Pictures of our new deck

[EddieWalker]

Jim,

Looks very good. The ledger board is textbook. Did your contractor say anything about using the lag bolts? or was that his plan all along?

I noticed that they built up the concrete around your posts. That's another issue that I have that doesn't get done like it should. Get the water away from those posts as quicly as possible. Nicely done.

Your brackets are new to me. Are they Simpson? I just use the ones they sell at McCoys for 6x6 posts. They are shorter, only go on one side of the beam, and look different in design. I buy two for each side of the beam to make them secure, and then paint them whatever color the client wants them.

Eddie

 

[jinman]

Eddie, I had to ask them to install the lag bolts. Otherwise, they would just have nailed the ledger with galvanized ring-shank nails. That's what they did anyhow to hold it in place while they put in the lag bolts. They did the same with deck joists, using six nails on each side of the joist and then adding the hanger. They said the hanger would bear the weight and the nails would keep the joist from pulling away from the ledger. The joist hanger doesn't have much resistance to pulling force. Finally, we added hurricane ties between the beam and the joists. The framers told me I'd have the stongest deck in Wise County. Sounds good to me!

The concrete poured to make water run away from the posts was the contractor's idea. He's really more of a concrete guy and this is one of his pet peeves. He made sure the framers would do this right.

Yes, Eddie, the column caps are Simpson CCQ46SDS2.5 and come with 30 SDS screws for attachment. They were about $60 each, but the framers love them and so do I. They provide a solid cap to the post and a perfect place for joints in the beam. Simpson has a full range of sizes and styles including one that is offset for the end of a beam when you need it flush with a post.

 

[buckle97]

This is going to be a great deck, Jim. Thanks for posting all the pictures!

 

[EddieWalker]

If you look real close, you can see the brackets that I used on the pavilion that I'm building. Mostly, I'm relying on gravity to hold it all together, but to make sure, I use brackets and screws.

Eddie

 

[ronjhall]

The snow was much deeper about an hour ago, but there is still plenty of slushy messy stuff to make building a pain. I haven't seen the framers this morning and suspect they may wait awhile before showing up.

...I know, I know... you guys up north are laughing your hineys off at us. We are such cold weather wimps.

Like Bird said, this may be the only snow we actually see all winter long. We have to make a big deal of it when we get the chance.

Hey, we have not had one flake of snow yet this year. First November on record with no accumulated snow. Looks like December will be similar.
Hope we see some of them 80 degree days that we have enjoyed at your place again this coming spring.

 

[jinman]

If you look real close, you can see the brackets that I used on the pavilion that I'm building. Mostly, I'm relying on gravity to hold it all together, but to make sure, I use brackets and screws.

Eddie

I think I've seen those brackets, Eddie. Actually, I don't care what brackets you're using, that's one nice looking job. Wow!

Also, I'll try to find a picture of the brackets and the facia I had installed to hide them inside my house.

 

[dave1949]

That's going to be a very nice deck Jim. I can picture you with a morning cup of joe making the rounds on the new deck to see what the new day will bring
Dave.

 

[jinman]

That's going to be a very nice deck Jim. I can picture you with a morning cup of joe making the rounds on the new deck to see what the new day will bring
Dave.

That's not a "cup of joe" you see in my hand. It's a paintbrush and a bucket of stain.

 

[EddieWalker]

Jim,

For outdoor staining, have you tried a spray bottle and a rag? Paint brushes work too, but tend to make a mess. For really big jobs, like a fence, I've bought and used two gallon garden sprayers. They work very well, but are impossible to clean afterwords. For the project that I'm on right now, I'll buy a three pack of hand spray guns to apply the stain.

Eddie

 

[Western]

That's what I always use too, just have to watch the wind and over spray. I once was hired to spray Thompsons on a brick 4 story business complex in Plano Texas, Finished it in 2 long day's with the garden sprayers 2 helpers and a rented 60' boom Genie..