General view of pavilion and pond

Rafter dimensions

Balinese summer

Bring the tropics to your place this summer by building a Balinese pavilion, complete with timber deck and fish pond

retreat
BEfOrE

AS SEEN ON

Building permission
If you pitch a sloping roof over a deck youll probably be above the height limit of what you can build without the permission of your local council and neighbours. This pavilion with thatched roof works out at about 3.6m high, so check with your council as to what they require before you start.

Light and power

To install lighting, operate a pond pump and filtration system and use other appliances in your new resort, have an electrician install a local power outlet with several points near the pavilion. As it is outside and near water, make sure it operates via a safety switch.

CHRISTMAS 2009

GathEr YOUr sUPPLiEs

 Poles (4) 200 dia x 3600mm A treated pine n B Bearers (3) 140 x 45 x 3000mm treated pine n C Joists (8) 140 x 45 x 3000mm treated pine n D Trimmers/blocking (4m total) 140 x 45mm treated pine offcuts n E Droppers (5) 90 x 45 x 260mm treated pine n F Decking and skirting (29) 140 x 25 x 3000mm merbau
n

The deck and pond

A shallow pond always has a cooling effect, and at only 300mm deep, this one is considered safe for kids. Add an overlapping deck so you can dangle your feet in the water, and life becomes a tropical holiday. then set the second pole into this corner and add a brace. Then square up the pole with 2 braces down to pegs in the ground. Repeat for the other 2 poles. overlap the sides equally. The 4 x 3m size is the smallest liner size that can be used for a 3 x 2.1m pond. The section inside the L will be trimmed off later. and adjust the centre bearer so it is in line with the side bearers, then screw to ground screws with batten screws. of the bearers, joists or the droppers installed earlier. This depth of skirting makes the deck appear to float over the water of the pond.

HErEs hOW StEP 1 Select a flat area in the backyard

(or front yard). Mark in the positions for the 4 corner poles with pegs. The pegs should be spaced 2200mm apart. Mark around perimeter with landscaping paint.

Note: If you order the decking as cover rather than by the length (here 9 square metres for the deck, plus another 8 lengths for the skirting), you will save some money but you will get random lengths which will need to be joined. This is fine as long as each decking board sits over at least 3 joists and you stagger the joints for a random appearance.

that are truly plumb (vertical), with the measurements to the outside of the poles at the base exactly 2400mm or, if you like, 2000mm between inside faces. Check to make sure the diagonals between inside faces are still equal, so you know everything is perfectly square.

folding its edge over twice before stapling it to the ground with liner pins. Then start filling the pond with water so that air under the liner is expelled and the liner finds its own position. Then fully pin down the other sides, fold the liner around the pole inside the L, pin and trim off excess liner.

Photography John Halfhide, Phil Aynsley, Dieter Mylius; styling Kristy Lomax (TV), Annie Millar (magazine); diagrams Stephen Pollitt; project John Rae, Darren Baensch

StEP 6 You should now have 4 poles

StEP 11 Secure 1 side of the liner by

StEP 16 Place the joists (C) on the bearers, then fix the front and back joists to the bearers so they have a 500mm overhang over the right bearer. StEP 17 Once screwed in place, stretch a stringline between these joists, then slide the intermediate joists up to the line and fix in place. Aim for a spacing of 450mm, but the poles will mean that in some places the joists will be spread or crowded closer together. StEP 18 To support decking where it
butts against poles, trim around poles with trimmers (D) made from offcuts of the bearers and joists. Screw to joists and poles, and skew-screw to the bearers where they run parallel.

StEP 22 Dig a border around the

edge of pond liner to a width of 330mm from the edge of where the pond dips down, and set a stringline all around. Remove the grass and some of the soil to reach a hard sound surface. Check the line is taut and make sure it is level, so the gap between pavers and water is constant.

