How to Locate and Mark Deck Footings

You have a ledger for your deck up and now you are preparing to build footers. Your plan calls them out but how do you transfer the plan to the actual ground? Here’s how to locate and mark deck footings.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Stakes (ready made or built from any size up to 2 x 4)
• Nylon lines
• Nails
• Mason’s or nylon string
• Line level
• String level
• Plumb bob
• Marking Chalk

1. 
    
   Batterboard

   Build four batter boards to the height of the ledger. Use a circular saw to make the ends pointy of the pieces you are going to stick to the ground. The cross piece should be about 2 feet long. If the deck is low (about 2 feet), the batterboards can be made with smaller 1 x 2 stakes.

2. 
    
   String out from ledger

   Make an outline of the deck using Mason’s string. Hammer a nail into the corner or edge of both sides of the ledger board. Attach the string to the nail and stretch it out to the length of the deck from the wall.

3. 
    
   Carpenter's triangle

   Ensure that the line is square to the wall using the 3-4-5 carpenter’s triangle or other tools. Put a string level on the middle of the length of the string to ensure that the line is level.

4. 
    
   Side strings at batterboards

   Hammer in batterboards where the end of the deck will be. Attach the string to the batterboards with nails.

5. Look at your deck plans and measure the position of how far the beam will go from the house. Mark this distance on the line with a colored tape. Do this for both strings going out from the sides. This will mark the deck outline for the left and right side.

6. 
    
   Marking of the beam line

   Lay out a string that intersects the markings you made for the beam. It will be referred to as the “beam line” to simplify the instructions. Add batterboards on the left and right side of the deck outline. Attach the string marking the footings to the batterboards with nails. Repeat if you have more beam lines.

7. 
    
   Beam line with markings

   Mark on the line, the distance between the edge and the closest or outer posts based on your deck plans. Use a magic marker or colored tape. Also review the distance between the beam line and where the header joist will be. Adjust all the strings as necessary if you are off by over an inch. Precision will make the rest of the work easier. On the beam line, mark the position of the other posts between the outer posts.

8. 
    
   Using the plumb bob to mark the center of a footing

   Go to a marking on the beam line and drop a plumb bob straight down. Keep the plumb bob steady as it touches the ground. Drive a 1 x 1 stake to the ground where the plumb bob touched. Use a marking chalk to circle the size of the footers around the center of the stake. Repeat for the remaining footers.

9. After the markings are made, move the strings out of the way but keep it handy. Keep the batter boards up for the time being. You can reuse them to double check your work after you have dug up the holes for the footers. You may also need them to center the J-bolts or anchor bolts.

Tips & Warnings

• The principles are the same for high decks and decks over a slope and may require a different methods to apply.

[maryellen1001]

on 8/17/2009 Great step by step instructions!