Building a raised wooden platform is relatively easy. You only need a few basic materials and tools to get started. For best results, make sure your timber has been treated with a preservative before you begin construction by using natural remedies such as lemon juice or simple vinegar.
Raised wooden platform is a type of temporary or semi-permanent platform found at exhibitions, markets, fairs and other places. It is supported by foot traffic or other means and it provides space for storage, cooking facilities and sometimes for seating.
Do you want to put a raised platform in your yard? Maybe you’re tired of looking at your deck and want to give it a makeover. Maybe you have a pool, and the platform could serve as an extended decking area. Or maybe you just like how they look! Whatever the reason, building a raised wooden platform is easy if you take it step-by-step. These instructions are for a basic 8’x8′ square platform that’s roughly 18″ off the ground, but you can easily adjust them for taller or larger platforms. Follow these steps to build your own raised wooden platform:
Get your materials.
- Get your materials together and make sure they are correct.
You’ll need to get the right materials, which means you have to know what kind of platform you want and how much space it will take up. This is also where you’ll decide if you’re going to use wood or metal as a base, because each material has its own advantages and disadvantages. You may also want to look into what kind of wood will be best for your climate conditions, since things like moisture and temperature play into how long a piece of wood lasts outside before it needs replacing (or at least refinishing).
- Decide how many people are needed for this project, then gather them all together at one location so they can work on building the platform at once! If there’s only one person working on making this piece of furniture happen then that could mean having two different locations: one where they’re cutting pieces from large sheets or planks into smaller ones; another spot where these pieces are being assembled into something solid enough withstand strong winds without blowing away entirely.
Pick a spot.
Pick a spot.
- Pick a place that is level. A level platform is far easier to build and will last longer than one that isn’t. You can use a 4×4 or 2×4 wood beam as a guide for leveling the ground, then measure in from each side to create your square or rectangle shape. (See our earlier guide “How To Level A Sloping Surface” for more information.)
- Consider where you’d like to situate your deck, poolside or away from it; near the house or barbecue; adjoining the garden or shed; etc., so that you can plan accordingly when making decisions about materials and construction methods.
Prepare the ground.
The first step to building a raised wooden platform is preparing the ground. You’re going to want to level the ground, so you’ll need some sort of base that will go under your platform. The easiest way is by adding a base layer of wood chips or gravel. For this project, we used old pallets as our base layer and added two inches of dirt on top (to prevent termites).
If you’re working with bare concrete or asphalt, you’ll want to add a base coat of paint or sealer before laying down any other materials like mulch or gravel. Once your base coat has dried thoroughly—and it’s important not to rush this process!—you can begin building up your platform
Prepare the sleepers.
- Cut the sleepers to size.
- Make sure they are level.
- Check that they are level.
- Check that they are square (perpendicular to one another).
- Check that they are straight, parallel with one another and perpendicular to the ground plane.
- Check that they are plumb (parallel with the vertical axis).
Set up your sleepers.
Once you have your decking cut to size, it’s time to install the sleepers. The sleepers are the boards that support the decking and must be spaced 16″ apart. You can use 2×6 or 2×8 lumber for this step; however, I would recommend a thickness of at least 1 1/2 inches (or even better yet, 2 inches), as it will provide greater stability than thinner materials. Sleepers should be set in concrete rather than sitting on top of soil or grass because this helps ensure that they won’t move when pressure is applied from above (like if something heavy were dropped on them). If you plan on doing this yourself, be sure to check with your local building code before beginning construction.
Add joists.
Now is the time to add the joists. They’re simply pieces of wood, typically 2x4s, that are spaced at regular intervals across your decking boards. The purpose of joists is to support the weight of a person walking on them and keep everything from sagging or bending down in the middle.
Now it’s time for you and your helper to lay down each board in turn and screw it into place using your drill/driver (and two-person lift). This can get a little tricky if there’s not enough room between planks for one person to squeeze through while holding them up with their hands—you may need some assistance here.
Add decking boards.
- Use 2x4s for decking boards.
- Nail boards in place with a nail gun, if possible. If not, use a hammer and nails to secure the boards.
- Cut the sides of your deck off at an angle using a circular saw (or other tool), to ensure that rainwater drains off quickly during storms.
Building a raised wooden platform is easy if you do it step-by-step, and it looks great in the yard.
Building a raised wooden platform can be easy if you take the time to do it right. The first thing you need to do is measure out where you want your platform, then determine what size and height you want it at.
After that, pick out some wood from your local hardware store or lumber yard and cut it down according to the measurements of where you want the platform placed. Next comes laying out your boards on top of each other in order for them all to fit together nicely (this is called “laminating”). Once this step has been completed, begin framing up what will become the base of your new deck by nailing together 2x4s into a rectangle shape (make sure there’s enough room for wheelbarrows or lawnmowers). After that step has been completed, attach one side of 4×4 posts onto each corner so there are now two legs holding up each corner end-to-end with two more connected across its width running perpendicular towards another leg set at 90 degrees off center along its length allowing stability when leaning against pressure instead being pulled apart like normal brackets found inside walls would do if they weren’t firmly secured into place before being used here instead because they could easily snap off otherwise due their weak nature compared with those found outside doors where they’re stronger than necessary when compared with those inside walls which don’t need as much strength due to lack of wear-and-tear exposure over time.
Final words
It may sound like a lot of work, but it’s not hard to build a raised wooden platform if you take it step-by-step. It looks great in the yard and can add value to your home, so get out there and build.
