PrettyNothing8962 t1_je6ttpt wrote on March 29, 2023 at 8:45 PM

Personally I wouldn’t use deck blocks. I built my deck about the same size and not attached to the house. I’m in Florida so no frost line but I still dug to 24” for footings. My only advice is rent an auger, I didn’t and regretted it. My back still hurts just thinking about it. 😀. Good luck

bonersnow OP t1_je6w7tz wrote on March 29, 2023 at 9:01 PM

Oh, if I had to go the footing route. I would ABSOLUTELY rent an auger. I'm too old and whiney to deal with that kind of pain

DerCatzefragger t1_je8hdtk wrote on March 30, 2023 at 4:22 AM

I rented an auger and it destroyed me and my friend's backs. Deadlifting a 75 pound machine with 150 pounds of soil clinging to it 4 feet straight up out of a hole is not easy. The auger is certainly faster. . . but it sure as hell isn't easy.

134dsaw t1_je7oppz wrote on March 30, 2023 at 12:28 AM

I'm also in southern Ontario and planning a deck build. Was thinking blocks, but will probably do footings.

Instead of an auger, go to home depot and rent the little skid steer thing with an auger on it. They're fairly cheap and you get the pleasure of a machine doing all the hard work for you. Bonus points for it because they usually send it on a trailer with a little bucket too so you can easily deal with the dirt from the hole.