Is my DIY floating deck actually going to stay put in high winds?

The main thing with TuffBlocks is that they are designed to move with the frost, so you're actually ahead of the game compared to someone who poured shallow concrete footings that will eventually crack. Since the deck isn't ledgered to the house, you don't have to worry about it ripping your siding off when the ground expands. You'll likely see some movement in a Colorado winter, but the beauty of a floating system is that you can just jack up a low corner and throw a shim in there next season if it gets wonky.

Regarding those 70 mph gusts, 30-inch anchors are a solid start, but the real weak point is usually the hardware connecting the anchor to the joist. If you used thin gauge wire or cheap straps, the wind can snap those or pull the screws right out of the pressure-treated wood. I usually recommend **helical anchors** for high-wind zones because they actually bite into the subsoil. Four might be enugh for a small footprint, but if you have a lot of surface area, you might want to add a couple more in the center.

You definately went overkill on the joist spacing and the number of blocks. 12 inches on center is usually reserved for heavy composite boards or high-traffic commercial spots. It’s a common DIY move to buy more TuffBlocks instead of building actual beams, but you probably spent double what you needed to on materials. That said, it's going to feel like walking on a concrete slab, which is better than the bouncy mess most contractors leave behind when they're rushing.

Just keep an eye on the clearance between the joists and the dirt. Even with ground contact rated wood, you want as much **airflow** as posible. If you've got leaves or debris piling up under there, it’ll trap moisture and rot out your frame way faster than the weather will. As long as you kept that gap clear and your anchors are bolted down tight, you shouldn't be chasing your deck down the street anytime soon.

I'm thinking about using those blocks too, but the part about shimming it every season sounds like alot of upkeep. Is it a quick fix or do I have to pull up the deck boards to get to the frame? Also, for the airflow tip, how much space do you actualy need between the wood and the ground? I’m worried that if I leave a big gap, I’ll just end up with a family of raccoons living under there. Do you put some kind of mesh around the bottom or just let it breathe?

To answer that bit about shimming—you don't need to rip up boards. Just use a pry bar or a car jack to lift the rim joist slightly and slide some composite shims on top of the block. It takes five minutes once you find the low spot. On the raccoon front, aim for at least 4 inches of clearance. If you're worried about critters, staple some heavy-duty hardware cloth to the frame and bury the bottom edge. It keeps the air moving but blocks the trash pandas. If you seal it up with solid skirting to hide the gap, you're just begging for moisture traps and rot.