StEP 2

StEP 3

StEP 4

StEP 5

StEP 2 Mark out for 400mm square post holes centred on the pegs. Check the diagonals to make sure the pole layout will be square and adjust positions if necessary. Dig 4 holes for the poles to a depth of 600mm. StEP 3 Stand 1 pole (A) in place and prop
so it is plumb in both directions. Youll need 2 people to manage the poles, as they are heavy. Prop down to pegs, which are driven into the ground so theyll be out of the way.

StEP 7 Pour concrete into the holes to set

the poles in place. If youre in a hurry, use fast-setting concrete, otherwise use ordinary concrete and let it set for 24 hours.

StEP 12 To build the deck, use ground

screws and poles to support deck bearers. Find the halfway point between the 2 front poles, then drive in a ground screw in line with the outside of the poles. Repeat this for the back and left poles, and then find the halfway point between the right poles and drive in a ground screw in line with the inside of the poles. Then install a fifth screw in the centre, in line with the front and back screws.

StEP 6

StEP 7

StEP 9

StEP 10

StEP 23 Mix 2-3 bags of sand-cement

mix in a barrow so it is a medium-stiff consistency. Trowel into the dug-out border, starting at a corner and being careful not to let the mix run into the pond. Wet the underside of a paver to reduce suction and give a stronger joint, then place the paver on top and bed it down to the level of the stringlines. The slab should be about 1mm off the stringline so you do not inadvertently push the string out of alignment.

StEP 8 To excavate for the pond, set a

stringline 1500mm from the outside of the poles on the right-hand side and a second line 900mm out from the front of the poles along the front. The pond extends in an L-shape, about 600mm across the front of the pavilion from the right hand pole.

StEP 12

StEP 13

StEP 14

StEP 15

YOULL aLsO nEEd

Spare 70 x 35mm pine, for temporary braces; timber pegs; concrete mix (3-6 bags per pole); set-out paint; clean sand; Hozelock Cyprio 4 x 3m garden pond liner; liner pins; (5) 690 x 91mm ground screws with stirrups; assor ted plastic packers; 75mm galvanised batten screws; (10) 800 x 400 x 50mm sandstone slab pavers; sandcement mix (2 bags per paver)

StEP 19 Screw vertical droppers (E) to

every second joist. These will be used to fix the skirting on along the edge where you only have ends of joists showing.

StEP 4 To help set out the base of poles

accurately, use some of the longer lengths of timber youll be using for the deck or roof framing and place 1 along the back of the pole, so it is just touching the pole. Bring in a second piece running out from the first at a right angle. Check that the angle is a right angle by using the 3:4:5 rule in other words, measure 1200mm along one edge, 1600mm along another and check that the diagonal is 2000mm. Screw a short diagonal across the front of the pole to hold.

StEP 13 Place bearers (B) in ground screws

and use a level to check theyll be level both along their length and from one bearer to the next. Adjust by turning ground screws and, where a half-turn is too much, use small plastic packers under the bearers to adjust.

StEP 9 Using the stringlines and

measurements in Step 8, mark pond outline with set-out paint, then excavate to a depth of 300mm. Remove any tree roots or surface rocks to leave a smooth surface that will not tear the pond liner. Spread the liner out on the ground away from the excavation, so the sun can warm and soften the fabric.

StEP 20 Set out the decking (F) on

the joists with a 5mm gap between boards. Start at 1 side. Youll need 21 boards across the deck and another 8 boards to dress the skirt of the deck. Use a jigsaw to cut around the poles and, if the remaining decking is too thin, cut through and join rather than taking the chance of the timber snapping.

StEP 14 Hold a straight length of timber

across front of the front poles. At each side, measure from the back of timber to the ends of bearers so they finish 300mm in front of the poles. Screw right and left bearers to poles and ground screws with batten screws.

StEP 24 Spread out more mortar and lay the next slab without leaving a joint. Use a rubber mallet to bed it into the mortar using the first slab and stringline as a guide for alignment and levels. StEP 25 Continue on without leaving
grout lines and work your way around the pond. If you need to cut the stone, use a diamond blade in a grinder or, if you have many cuts, hire a paving saw, which has water lubrication of the blade for a perfect cut.

