Designing and setting out your raised garden decking Patio Deck. 

The raised patio decking scheme in an image sequence. DIY Garden Decking Project. 

These levelling pegs are set up outside of the project area, but near to where the 'edge' of the deck is going to be. The levels have been taken from the living room levels and extended out to these pegs.

The damp proof course line on the wall is the essential datum to work from. In this case there was a protruding overhand to the eaves of the house, so no undue concerns about rain splash from the surface of the deck onto the wall above the DPC - Damp Proof Course.

It is wrongly thought that the only thing that matters for a DPC and patio or deck, is that the surface should be 2 courses below DPC to prevent moisture soaking up from the surface to that area above the Damp Proof Course. Yes, it is the main consideration, but the other important thing to be aware of, is the surface splash of rain up on to the house wall - as is a problem when the patio/deck surface extends too far up the DPC level.

Whatever your abilities as a 'draughtsman', you must get things down on paper in the form of little sketches that you can understand. 

 Corners in particular need to be thought out - especially where there is a balustrade to be fitted.

This will help you to see potential problems with the deck layout before you start ordering timber even.

 It will also alert you to any intricacies that you might need to brush up on before you start.

 

These sketches - whilst not accurate fully - gives a picture of how details are going to be built in once works starts.

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