BUILD A pATCHWORK
 DECK

The MultyDeck™ bases can be assembled on virtually any type of surface including dirt or sand, gravel, sod, or cracked pavement, as long as it is flat and level.  For this project, an existing stamped concrete patio has worn over time and starting to crack.  Covering this area with a MultyDeck is a temporary solution until this family invests in the larger landscaping budget to replace the concrete. 

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If you are laying the MultyDeck on a cracked but flat and even surface, you may want to use landscape fabric to prevent weeds and vegetation from growing.

MultyDeck is an ideal option as a patio recovering solution.  Even though it will be temporary in this case, why not make it beautiful?  Why not install a MultyDeck, with design flair in a patchwork pattern? 

For this project, we are building a 8ft by 12ft floating platform deck with Micropro Sienna pre-treated wooden decking boards.  It will be finished in 2x2" wooden trim.

You will need:

•  16 pcs 6" x 12 ft wooden decking boards, cut to 16 pcs 8ft length, and 16 pcs 4ft lengths

•  25 pcs MultyDeck™ recycled rubber bases (24 pcs for the quadrants + 1 base for infill)

•  6 pcs of 2x2" x 8 ft trimboard for square set trim; 8 pcs of 2x2" x 8 ft trim for mitered corner

•  1⅝" decking screws for the deck, and 3" decking screws for the trim.

•  tools:  utility knife, electric drill, circular saw

As in all construction projects, remember to use the correct personal protective equipment.  Always wear safety glasses, and protect your hands by wearing all-purpose utility gloves. This will drastically reduce the risk of eye and hand injury.  

It all starts with our patented recycled rubber base.  Made from used car tires, diverted from landfill, the bases are durable, weather resistant and provide traction under the floating deck to minimize slippage.

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In this video, you will learn how to manipulate the rubber bases to customize the MultyDeck installation to create new deck patterns.

For this project, we are not building a complete square.  For a square patchwork deck, all boards would be cut the same length.  In this case, we are building a rectangular deck, so the quadrants of the patchwork will be in two lengths:  4ft and 8ft.

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Assemble the panels by laying the first rubber base flush with the end of the 6" decking boards, screwing into the rubber and through the wood, upside down.  Space subsequent bases no more than 18" apart, until you reach the final base.  For this base, we will offset it by an inch, and manipulate the MultyDeck base. 

This is where a little manipulation comes into effect.  Place the base down and pull it forward so that it is offset by 1" from the front of the decking boards.  Next, like any other base, take your deck screw and attach the base to the wood, only dimpling the back of the rubber, to prevent any tear through.  Once you have that base securely fastened, it's time to flip the panel.

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Once you have flipped the panel, you simply slice down through the protruding divider and take that 1" piece of rubber off.   Do this for each of the dividers.  You are essentially creating a functional side-support.

Once you have the panels, pre-built, lay them down in quadrants.  Build each quadrant by laying the panels with a 5.5" gap in between.  This space will accommodate your joiner board.  A joiner board is simply another piece of your decking board, cut to same length as your panel.  Add your joiner boards to complete each quadrant.   To add a joiner board, simply lay the board on the patented side supports of the MultyDeck base, in the 5.5" gap between the panels.  Secure the joiner boards to the panels by screwing down from the top of the wood, and into the rubber side support.

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For this project, the 4ft panels are laid perpendicular to the 8ft panels as shown in the video.  Each quadrant therefore has 2 panels, and two joiner boards.

When building this type of patchwork design, you are going to notice that there are two spots which are missing support.
 

This can easily be remedied by manipulating the base, and cutting out two sections.  Cut the base on the inside of the dividers.  Place these sections where the support was missing, add your joiner boards, and secure them to the rubber side supports by screwing through the top of the wood down into the rubber.  This will connect both halves of your deck.

To finish the deck, you an add a 2x2" border around the perimter.  The corners can be done one of two ways.  First, you can miter your corners.  If you choose this option, cut mitered corners of the 2x2" trim at 45 degrees.  You will need 8 pcs of 8ft long 2x2" trim.  Alternatively, you can use a square set option.  There is no additional cutting required as the edges are already sold square set.  You will need 6 pcs of 8ft long 2x2" trim.  Secure the trim the MultyDeck by attaching with 3" deck screws.  Screw through the 2x2" and into the wood of the MultyDeck.

Now that you have completed your MultyDeck, it is time to kick back and relax and enjoy your outdoor living space.  Remember that the gaps between boards for a MultyDeck is approximately 3/8" so be careful with footwear such as high heels.

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Furthermore, remember that the wood of the MultyDeck needs to be maintained, just like any other deck.  Do thoroughly clean the deck once a year, and be careful with power washers to treat the wood gently or else it can be damaged.  If you wish to re-stain the wood, sand it beforehand.  

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The rubber MultyDeck bases keep the wood decking boards off the ground, and therefore allows drainage after rainfall.  Always ensure that the water is freely draining away from your MultyDeck so that no pooling occurs underneath.  

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The MultyDeck bases are all-weather resistant, but the wooden boards are not.  Ensure that you maintain the MultyDeck, just like any other deck.