The floating foundation system has been a tried and trusted building system in North America since
the late 1980s with literally tens of millions of decks being built using the system. In fact
the floating foundation system was developed for grounds that were heavily affected by freeze and
thaw. If your grounds are particularly unstable, the floating foundation system such as TuffBlock
is possibly a far better solution for you to use and keeps your structure independent from
any surrounding fixed structure allowing it to move and settle independently.
An individual TuffBlock is capable of supporting up to
770 kilograms. TuffBlock has been break tested to over 5000 kilograms.
UV stabilizers have been included in the manufacturing process which means
TuffBlock is manufactured to the highest standard
of any plastic product for outdoor use that's why we back it with a 25 year warranty.
Yes. Simply level the ground under each TuffBlock, then level the structure above
using extension posts supported by the pocket of the TuffBlock below.
Refer to the installation guide for more detail.
We always suggest you check with your local council as a rule of thumb
before any construction on a new project. That being said,
most councils have an exemption for structures that are less than a specific size - for
example if your project was less than 10 square meters you may not need to seek any approvals.
Generally the post-joist bearers sit in the TuffBlock without requiring any fixing,
however to fix the block to the timber if required it is super easy.
As for the post staying upright this is a function of the deck build itself. Your structure should be
adequately designed and reinforced to ensure the posts are structurally sound and cross braced.
TuffBlock should be installed on stable undisturbed grade surface with well-draining
sub-grade material. If your soil is constantly wet and gets flooded you would need to ensure
that you prepare the ground by introducing drainage which could be done via gravel or
additional drainage to remove the flooding. If the ground is particularly unstable we
would recommend increasing the number of TuffBlocks supporting your structure.
Like anything you will need to prepare the site well and ensure there is no issues with erosion
or wash away. If you're worried about erosion then we recommend reinforcing the base material.
The short answer is no. If you consider that TuffBlock construction has similar or greater
downward surface area than a standard concrete in-ground footing then sinking will not be an
issue, or at least no more of an issue than it would have been if you'd use the old method in
the same soil. TuffBlock should be installed on stable compact earth. This is not to say that you
need to compact the ground. If however the top surface is extremely loose, just take a layer
or two away with a shovel and your TuffBlock will be nice and stable base for your project.
Yes absolutely, but as always check with your local building authority first.
That being said, some TuffBlock users choose to use TuffBlock in combination with concrete
in-ground footings to tie their project down - for example in each corner of the build.
Or use TuffBlock as an intermediary support as the centers. It is completely dependent
on the project. As a general rule if you're supporting joists directly on the TuffBlocks
you will need to support the joists with a TuffBlock at every 1.5 meter intervals.
Joists will need to be spaced at a distance appropriate to the finished material.
For example it is recommended that some decking timbers be spaced at 450 sensors. It
is always best to check with your timber material supplier for material specific recommendations.
The TuffBlock product is based on the floating foundation system which was designed to ensure
that a structure was able to move slightly if the ground was to move. This is what makes the
floating foundation system so safe. The structure was able to move slightly and independently of any
other structure as natural ground movement occurs. The TuffBlock construction method
therefore avoids stresses that would otherwise see an extension from an existing structure fail.