BUILD A
piCTURE FRAME
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. 

​

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 a two-toned picture frame border design?

For this project, we are building a 8ft by 10ft ground-level platform deck with Micropro Sienna pre-treated wooden decking boards.  The mitered-corner frame boards have been stained after cutting them to their custom lengths and mitering the corners.  Your project stain will depend on your preference.  In this project, the boards are stained with a grey color, and a contrast board in the center of the picture-frame has been stained brown.

You will need:

•  12 pcs 6" x 12 ft wooden decking boards, cut to to create the project as below (your measurements will depend on your actual project)

•  29 pcs MultyDeck™ recycled rubber bases

•  1⅝" decking screws for affixing bases to deck panels and joiner boards

•  3" decking screws to join the mitered corners

•  optional:  wood stain, wood stain sponge brush, wood stain cloth or rag

•  tools:  utility knife, electric drill, circular saw, measuring tape

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.

​

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

Always install MultyDeck platform decks on a flat and even surface.  We always suggest that you laydown a landscape fabric to prevent vegetation growth.

​

To get your WIDTH measurements, for the mitered corner frame, dry fit the space by setting up pads and Spacer Boards.  Spacer Boards are off-cuts or full-length 6" decking boards that will be used for your project.  These will serve to fill in the gaps between bases, where the joiner boards will eventually go.  Place the Spacer Boards on the side supports of the MultyDeck bases, and ensure fit across the entire width is nice and tight.

​

Next, measure from the inside of the last MultyDeck base divider to the inside of the last divider of the opposite end.  This will give you the measurement for the first mitered corner cut.  Cut long-point to long-point, cutting at a 45 degree angle.  You will cut two boards for this length (one for each side).

​

Continue to the process on the next two dividers from the outside bases.  This will give the measurement for the second mitered corner cut.  You will cut two boards this length (one for each side).

​

For the final mitered corner cut, measure the inside of the closest divider, on each of the end bases.  You will cut two boards this length (one for each side).

​

Repeat the entire process for all three measurements on the LENGTH dimension of the deck, cutting two boards for each measurement between the outer base dividers.

Now that all the mitered corner boards are cut, it is time to assemble the frame.

​

Working with each of the three frame sizes, one at a time, and starting with the inside frame, connect the aligned boards with a 3" deck screw.  Screw into the wood in both directions to secure the corner.  Continue the process to secure each of the remaining three corners.

You have now completed the assembly of the smallest of the three frames.  

​

Continue the process for the next two frames, in ascending size order.

At the end of this step, you will have three separate frames, each fastened and connected at the mitered corenrs.

The corners of your finished deck will need support.  MultyDeck bases can be manipulated to support mitered corners.  
 

Now that you have all of the corners secured on your frame pieces, align them into position, smallest on the inside and largest outside, but upside down.  If you have pre-stained the boards, the stained side will be touching the ground.  You may choose to rest the boards on a drop cloth to prevent scratching your painted/stained deck surface.

​

Next we will cut the rubber base.  Measure and mark 1 1/2" from the edge on each of the short ends of a MultyDeck base.  Using a straight edge and a utility knife, cut on a 45 degree angle from the top left, downward toward your bottom right.  First score the cut, then pass back over the cut with your utility knife to completely cut through the base.  

Repeat with three more bases, so that you will finish with 8 triangles cut, two per each corner.

Apply the bases to the corners.  This is easily done by sliding them in the grooves between the frame boards.  Push the triangles into the corner, so that the two cuts align.  Secure the bases by screwing through the rubber into the back of the wood, using 1 5/8" deck screws.  Make sure to only dimple the rubber, don't screw through the rubber.

​

It's time to apply the rest of the bases to the frame.  Space the bases no more than 18" apart, and screw them to the frame boards through the rubber and into the boards using 1 5/8" deck screws.  Next, it's time to flip the frame over.

Once you have placed all of the MultyDeck rubber bases, and secured them to the frame, it is time to flip the frame over.  Doing this will require a second pair of hands.  Not only is the large size of the frame awkward to flip with one person, the added weight of the applied rubber bases makes the frame heavy at this stage.

​

In the next step, panels will be added to the inside of the frame and the deck will be even heavier.  So, once the frame is flipped over, now is the time to adjust placement of the deck.  Move and/or orient the frame into the final position for your deck.

The next step is to infill the frame with pre-made panels.  But before we do that, we will slice off the rubber base's side supports, on the inside of the short end of the frame, using a utility knife.  Otherwise, the panels will not fit into the frame.  This is where a little manipulation comes into effect. 

​

This is easily done by taking a utility knife, and cutting along in the inside of the divider.  First score the base along the wood board, then go over your scored cut again until this part of the base fall off.  There is no need to keep this piece as it won't be used.  Repeat for all side supports on the SHORT ends of the deck only.  The side supports along the long edges are needed to support the inside panels.

Build two 8-ft panels with three MultyDeck bases, spaced no more than 18" apart.  The boards of these panels have been painted the same light grey stain as our frame design.  Lay them inside the frame, spacing them 5 1/2" apart from each other and the outer frames.   This will allow enough space for the joiner boards.

​

Because of the dry-fitting measurements that you made in Step One, there should be a perfect gap of 5 1/2" between each panel and frame.

​

Slide in the joiner boards.  In this project, they have been painted with grey stain to perfectly match the panels and frame.  

​

Secure the joiner boards by screwing into the wood from the top using 1 5/8" deck screws, and into the rubber of the side supports.

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.

​

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.  

​

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.  

​

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