ᐅ Building a Raised Deck: Wood or Steel? Experiences, Tips, and Costs for DIY Projects
Created on: 22 Jul 2025 12:46
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Esteo-45
Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum and hope this is the right place to ask. I am planning to build a terrace on my house, about 10 meters (33 feet) wide and 2 to 3 meters (6.5 to 10 feet) deep, to be later covered with Bangkirai decking boards. The challenge is that the terrace height varies significantly (between 140 cm (55 inches) and 240 cm (94 inches)), and a solid attachment to the house wall is not possible since half of it is already on an existing concrete terrace. This leaves me with a freestanding post-and-beam construction.
Now the question is: is it more cost-effective, easier, or better to build this raised terrace out of wood or steel? I already have a quote for a galvanized steel frame – about 10,000 euros seems quite expensive to me. I plan to handle the concrete footings and the installation of the decking boards myself. Does anyone have tips, personal experiences, or recommendations, especially regarding construction method, material selection, costs, and potential DIY work?
Thank you very much for your input.
I am new to the forum and hope this is the right place to ask. I am planning to build a terrace on my house, about 10 meters (33 feet) wide and 2 to 3 meters (6.5 to 10 feet) deep, to be later covered with Bangkirai decking boards. The challenge is that the terrace height varies significantly (between 140 cm (55 inches) and 240 cm (94 inches)), and a solid attachment to the house wall is not possible since half of it is already on an existing concrete terrace. This leaves me with a freestanding post-and-beam construction.
Now the question is: is it more cost-effective, easier, or better to build this raised terrace out of wood or steel? I already have a quote for a galvanized steel frame – about 10,000 euros seems quite expensive to me. I plan to handle the concrete footings and the installation of the decking boards myself. Does anyone have tips, personal experiences, or recommendations, especially regarding construction method, material selection, costs, and potential DIY work?
Thank you very much for your input.
Hello,
At that size, the beams will be quite large. You can’t just build those yourself quickly.
We’re talking about 30 square meters (approximately 323 square feet). With typical load capacities of 250 kg/m² (approximately 51 pounds per square foot), that would weigh around 60 to 90 kg/m² (12 to 18 lb/ft²), depending heavily on the support spans and heights. That means you’re looking at roughly 2000 to 2500 kilograms (4400 to 5500 lbs) of steel. For each ton of installed steel, let’s estimate 3000 to 4000 euros (around $3200 to $4300). (Yes, a supplier from Turkey might supply the steel for 2000 euros (about $2150) per ton, but they won’t come out for such a small job...). And just like that, you’re at your 10k figure.
Keep in mind that you’ll need a structural engineering calculation for something like this. Building without proper planning can lead to serious problems.
Best regards,
Andreas
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
DIY is easier with wood and is definitely cheaper than your 10k quote.
At that size, the beams will be quite large. You can’t just build those yourself quickly.
We’re talking about 30 square meters (approximately 323 square feet). With typical load capacities of 250 kg/m² (approximately 51 pounds per square foot), that would weigh around 60 to 90 kg/m² (12 to 18 lb/ft²), depending heavily on the support spans and heights. That means you’re looking at roughly 2000 to 2500 kilograms (4400 to 5500 lbs) of steel. For each ton of installed steel, let’s estimate 3000 to 4000 euros (around $3200 to $4300). (Yes, a supplier from Turkey might supply the steel for 2000 euros (about $2150) per ton, but they won’t come out for such a small job...). And just like that, you’re at your 10k figure.
Keep in mind that you’ll need a structural engineering calculation for something like this. Building without proper planning can lead to serious problems.
Best regards,
Andreas
H
hanghaus202324 Jul 2025 11:58andimann schrieb:
For that size, the beams will be quite large. You can’t just build that on your own easily anymore.
I believe I can plan it in a way that allows me to build it by myself. The dimensions of the beams depend on the span length after all.