Anyone here built a deck lately???

[LeadPoison]

Yep I just built two of them personally. One of them being over 800 square feet.

Here is what I did:

Posts were treated 4X4. We did not use concrete. Just put them in the ground every 12 feet.

I wish I had some pics because it came out great.

The outside bands were 2X8s. Joists were 2X8. Bands were bolted into posts. We used the bottom band of the house one band since it is a raised house. 24" centers.

We used 2X6s on hangers inbetween the joists as we ran the deck boards from the house. Everything was supported with 2X10s nailed to the main joists then run down to the concrete blocks that are grooved out for a post or 2X whatever.

Everything was treated.

For decking we used the regular deck boards. Which we screwed down. A nightmare but worth it.

And one more thing... go 14 or 16 feet deep. Trust me when I say with 12 feet you will feel crowded with any amount of people on it. Our's is 16 on the front and 14 down the side. It wraps around the house.

I will be able to get some good pics in about two weeks when I go back up there. If it isn't to late by then I will get you a bunch of shots.

 

[LeadPoison]

Yep I just built two of them personally. One of them being over 800 square feet.

Here is what I did:

Posts were treated 4X4. We did not use concrete. Just put them in the ground every 12 feet.

I wish I had some pics because it came out great.

The outside bands were 2X8s. Joists were 2X8. Bands were bolted into posts. We used the bottom band of the house one band since it is a raised house. 24" centers.

We used 2X6s on hangers inbetween the joists as we ran the deck boards from the house. Everything was supported with 2X10s nailed to the main joists then run down to the concrete blocks that are grooved out for a post or 2X whatever.

Everything was treated.

For decking we used the regular deck boards. Which we screwed down. A nightmare but worth it.

And one more thing... go 14 or 16 feet deep. Trust me when I say with 12 feet you will feel crowded with any amount of people on it. Our's is 16 on the front and 14 down the side. It wraps around the house.

I will be able to get some good pics in about two weeks when I go back up there. If it isn't to late by then I will get you a bunch of shots.

 

[Bird]

It's been a little while, but . . .

I wouldn't put the posts "in" the ground. I've done some with concrete blocks on top of the ground and I've done it by digging a hole, using wire mesh for reinforcing, and pouring a pier with the metal brackets set in them. And now I've forgotten what they call those brackets. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif They have a threaded rod so you adjust them up or down if necessary in the future. Then set 4 x 4 treated posts in them. I'd space the posts 8' apart on the long axis (5 of them for the 24' length) and 6' apart on the short axis (still 5 of them centered between the two outer rows); i.e., 15 posts for a 12' x 24' deck. Personally, I'd use 2 x 8 around the outer perimeter, then 2 x 6 floor joists on 16" centers. I prefer using joist hangars. And instead of the 5/8" decking, I've used treated 2 x 6s. I don't like a spongy floor. There are lots of ways to build a railing. Unfortunately, the only picture I have of one I built is also the smallest one I've every built, and not too good a picture. I used a lot of 2 x 2s because she wanted a railing that little Maltese dogs couldn't get their head through, and also wanted a railing that big teenagers couldn't damage by sitting on it. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif The other thing I do is drill pilot holes and use screws; no nails.

 

[Bird]

It's been a little while, but . . .

I wouldn't put the posts "in" the ground. I've done some with concrete blocks on top of the ground and I've done it by digging a hole, using wire mesh for reinforcing, and pouring a pier with the metal brackets set in them. And now I've forgotten what they call those brackets. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif They have a threaded rod so you adjust them up or down if necessary in the future. Then set 4 x 4 treated posts in them. I'd space the posts 8' apart on the long axis (5 of them for the 24' length) and 6' apart on the short axis (still 5 of them centered between the two outer rows); i.e., 15 posts for a 12' x 24' deck. Personally, I'd use 2 x 8 around the outer perimeter, then 2 x 6 floor joists on 16" centers. I prefer using joist hangars. And instead of the 5/8" decking, I've used treated 2 x 6s. I don't like a spongy floor. There are lots of ways to build a railing. Unfortunately, the only picture I have of one I built is also the smallest one I've every built, and not too good a picture. I used a lot of 2 x 2s because she wanted a railing that little Maltese dogs couldn't get their head through, and also wanted a railing that big teenagers couldn't damage by sitting on it. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif The other thing I do is drill pilot holes and use screws; no nails.

