How to Plan and Prepare Yourself for Project of Timber Decking in Sydney?

Posted by Ana Jackson on September 21st, 2019

More often than not when people are learning how to install Timber Decking in Sydney, it is this task that most people struggle with. This is a crucial skill to master when learning how to install decking. Now it is time to attach the ledger to the house. Whilst attaching the ledger it is imperative that you make sure that it is level and at the height you desire the floor of your deck. Attach the ledger board to the house with carriage bolts and washers. It is important that you do not counter sink the bolts or the structural integrity of the ledger will be compromised.

Always remember to use gloves when handling any kind of Timber Decking, and be sure to wash your hands after handling it - particularly before eating.  Always take safety precautions when working with timber materials. Try to wear gloves whenever handling the materials - this will help reduce the risk of those painful and awkward-to-remove splinters often experienced when dealing with timber. Also, it is highly advisable that a face mask is worn when cutting timber - so as to prevent the DIYer from inhaling dust particles. Use an RCD-type circuit breaker whenever corded power tools are being used.

Wherever possible, be sure to wear suitable eye protection when using any kind of cleaning agent or pressure washer. Keep children away from the area whilst the deck is being constructed and until the deck has been full completed and your tools and other installation materials packed away securely. It is always advisable to allow the timbers to acclimatise for 7 days prior to deck construction, in order that the deck boards can adjust themselves to the local environmental conditions.

If possible, keep the boards as close to the installation site as possible - but be sure to keep them off the ground, and try to use a plastic sheet or tarpaulin to protect them from rainwater, if possible. You should always begin by laying the deck joist timbers out on the ground, before fixing them together. In a similar fashion, decking boards should also be laid out in place 'dry' before a single screw is fitted. This process, if carried out correctly, will allow the timber to dry. Dry timber will, in the majority of cases, be significantly easier to work with, and - in all but the rarest of situations - be significantly easier to install. For one thing, this is because the timber will be less susceptible to weathering (Shrinkage, and the like).

Always take the time to drill pilot holes wherever you intend to insert a decking or joist screw - this will, in the vast majority of cases, prevent the timber decking in Sydney from splitting. For timber decking installation, mark out your deck area with a string line, and check that it is square. Completing this process is essential, as it will act as your guide throughout the build. For example the string line will allow you to see where exactly to dig your post holes, and where the edge of your deck will actually sit. For checking the deck is square, make sure you square the string line using different method.