Newsday - The Long Island Newspaper

Saturday, Jan. 18, 1997

The toughest part of building any deck are digging post holes, mixing concrete and pouring footings. An ingenious new product eliminates these laborious steps. Dek-Block piers are precast concrete blocks that are set on a bed of gravel, eliminating the need to dig down below the frost line. Each block weighs about 45 lbs. and measures 8 inches high x 11 inches sq. Molded into the top of each one are slots and a square hole. The slots hold 2-by joists and the hole is for a 4x4 post- necessary when building on uneven terrain or creating different deck levels. The blocks also save money because there are no beams to install. The average size deck requires about 15 piers, which are priced at $5 each.

Most municipal building departments have accepted this "floating foundation" method even in the frigid northern regions. Contact the manufacturer for more information and a free set of deck plans.