StEP 16

StEP 17

StEP 18

StEP 19

StEP 10 Spread a 30mm layer of sand

over the bottom of the pond area and rake smooth. Trowel it up the sides as well, so there is no chance of the liner being punctured. Then install pond liner, letting it

StEP 5 Set up a second piece of timber

running out from the back length, and 2400mm away. Again check that it is square,

StEP 15 Hold the same length of timber

across the front of the left and right bearers

StEP 21 Once the deck is in place, screw the perimeter skirting to the ends

StEP 20

StEP 21

StEP 23

StEP 24

The hip roof

GathEr YOUr sUPPLiEs
 Short beams (2) 190 x 45 x G 2400mm n H Long beams (2) 190 x 45 x 2490mm n I Common rafters (2) 140 x 45 x 1700mm n J Short rafters (2) 140 x 45 x 1700mm, long to short ends n K Hip rafters (4) 140 x 45 x 2250mm, long to short ends n L Long creeper rafters (8) 140 x 45 x 1200mm, long to short ends (see note below) n M Shor t creeper rafters (8) 140 x 45 x 740mm, long to short ends (see note below) n N Ba ttens (4) 70x 35 x 3030mm
n

The hip roof for this thatched pavilion is pitched at 30, which is the absolute minimum angle needed to shed light rain off the thatch. Steeper is better but this increases the height of the structure, which can cause problems with council and neighbour approvals.

StEP 1

StEP 2

StEP 3

StEP 4

StEP 5

StEP 6

StEP 7

HErEs hOW StEP 1 Trim the top of the poles to a

height of 2280mm. To do this, square around each pole with a small level, then make 4 cuts with a power saw and cut through the centre with a handsaw. Control the cut section as you cut through, so it doesnt drop and damage either the pond liner or timber deck.

StEP 8

StEP 9

StEP 10

StEP 11

StEP 12

StEP 13

Finishing off StEP 6 After all the building work, the

water in the pond is sure to be murky. Pump out the old, murky water with a submersible pump and thoroughly clean the liner so you can start with a clean pond and clean water.

Notes: n All timber is treated pine, do not precut lengths before beginning. n For both long and short creeper rafters youll need 4 each leftand right-handed rafters.

StEP 2 Cut the beams that support the roof. Install the short beams (G) first. Measure 2100mm up from the deck and partly drive a screw into each pole on the left side to support the beam. Put the beam on top, then have a helper hold a batten across front poles: the short beam should end flush with the batten. Check that it is level, then screw to poles with 75mm batten screws. Repeat for right side. StEP 3 Screw 1 long beam (H) to 1 end of a short beam, then use a clamp to pull the pole in place if necessary and screw off at other end. Use 2 screws each end into pole and ends of short beams. Repeat for other beam on opposite side. StEP 4 Cutting a hip roof from first
principles is quite daunting. These instructions are for a square roof supported on beams 2490mm apar t (outside

StEP 14
measurement) with a roof slope of 30. For other roof sizes or slopes, rafter shapes will have to be worked out from scratch. For the first common rafter (I), mark out a length of 1700mm with a 30 angle at each end (see Rafter dimensions diagram, overleaf). These are called plumb cuts: when erected the cuts will be vertical. Cut top angle of the rafter.

StEP 15

StEP 16

StEP 17
in plan view and the angle is shallower. In this case it is very close to 22.5 to the horizontal, so use this angle for setting out the hip rafter. Mark a 22.5 plumb cut across the rafter at the top end.

StEP 6 Make sure that the bottom plumb

cut will still be 263mm from the birdsmouth, check the angle and make the cut.

YOULL aLsO nEEd

75mm batten screws; assorted galvanised wood screws; roofing square; timber stain; general tools Note: Roofing squares, which are marked inside with all the angles you need to make this roof, will save time, as you do not need a protractor or sliding bevel.

StEP 7 Connect the pond to a filtration

system of your choice to maintain a healthy environment for your fish and plants. Talk to your local water garden

The poles of the pavilion are stained, then the hip roof will be covered with thatch.

