My EPIC Deck Build - Planning, Layout, Footers // Episode 1 

Thanks everyone for watching! I appologise for the bad audio in this video. I assure you the all-around quality will improve as this channel grows.

The best deck video I’ve seen- thanks brother!!!!

This is great, how you showed your method of locating the post positions, warned newbies about how easy it is to accidentally shift the holes, used a drawing to show how important alignment is! Thank you!

Excellent video! We are planning a pergola in Florida so researching the footers now. Thank you.

Thanks for this simple and straightforward video. I feel confident I can do this!

Great video. I’m ready to start my deck and was looking for some info around the foundation. Like the idea of having the concrete above the ground level.

I like the garden tools organizer behind you, I’ll make one like that

Nice video. I Am a red seal carpenter in Canada. I don't do much decks but this video was a text book example. Great work

Trick I came up with years ago when having to dig post holes in an area with lots of rock, is to just use an old shop vac and a digging bar. You just loosen the soil using the digging bar and use the shop vac to suck up all the loose soil and getting on your hands and knees to actually reach in and pull the rocks out by hand. This way is much easier on the arms and body and can keep the holes tight. This works for any type of soil, but is great in areas an auger just cant work for you due to rock. Highly suggest trying this trick. I hope it helps.

Awesome video!

VERY GOOD VIDEO! THANK YOU

01:30 Wooden batter boards. 03:22 Upgraded to rebar pins for the win. 05:30 Removable handle shovel......neat idea. Great job.

👏👏👏👏👏nice presentation👍🏻😎😁.

You killed it in this video....batter or badder boards 😅 freakin anxiety eliminated thank you

Awesome video!! Just starting the series excited to see how it turns out! Did you have to use a concrete vibrator?

38 inch deep footings? Man that seems deep. Here in the Southeastern US we go 16 inches in my zone but I usually go 20 inches. It makes the inspectors happy from the beginning and makes the final a breeze. Nice video! Keep up the great content.

quick question. whats the feet of the sonotube and how many bags of concrete did u use on 1?

so when that sono tube breaks down youll have a gap around your tube. usually builders only use the tube at ground level and below ground level is just the hole for the concrete.

Mag troweling the concrete is for more than just looks. It does bring that slurry up and it’s also going to remove those pits in the surface where water WILL accumulate and freeze. When it cracks, it will crack in ways you don’t want it to.

Hi, getting gazebo built and builder put it on piers 4 feet into ground - frost line. A couple of posts are not centered on sonotube, corner of bracket is off on the edge of the sonotube. Building inspector cleared the sonotube and likely will ok the building. Happy with overall results, looks great except worried about those two posts not fully on sonotubes. Builder will make it better but wondering what options might be to repair this

Great content. Great work. Thank you. (From Canada)

Nice job with the video. I wish you had gone into a little more detail regarding the plans and drawings. I am in the process of trying to draw plants for a 14 x 60‘ deck.

How long were the rebars? What size sonotube would you recommended for a 6x6 post?

Never spoke on getting everything square. Maybe talking about the 3-4 method on making sure you are square

How much time do you have to set the J-bolts? Can you pour all your footings and then set the bolts?

Getting ready to buid a deck and I have a question. You suggested measuring from corner to corner. that will ensure the deck is square but not parallel to the house. the 3 4 5 method ensures the deck will be square (parallel) to the house. I think you should use both but I am just a DIYer so I may be wrong

How do you know how far apart to put the post and what size tubes so I have to use? I live in Southern California do I have a frost line? It doesn’t snow where I live.😂

How do you know that the J bolts are centered in the pillars poured? I didn’t see a step for this Al I saw was it just being stuffed in

Can this set up be used to for a shed or a small room extension?

2 questions; permits and inspector? How long did it take for approval and inspection?

Hi. Quick question. According to building permit requirements i am suppose to do 19" footing for intermediate posts, but i haven't seen tubes bigger than 16". What should i do?

Are these j bolts necessary ? My pergola has given me plates where I need to drill into concrete and screw it in. Thx

The deck book I'm reading mentions footing sizes.. so for example a beam size of 6ft, and a joist span of

Would it be easoer if you started with a thinner auger size

useful

You didn’t do a vapor barrier under the deck? Why didn’t you wet down your tube before adding Crete ? Being that dry it causes Crete to dry uneven and can break. Lastly for those watching, drill your holes in the rain if your ground is that hard n dry. Start the holes then wait for a rainy day..... ole boy in Texas showed me that. And no, not pouring rain but something more than a sprinkle

How did you calculate accurate consistent level hight?

Seems like a small bit of steel anchored in the concrete to attach to. I would think that could be broken free from the concrete over time. Wouldnt it be better to be attached to the rebar shoved down deeper?

How is this deck holding up without it being treated lumber?

How do you ensure all at same height?

Where’s that website that you looked up how many bags of concrete you needed?

I wish i had the luxury of using a post augur

How would you fix holes that are off but already poured

Where about are you? 36” maybe in the valleys, mountains I’d think it’s deeper than 3 foot

Great educational video & thoroughness. Personally, I prefer no background music or very soft. too distracting otherwise.

It’s much cheaper and efficient to take your truck to the quarry or rock yard to get rock instead of buying it by the bag.

The post wouldn't meet code here in the dmv. It would need to be inside the ground

Plumb bob off a frame that’s set with temp supports if way more accurate and way easier.

Should have mentioned air pockets

'Epic' by itself is a bit of an overkill for this deck :-) not even to mention all your capital letters. it's a good video though, informative!

men, I can't watch the video, the music is way to loud.

very low quality weed barrier and no overlap???? Considering the money and water it gets.

You're not supposed to leave sonotube in the ground. It will rot and the leave a gap between the footings and soil.

Should have dropped your camera in that tube for content

Great info. But could you please lose the annoying music in the background that makes it hard to hear what you're saying. At least lower it in the mix. No idea what purpose it serves.

I have paid 2 contractors to put up a deck, a ton of money, and neither meet code. They are licensed and insured - cost me more to sue them. A woman is stupid. I can't do worse than not square, not level, no cross support, no footings, the stairs are 10" to short, post 18'' deep, wood touching the ground. 20 nails makes the board level? I'm game to try. Mixing concrete -- heck, they pour it in the hole and add water @@ Again, I could have done that myself.

good instructions! really BAD music that sent me away watching someone else , sorry dude !

The music makes it hard to listen.

Ridiculous big concrete post ..are you building a 4 level apartment on it 😂😂..it's a deck ..the thinkness of a rain pipe would be sufficient

Poor choice with the music ... It was very distracting

Very good Series but please dump that shitty music

Such loud annoying music, I missed most of what you were trying to say

Good video but the music was awful. Especially when its the same song for all of your videos. mmmm mmmmm mmmmm mmmmmmmm mmmmmmmm Louder quieter louder quieter mmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmm

Unnecessary, and especially LOUD, background music is one of the hallmarks of a RU-vid amateur.

Dont like the music

The audio is way off. Not watchable.