structure for small low outdoor storage platform

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
We have this space in the back of the house where we tend to accumulate stuff - hose real under a faucet, 50 gal trash can, ladders, big storage bin, etc. About 15' long, 3' wide, w/ a cement walkway in front of it leading to a back porch. Currently just dirt, years ago was a flower bed from the PO.
I'm working on putting a platform there, kind of like a long thin deck, for setting stuff on instead of just dirt. The key is, I'd like it as low to the ground as possible to make it easy to roll the trashcan up onto.

Is there a good material I can use as a joist to lay decking across that can just be semi-buried to lay in the dirt, so I can run deck boards that are only maybe 2" off the ground?
I assume a typical PT 4x4 will just rot quickly. Typically they need to be set up on concrete blocks as footers, which adds a lot of height.

Is the new composite decking stuff, up on end, possible? I assume its too thin.
 
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Posts (4x4, 6x6, etc) are rated for ground contact, and would last years. Problem would be the deck boards, with no ventilation under (2" clearance). I'd expect them to rot fairly quickly. Maybe 6x6 sleepers, with Trex or other synthetic decking over?

Me, I'd probably build a frame out of 6x6's or cross ties, then brick or block pavers filling in.
 
Dig down and put in a layer of stone (2" or so)and make sure it drains well, then lay and level your PT timbers on that. Like said above the ground rated 4x's will last years in the dirt. The stone would help make them last longer. Id use synthetic deck boards though, being that close to the ground.
 
Just use rail road ties. Dig out, level the area, and lay them in. Cut to fit as needed. Anchor with a few pieces of rebar if you think it's needed.

If you feel you must make it prettier, set the ties a little deeper and put deck boards over the ties.
 
For the reuse repurpose crowd....hunt up some large 2 liter drink trays from trucking outfit, or plastic pallets. Flip, level with thin pavers and done. Could paint them a neutral color..
For the ladder, I would hang it on some brackets and get it off the ground.
No mold, no rot, no bugs, easy to hose off. More traditional material looks better imo just throwing a different approach.
 
Thanks for the ideas.
I had not though about just laying pavers or cement blocks. The $1.15 8x16s would probably do the job. Biggest problem there is that the area has chronically grown weeds and stray grass very quickly. It'd suck to be fighting w/ them growing up between the blocks.
I love the idea of laying 4x4 beams right down and Trex over top. But man that stuff is expensive, like it's made of gold and the blood of virgins. Is there a cheap version that maybe doesn't look so fancy o_O
 
To help control weeds, install a good nonwoven geotextile fabric first. I'd use something sturdy, at least 3.5oz. The stuff at lowes works but it's cheap crap that's over priced. Amazon isn't bad for homeowners so you don't have to buy a 600' roll. I've found that the good quality fabric through an Amazon vendor is cheaper than Lowes per sq ft and it's much better of a material. Ideally you want to buy from somewhere like Green Resources but size options (large diameter, long rolls, etc = more than an average homeowner really needs) are limited from most places like that
 
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