 

[bugstruck]

Agreed Bird. Only thing he'd need to pick the size up on is the joists. They should be 2 x 8's that will span up to 11-11" at 16" OC if the PT lumber is southern yellow pine as is usual. With the perimeter band joists he's making the max. joist span 11'-9". That's with a 50lb/SF live load and L/360 deflection. Most jurisdictions want the 50lbs/SF live load these days. The 360 deflection means it wil be rather stiff.

One last thing to consider on a deck that is ofen overlooked is rack strength of the structure. The deck itself will have good horizontal rack but when you put it on 4 x 4's that are post anchor mounted, the posts themselves can rack. Being a mobile home he needs posts along the home side too as you know. An exaggeration is that this is a deck on tooth picks. The deck can move side to side and the higher above grade you go, the worse the movement is. Several ways to brace it but at 5' up on the away side it needs to be addressed. Well connected and anchored stairs can help to pin one corner of the deck in place to a degree. Diagonal bracing between some posts is not a great asethetic but it sure works. Carrying the post through the deck and using them as the handrail support posts also helps quite a bit as it locks the upper portion of the post. The lower portion is then better controlled for rack too.

I know a very young carpenter who once built a deck 16' x 16' that connected at a mid wall point (2 x 4's) instead of the usual floor joist plane of the house. It was an odd owner driven deck elevation. When it was done he walked out to the end of the deck, side shifted his body weight and watched the kitchen and dining walls deflect as he rode a 2" sway /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. He sure did brace that one up and never tried that again. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif He looked allot like me. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bugstruck]

Agreed Bird. Only thing he'd need to pick the size up on is the joists. They should be 2 x 8's that will span up to 11-11" at 16" OC if the PT lumber is southern yellow pine as is usual. With the perimeter band joists he's making the max. joist span 11'-9". That's with a 50lb/SF live load and L/360 deflection. Most jurisdictions want the 50lbs/SF live load these days. The 360 deflection means it wil be rather stiff.

One last thing to consider on a deck that is ofen overlooked is rack strength of the structure. The deck itself will have good horizontal rack but when you put it on 4 x 4's that are post anchor mounted, the posts themselves can rack. Being a mobile home he needs posts along the home side too as you know. An exaggeration is that this is a deck on tooth picks. The deck can move side to side and the higher above grade you go, the worse the movement is. Several ways to brace it but at 5' up on the away side it needs to be addressed. Well connected and anchored stairs can help to pin one corner of the deck in place to a degree. Diagonal bracing between some posts is not a great asethetic but it sure works. Carrying the post through the deck and using them as the handrail support posts also helps quite a bit as it locks the upper portion of the post. The lower portion is then better controlled for rack too.

I know a very young carpenter who once built a deck 16' x 16' that connected at a mid wall point (2 x 4's) instead of the usual floor joist plane of the house. It was an odd owner driven deck elevation. When it was done he walked out to the end of the deck, side shifted his body weight and watched the kitchen and dining walls deflect as he rode a 2" sway /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. He sure did brace that one up and never tried that again. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif He looked allot like me. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[johnk]

I just appeneded to my deck. I live in a hard freeze area so I augered to 42 inches. I used 4x4 treated and used 4x10x12 pressure treated for the supports that were bolted together with all thread. I then used 4x8x10 floor joists and went 16 OC. Just a cabin but good place to hang out..

 

[johnk]

I just appeneded to my deck. I live in a hard freeze area so I augered to 42 inches. I used 4x4 treated and used 4x10x12 pressure treated for the supports that were bolted together with all thread. I then used 4x8x10 floor joists and went 16 OC. Just a cabin but good place to hang out..

 

[johnk]

Another. It's now a 10x28 deck.

 

[johnk]

Another. It's now a 10x28 deck.