StEP 5 From the bottom long point, measure up 263mm and draw a 30 line across the rafter in the same direction. Measure 130mm along this line from the upper surface and draw a line perpendicularly, to mark in a birdsmouth. Cut out the birdsmouth with a jigsaw or handsaw. This is the surface of the rafter that sits on the beam.

StEP 7 Use this first rafter as a pattern to mark out and cut an identical second rafter and trial-fit on the beams. If correct, cut another 2 rafters exactly the same, so you have 4 in all. Then cut 22.5mm off the top of 2 of the rafters to make short rafters (J), again with a plumb cut. StEP 8 To erect the rafters youll need at least 2 people and a ladder for each person. Bring the 2 common rafters together to form an apex with the birdsmouth notches fully resting on the centres of the beams. Screw to

beams then, while holding common rafters in place, bring in 1 short rafter from 1 side and screw from the full-length common rafters into the short rafter to hold the 3 together. Traditionally roof frames are nailed together, but it is easier, albeit slower, to construct using screws. The top corners of the long point of the short rafter should be flush with the slope on the common rafters. Then bring in and secure the other short rafter. Secure both short rafters to beams.

StEP 10 Square across the upper surface of

hip rafter. Draw in a V with 45 angles (see Rafter dimensions diagram, overleaf). Cut the 22.5 angle with saw set at 45. Cut in 2 directions to give a V-point that fits into the 90 angle between the rafters. For the birdsmouth, measure 1849mm from the short point and draw a 22.5 line across rafter. As in Step 5, measure 130mm down from the top surface for the top of the birdsmouth and draw a line perpendicularly to form the birdsmouth.

StEP 9 To prepare a hip rafter (K) you could work out the plumb cut and length with a bevel and straightedge. The hip rafters are longer than the common rafters and join the frame at 45 to the common rafters

StEP 11 Leave the hip rafter long, to be trimmed when in place on the roof. Cut out the birdsmouth and test fit. If correct, use it as a pattern for the other 3 hip rafters. Install the hip rafters between the common rafters and set them on the corners of the wall beams. Skew-screw to the beams and common rafters. StEP 12 The top of the hip roof
becomes quite crowded so try to find screw positions where they wont interfere with each other.

StEP 15 From the short point, measure

1200mm on 4 right- and left-handed creepers each and 740mm on the remainder, cut as in diagram. Then measure 263mm back up each creeper to cut a birdsmouth, as in Step 5. Install creepers with long ones spaced about 420mm from the common rafter and short ones a further 400mm on. Make sure they are square to the beam. This is where screwing is much simpler than nailing.

Thatching
Thatched roofs have been around for centuries, not only in tropical areas, but in European villages as well. To be watertight, they rely on multiple thicknesses of thatch as well as a steep slope to shed water quickly. Thatch is supplied wrapped around thin timber battens that can be nailed directly to the rafters.

Finishing off
StEP 3 Finish 1 roof surface at a time,
working all the way up to the apex. To fix the final few short lengths of thatch, you will need to lean on the roof, so be careful to lean where there is rafter support. Now that the deck is laid and the roof built and thatched, its time to put the finishing touches to your tropical retreat. That means draining and cleaning the pond, and filling it with fish and plants.

StEP 4 Once all 4 sides are done, screw

the hip cap thatch onto the hip rafter. Make sure the length will overhang the ends of the hips to match the length of the thatch from the main roof sections.

StEP 16 Hold a straight batten across

the tops of the short rafters to mark in the length of the hip rafters in both directions, then plumb down. Cut the V-shaped point, then nail 70 x 35mm battens (N) to the ends of the plumb cuts so the outer top edge is in line with the rake (slope) of the rafter tops.

StEP 1

StEP 2

StEP 3

YOULL nEEd
Submersible pump; filtration system; aquatic plants; fish HErEs hOW StEP 1 After all the building work, the pond water will be murky. Pump out the old water with a submersible pump and thoroughly clean the liner so you can start with a clean pond and clean water.

