# Worst part of building a deck??



## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

Here's my thoughts! 



Ler0y Jenkins said:


> My questions are:
> 
> 1. Is digging the holes the worst part of building a deck??
> 
> ...


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

thekctermite said:


> Here's my thoughts!


Everything said in the post was right on. We always temp. support our frames, then install the beam and support posts and footings after. 
After, we do the stairs, then decking and the handrails last....


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

AtlanticWBConst. said:


> Everything said in the post was right on.


Thank you...Definately a compliment coming from a knowledgeable builder!


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## BuiltByMAC (Jan 31, 2008)

Snag yourself a shovel and a pair of gloves - you can carve out the side of the hole that's offcenter. You can put a sonotube in that hole and pack dirt around it to hold it in line w/ your other holes.

I would think w/ 3 guys and 3 shovels, you could've dug out the stuck auger in about 15-20 minutes. Woulda saved you some time last weekend...

When I dig footings, I hand dig my holes. I put BigFoot forms on the bottoms of my sonotubes so my holes need to be about 3' wide. Use a digging bar (6' steel bar w/ pointed tip on one end and flat 3" blade tip on the other) to loosen the dirt, use the shovel to clear the loose dirt out of the hole. It'll save you the rental of the auger and shouldn't take more than 30 min. per hole (your speed). Take breaks and prepare to have sore shoulders the next day.

The problems I've run into w/ augers stem from the fact that they're rental machines. They've been run hard by folks that don't always know what they're doing so the machine is subject to mechanical breakdowns and the blades/tips are usually dull. That and the fact that it's usually a big, fat PITA to manuever one around to my jobsite!

Yes, digging holes is the least pleasant task in building a deck.

Yes, I use landscape paint (inverted tip spray can) to mark hole locations. After pulling stringlines to establish layout, I measure off the string for holes. Although, unlike some others, I build from the ground up. Footings, then posts, then beams, then joists, then decking. To each their own and that's what works best for me.

Mac


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

thekctermite said:


> Thank you...Definately a compliment coming from a knowledgeable builder!


Me?...I'm just another blue-collar working stiff....nothing special here... But thanks anyways.
FWIW: I enjoy your posts. Thanks for joining up and helping out.


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

Normally i don't go into this area on the thread but however i will speak up due i have some of my customers did pretty insane work on the decking.

here is most common curpits nothing in order but you will get the idea.


• Build the deck around the electric meter. That is a big no-no especally if you have underground service and MANY POCO will speced in their service manuals that do not enclose the meter to the point where the POCO can not open up the meter box for safety reason. 

• Inproper mounting deck to the building.
{ to order to get the deck secured to the building you must use lag bolts not the nails and also please take the vinal sliding off when you put the deck header on it.}

• Inproper deck support. i did see some are not strong engouh to support the deck. Just wait until you put the sonvagunner spa tub on the deck you will get the idea very fast [ anywhere from 1200 to much as 6000 lbs on it. spa itself not too bad but weight of water will useally do it.]

• Improper footing. myself i did see some pretty bad footing there it kinda spook me a little. [ this happend when some of the DIY's or bad hacks don't read the local codes or reqirement on this one.]


Now for electrical side just real quick run down.

Use the proper wiring and metholds as need to and the code is pretty strict especally the spa is near to it [ the spa have few specal code to deal with it.]

This item do come up from time to time if you want a post luminaire you have to plan it a little ahead of time so you can get some 4X4 post bored out before it go on the deck so it will make it alot easier to install the wires later. { check with your local code related to this some area may not allowed }

Hope this will help you some of it.

Merci,Marc


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## Ler0y Jenkins (May 5, 2008)

Thanks for all the help guys. 

BuiltByMac, you were right. I had two friends over last weekend and we dug the remaining five holes by hand in about 1 1/2 hours. I also went back and re-did three of the four holes previously dug because they were either not deep enough or out of alignment with the other holes. All in all, the power auger was way more trouble than it was worth. Maybe if it were a two-man auger or had more power it would have been more helpful but it definitely seemed easier to just dig the holes by hand.


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## javan (Jun 9, 2008)

*A little late and a little overkill*

But a couple years ago we were building a retaining wall that had 6x6 posts w/ 4' deadmen. We had to dig 10 or more post holes and thought the 2 man auger would do the trick, Nope! it was backbreaking. Then we tried the 12" auger on a PTO for a small tractor. Nope! We ended up just using the bucket and some quick form work. Had we just used the bucket and forms from the start, it would have been done that much sooner.

For decks, I have always used the 6' pointed spike, the Shovel and the post-hole digger. That way you control where your holes go....


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