screwed up and pulled 2x6x8 lumber instead of 2x8x8 lumber, I'm not sure the weight difference would have allowed me to hoist the top couple of sections into my pickup bed. It would definitely be a multi-person job to hoist that much weight that high, FYI. Two very strong people at least would be needed.

I did a quick calc online and each of my deck sections probably weigh in close to 250lbs each with the non-kiln dried pressure treated wood.

[heavynlori]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

You might be ok with hurricane winds and people partying on it but I'm not so sure about the flood waters. Most decks, no matter how heavy they are, float really, really well.



Ask me how I know...

Yes they float even with a complete metal patio set on it

Ours floated five sites down when our campground flooded a few years ago....floated out around our fire pit down the river back up on the bank and still had the vintage glider and two chairs on it

Luckily we made it in three sections when we had to dismantle it to bring it back - it was 6x20 and was placed behind our camper in an L shape to main deck

FYI - the larger deck 8x32 also moved approx eight feet forward in same flood - we had to use a chain come-along around one of the trees on our site to put it back in place

We have installed metal fence posts on the corners and ratchet straps to keep it in place for subsequent floods and neither have moved since

WOOD FLOATS [emoji305]

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

You might be ok with hurricane winds and people partying on it but I'm not so sure about the flood waters. Most decks, no matter how heavy they are, float really, really well.

Ask me how I know...

Okay I'l bite. How do you know