StEP 13 The creeper rafters (L,M) are

made the same basic way for all 16, but there are 2 lengths and you need both right- and left-handed creepers (see Rafter dimensions diagram). Mark a 30 plumb-cut angle at the top of each rafter.

GathEr YOUr sUPPLiEs

2.4m thatch lengths (40); 4 thatched hip caps; a crown for the apex; galvanised nails; screws for fixing hip capping; wire Notes: n Thatch comes bound to battens in lengths that are then nailed to the roof. You need a strip of thatch every 120mm up the slope of the roof to build up a thickness that will shed water. n Water sheds quickly from thatch at 35, and pretty well at 30. HErEs hOW StEP 1 From the bottom of 1 common rafter, measure up and mark 200mm, then mark intervals of 120mm all the way to the top of each roof slope. Extend the marks across all rafters, including the hip rafters, on all 4 sides.

StEP 14 Set saw to cut at 45, to allow

for the 30 rafter slope and the 45 angle of the hip rafter. Cut 8 in each direction, so you have both left and right creepers.

StEP 17 Stain the poles to match the

merbau decking. Leave the rest of the framing natural as it is close in colour to the thatched roof.

StEP 5 The thatch supplier will normally include smaller tufts of thatch to patch around the apex of the roof and any thin spots near hips. Stuff the thatch patches in place and hold with nails or wire. When completed, sit a Balinese crown on top and hold down with wire.

StEP 4

StEP 5

A hip-roof frame features compound angles where the hip meets other components.

StEP 2 Start fixing the thatch from the bottom up. Align it with the lines across the rafters and nail in place. Then add the second and third, and so on. Where the 2.4m lengths are too short, cut extra to lengths that you can butt-join over a rafter. Cut with a hand saw or circular saw.

The thatch is bound around thin battens ready to be screwed to the roof rafters.

Stockists: Bali pavilion built by John Rae and Darren Baensch, DJB Constructions. Plant hire, Coates, 13 15 52 or www. coates.com.au Rubbish removal, Dats Skip Bins, 1300 654 334 or www.datsskipbins.com.au 200 x 3600mm poles, about $70 each, Midcoast Timber, www.midcoasttimber. com.au Bagged concrete; treated pine (various sizes); ground screws; 140 x 25mm merbau decking; hardware; pond liner; timber stain; deck finish, Bunnings, www.bunnings.com.au or stores nationally. Thatch, Exotic Thatch, (02) 9531 2020 or www.exoticthatch.com.au Sandstone pavers, 800 x 400 x 50mm, $432/9, Gosford Quarries, (02) 8585 8282, or www.gosfordquarries.com.au Quick-Grip clamps; hand tools, Irwin Tools, hardware stores nationally. Power tools, Bosch Australia, 1300 307 044. Pond filter and pump; water plants; accessories, The Fish Works, (02) 9986 2000 or www.thefishworks.com.au Samara magenta cushion, $34.95; Samara citron cushion, $34.95; Caravan stripe magenta cushion, $69.95; Portia green floor cushion, $54.95; Pipi stripe multi cushion, $44.95; Pipi embroidered cushion, $69.95, Kas Australia, www.kasaustralia.com.au Lime runner; round lanterns; tall white leaf candlestick; tall twist candlestick; Bali umbrella in pink, 2.3m tall, 2m dia; stone carved umbrella stand, Charlie Lime, www.charlielime.com.au Glass jug, $24.95; high-ball glasses, $5.95, Alfresco Emporium, (02) 9972 9999 or www.alfrescoemporium.com.au Cocoon lounge, $1599; coffee table/ottoman, $499; Adobe hurricane lamp, $99, Freedom, www.freedom.com.au

StEP 2 Connect the pond to a filtration system of your choice to maintain a healthy environment for your fish and aquatic plants. (Your local water-garden supplier can advise you on the best plants for your area). The filter can be located near the pond in a garden bed, and partly sunken into the ground so its not in plain view. Plug the system into an outdoor power outlet (see Power and light box, overleaf).

StEP 1

StEP 2