CONCRETE DECK BLOCKS INSTALL

To finish, you would lay on your belly and reach into the hole to smooth and level the concrete.Īdditionally, you would need to pause every now and again to properly install brief lengths of horizontal reinforcing steel before finishing with the remaining concrete. The pier’s hole, which is typically 24 inches in diameter, must first be dug, and only then can a concrete footing be poured. Before, accomplishing this required a tedious, multi-step process. Remember that the standard deck block has no mechanical means of attachment other than friction with the wood/ concrete deck posts.Ĭonsider employing poured concrete footings or piers that you build on your construction site you’d probably be better off. The USA has extremely few locations with this type of weather.

Precast deck blocks are probably best suited for regions where winter frost only reaches a depth of 4 to 5 inches into the soil. Precast deck blocks as opposed to poured concrete footings However, if need be, steel reinforcing should be placed into all concrete used to support decks. Concrete’s strength in tension is just one-tenth that of its strength in compression. Steel reinforcement may or may not be present in the blocks. Pictures and accounts of ground-contact treated lumber that has decayed or been attacked by insects are all over the Internet. The wood/concrete deck post must be partially buried since the blocks must be buried, making it vulnerable to moisture penetration and wood-eating insects. Hope that the concrete lugs on the block don’t eventually fall off as the post simply rests on them. There is no mechanical connection between the concrete pier blocks and the wood / concrete deck posts. Pros:Īlmost always, one person can handle the deck concrete footing blocks. It’s crucial to understand that the pier blocks are small and provide the least amount of support needed for the majority of decks. Concrete deck footing block pros & consĬoncrete deck blocks have more cons than advantages. It takes a simple and efficient way to deck support. You can raise a deck off the blocks just as you pull on the lid to reveal the pen. The block’s concrete lugs function like the sidewalls of a pen cap. The concrete pier block has space inside for a wooden support post for a deck. Precast concrete piers must be installed on the project site using a crane or backhoe.Ĭoncrete deck blocks are really simple and resemble the cap on an inexpensive ballpoint pen. This is achieved through techniques such as spraying concrete slabs with compounds that create a film over the concrete that retains water, as well as ponding, where concrete is submerged in water and wrapped in plastic.Deck blocks should not be mistaken with true concrete piers, which can either be cast in place using precut rebar-reinforced plastic forms and weigh hundreds of pounds each or which can be placed and handled by the typical person. Ensuring that the concrete is damp can increase the strength of the concrete during the early stages of curing. It typically takes concrete around four weeks to reach over 90% of its final strength, and the strengthening can continue for up to three years. The process of concrete hardening once it has been placed is called curing, and is a slow process. Alternatively, in some factory settings, concrete is mixed into dryer forms to manufacture precast concrete products such as concrete walls. Some concretes are even designed to harden more quickly for applications that require rapid set time. Production of concrete is time-sensitive, and the concrete must be placed before it hardens since it is usually prepared as a viscous fluid. It involves mixing water, aggregate, cement, and any desired additives. Proper mixing is essential for the production of strong, uniform concrete. While there are many types of cement, Portland cement is the most commonly used cement, and is an ingredient in concrete, mortar, and plasters.Ĭoncrete can be purchased in multiple forms, including in 60 or 80-pound bags, or delivered in large amounts by specialized concrete mixer trucks. Cement is a substance that is used to bind materials, such as aggregate, by adhering to said materials, then hardening over time. Hole, Column, or Round Footings Diameter (d)Ĭircular Slab or Tube Outer Diameter (d 1)Ĭoncrete is a material comprised of a number of coarse aggregates (particulate materials such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, and slag) bonded with cement. Slabs, Square Footings, or Walls Length (l) Purchasing slightly more concrete than the estimated result can reduce the probability of having insufficient concrete. The Concrete Calculator estimates the volume and weight of concrete necessary to cover a given area. Home / other / concrete calculator Concrete Calculator

Concrete deck blocks