The goal was a ZERO maintenance deck that would last a lifetime.
The StoneDeks SilcaGrates allowed me to use stone instead of wood which, of course, is central to that goal. Constructed with 100% ground contact treated Doug Fir. All 2” x 12” and 6” x 12” beams 16” OC. The ledger is bolted through and to the exterior house walls with 5/8” galvanized or stainless steel bolts or threaded rod and covered with Grace Roof Detail waterproof membrane.
Every connection made with Simpson Strong-Tie commercial Heavy Duty saddles and connectors using bolts and/or strong-tie connector screws; NO nails anywhere. The inside of every drilled bolthole, every cut end, every exposed anything was saturated with Copper-Green Wood Preservative.
Before Silca Deck panels were put in place, despite using ground contact Doug Fir throughout, every upward facing wood edge was covered with 1/8” thick self-adhesive rubber which has an aluminum foil flashing. It was heat applied with a hair dryer to ensure permanent adhesion to the wood surface.
Silca Deck Crates are covered with 1-1/8” thick Travertine. These panels are trapped and therefore no grout or any other adhesive was used anywhere. Water easily drains between tiles despite placing them tightly together.
Custom stainless steel balustrade posts with stainless steel attachment brackets (not seen in photos) with 1/8” stainless steel cable. “Designer” turnbuckles are at the two end terminal posts only. Handrail is Ipe (Iron Wood), with continuous diode strip lighting recessed into underside.
The entire process was completed by myself alone, no second pair of hands. I mention this only to point out for those who would like to take such a project on, but don’t know who they would get to help them. It takes more time and requires a little ingenuity here and there, but it can be done.
