Seeking help to build deck and plat form for yurt

[Ecoemma]

Could very much us some advise from those that have built a deck and

yurt platform

. Creative construction and recycle ingenuity welcome!!!
Stats: 27 foot Colorado yurt (purchased 2nd hand- never set-up)
10 acre land plot far west Texas- low lying area, with potential risk to flash flooding (rare but real), no trees, dessert scrub brush, sound well
what has been completed:
Yurt area cleared, 24 (10in) concrete piers poured, 6 rows-4 piers deep.
Across the piers are 10 feet apart, deep the piers are 7 feet, 2 inches apart. All of this has been leveled- in theory for the beams to be attached straight to the piers (no anchors were set in wet concrete).
The idea was a create a deck 36x42 and then create the platform for the yurt on top of the deck.
The issue- foreman for the project (my father in law) left the state.
The plan is a little overwhelming to me: sandwiching five 2X12 together to create beams and attaching those to the concrete with angle iron.
Given the present progress does anyone have suggestions for completion? I do not have a lot of building experience but I know how to use tools and have no fear. I also have some folks that will help when I can wrangle them in. (also to note... I'm not a multi-millionaire ) I love to use any and all scrap I can find.






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[Bob Rowlands]

There are no anchors in the piers due to needing a building a permit, right?

I'd bail on the wood deck and erect the yurt atop the ground as Mongolians do. Buy a massive 30x30 tarp or a number of smaller tarps, and erect the yurt on top of that tarp. Fold the edges of the tarp up on the outside of the yurt wall just under the cover. The low tension rope will cinch the cover and tarp to the wall lath to keep out critters. Cover the floor with whatever.

No way I'd suggest you tackle building a deck that size, atop piers with no anchors, without being a carpenter or hiring one.

Another option would be a concrete slab on grade the diameter of your yurt, no bigger due to sunlight in west TX. Get a plumber and electrician out there to do the base before you proceed. As long as the yurt isn't attached to the slab you'll likely get off without a permit. Maybe. Good luck.

[Ecoemma]

Bob-
Thank-you for your suggestion. NO we have no building codes to abide by. The county does not have code if you own 10 acres or more. I also do not have to have a certified electrician or plumber sign off on any work.
There is over 1,000 dollars in concrete poured including a base wall around the perimeter to prevent water gushing under the structure- which is also the base to attach a "skirting" around the deck. This plot of land comes from a section of a 1100 acre ranch so there are lots of critters. needless to say a glutton for punishment maybe but I'm not ready to give-up on building a deck.

[Bob Rowlands]

Beats me why there are no anchors set in the piers? Never seen that before. It is what it is. A deck the size you want to build is unlikely to move once built, unless extreme wind is possible.

Go ahead with your project then. You'll have learned alot of carpentry by the time you get the platform done. You could cap the piers with galvanized sheet metal squares. Drill hole into the top of pier and screw down the sheet tin using tapcons. Set beam framework and then bend tin up around the beams and nail off with anchor nails. Or maybe your father in law had another idea to anchor the frame?

I'd check the height of piers with a string and eyeball, one end to the other, cross checking both directions. If close just shim beams up to level once the beams are in place.

You might get online and look up post and beam platform framing. Whatever you do, don't get hurt, or hiring a crew would end up seeming a bargain in comparison to medical bills which are mind blowing high nowdays. Good luck.

[Bob Rowlands]

When you make the beams by sistering together the 2X, be sure to stagger the joints so there is no single beam that butts into the next. Get. lumber long enough to span three posts. Break the beam seams just like a running bond brick wall. Also you'd be well advised to get ahold of a compressor and framing nailer. Swinging a hammer at that height driving many hundreds of nails while standing on the ground will be no fun at all. I also suggest power saw as well. Forget battery saw for rough work like that.

[Jafo]

If you can borrow a generator during the project, that would probably help too.

[Bob Rowlands]

Any dude generous enough to loan their generator would also be a good candidate to help out. lol

[Philaustin]

That's some deck you're building. I'm having trouble getting my head around the volume of timber needed to put it together. I don't think I can help you with the deck but I may be able to offer an idea for the yurt base.

There is a video on my Facebook page of how I constructed my base for a 20 feet Mongolian yurt.


Www.facebook.com/montedaestrada

[TKOAK]

Look up architectural standards on line. It gives beam construction and drawings information.
On the "4 rows" of six piers run a line of 2 x 10 or 2 x 12 timbers end to end.
3 x 8 equal 24 ft. between the 4 rows. place metal joist hangers every 16 inches or 24 inches along the 4 24 ft beams you made with the 2 x 10's. use 2 x 10 x 8 ft floor joists between the beams.

[TKOAK]

"The plan is a little overwhelming to me: sandwiching five 2X12 together to create beams and attaching those to the concrete with angle iron."

FIVE 2 x 12 for a 10ft span is way to expensive and overkill.

The rows are 7 ft 2 inch apart. That allows for the floor joist to be 8 ft long 2 x 10 timbers. use 16d (penny) cement coated nails.The father in law knew what he was doing!
One 2 x 10 with joist hangers is enough for a yurt deck. The floor joist will be 16 or 24 (weaker) apart. 16 inch span floor joist is bets for 5/8 plywood. 24 inch centers will need 3/4 ply wood deck. The 7 ft span for the floor joists will not need bridging.