www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Hi all,

Last year i built a raised decking area at the back of my garden, and have decided to do another project.

Basically its just a small area of 2.8mtrs x 2.6mtrs, and will be directly outside my patio doors, the only problem I can see is an air brick which is directly below the patio doors.
When we bought the house, the area had been concreted, and there is a line of bricks about 2.5mtrs out from the doors, it looks as if the previous owners had maybe prepared the are for a conservatory perhaps? When you step outside, the drop is 140mm from floor to the underneath of the patio doors, there is 2 levels of house brick, the top level having the air brick in it, so could anyone reccommend the best way to allow air to the air brick? obviously I dont want to restrict air flow with the decking.

Many thanks.

If the air brick is 2.5m from the door and you are building a deck which reaches 2.6 or 2.8m from the door then your solution is simple. Leave a hole in the facing boards infront of the air brick.

Thanks for the reply Geewizz..........

Dont think I`ve done the best job explaining the situation to be honest.

The row of bricks 2.5 mtrs out from the patio doors are flush with ground level, I dont know why theyre there? I thought it was possibly some kind of marker for where maybe a conservatory was going to be built? but it dosnt matter at all, as the decking will cover this, and isnt an issue, shouldnt of mentioned it really as its probably just caused confusion.

The air brick is under the patio door, the decking will extend out 2.6mtrs from the patio doors ( covering the line of submerged, flush, bricks by 100mm) so obviously, where the decking ends the facing board will be 2.6mtrs away from the now covered air brick, am I making sense? Should i just leave the end of the decking "open"? It wont look very tidy, but at least air flow can circulate and reach the brick??

Thanks again.

(maybe I should attempt to upload a couple of photos?)

Heres what I would do..not a great pic but you should get the idea..

Hi,

The part of your diagram where youve wrote "edging", is actually the kitchen extension wall which extends out about 3.5mtrs, I was going to attach a ledger board down the length of that wall, along with a ledger board underneath the patio doors in 2 parts, with a bit chopped out for the air brick.
I was also hoping to try to lay the decking boards at a 45 degree angle thinking this would give it a nice finish and a bit different.
Do you suggst not having a ledger board running underneath the patio door then? (according to the diagram) to allow air in, but still butting the boards up to the wall?

After thinking about this, am I making too much of an issue of air flow? as will air still get to it naturally through the gaps between the boards anyway??
Think id read somewhere that if you were doing a concrete base for a conservatory for example, they would extend some plastic box section from the air brick out through the concrete? wondred if anyone would reccommend that? or is that a bit extreme.

Cheers again.

Still have a ledger board...but as you say, not directly across the air brick. keep one end open to improve air circulation..And you are right of course..a 3/4mm gap between the boards will allow some air to move any way...other wise the decking would rot away in no time,,given our weather..