# Deck Question



## jeffb (Aug 18, 2003)

I am building a pretty good size deck using 6x6's. The lumber yard recommended using concrete pads under the 6x6's with one bag of 80lb. cement in each. A couple of my buddies are telling me that now-a-days you don't use cement because when the wood post shrink over time the water gets trapped in between the cement and the wood and rot it out. Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.


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## bluefin75 (Dec 30, 2007)

This may be slight overkill but depending on how many 6x6 posts you are sticking in the ground it may be an option. You can get those round cardboard tubes, I believe they are spelled "sono" tubes and dig your hole three feet down, insert tube and pour concrete up to 6 or 8 inches above ground. Now your 6X6 is setting on a footing above ground.


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## Greenbush future (Sep 8, 2005)

I dont know many who use cement, pea gravel is what I was told to use on my smaller 12-30 deck.


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## Gabrielle (Apr 13, 2009)

If your township requires a permit, you better find out what they want; otherwise, you'll be digging holes to show them and/or be doing it all over again. 

If you use the "sono" tube method, be sure that you shape the top ever so slightly to have water drain off of it. Sometimes cement "shrinks" and will cause a depression which means your wood is sitting in water. 

Can't tell you how many decks I've worked on where we dig the hole the required frost heave depth, set the post, pour in the saks of dry concrete - tamp it as we fill it, then water it. On 6 that I can think of right off the bat that are up to 20 years old, none had any problems. Used treated posts. We always shaped the cement somewhat as a pyramid around the post.


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

I haven't done any decks recently, but I quit using concrete for posts years ago. The pea gravel holds just as well and allows the water to drain away from the post. The thing I like about the pea gravel method is that it is very easy to plumb the post when installing it. Once you know that the post is in the correct position, just start adding a little gravel at a time and adjust the plumb. Slowly add the gravel and I generally will shake the post a bit early on in the process causing the gravel to set tight in the bottom of the hole. Once it starts to firm up a bit just make sure you're plumb and finish filling the hole with gravel. At that point the post is ready for immediate use!

John


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## jeffb (Aug 18, 2003)

Thanks. It sounds like I really wouldn't go wrong with any of the options, although I am curious about the pea gravel idea. I haven't heard of using pea gravel before. I am on the tail end of my construction loan for my house. I talked with the building inspector about a month ago and he told me I could "board" my sliders up so you can't open them more than 4 inches. After I boarded them up he gave me "temporary occupancy" so I can move in but wrote down that I have to finish my deck. So that is where I am at I was hoping to build this a little later but oh well. The deck is going to be 12x43. Thank you for the help, I am hoping to set the poles during the week and build it next weekend.


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

I totally agree with the concrete pad with pea gravel. The reason for this is that you will not get "frost heave" with this system. We have pretty much done away with the concrete in post hole idea!


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

Whats your opinion on using the sono tubes filled with cement, and the simpson post ties to secure the post on top of the cement?

We'll be doing a deck soon too.


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## bigrackmack (Aug 10, 2004)

jeffb said:


> Thanks. It sounds like I really wouldn't go wrong with any of the options, although I am curious about the pea gravel idea. I haven't heard of using pea gravel before. I am on the tail end of my construction loan for my house. I talked with the building inspector about a month ago and he told me I could "board" my sliders up so you can't open them more than 4 inches. After I boarded them up he gave me "temporary occupancy" so I can move in but wrote down that I have to finish my deck. So that is where I am at I was hoping to build this a little later but oh well. The deck is going to be 12x43. Thank you for the help, I am hoping to set the poles during the week and build it next weekend.


I would make the phone call to them to see what their code is......I bet its concrete and not pea gravil......If you are worried about your post rotten out put tar on your posts before they go in the ground.....I see no need for worry.......Mack


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

I don't know how tough and/or picky the Grant building department is but the Rochester Hills builiding department is VERY picky and they allow me to use pea gravel for deck posts with no objections. I think it's starting to become the norm more and more.

John


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