Deck Design and Construction Forum

Outdoor tile for decks 
I added an adition to my house and over a part of the main floor I placed a roofline deck that is going to hold a hot tub.

The construction was done ...

Building pergola on top of existing deck - best way to anchor posts? 
I have an existing deck (pictures of basic plan, construction and finished result attached) and was considering the addition of a 10'x12' or 10'x14' pergola ...

Can we lower a deck after it is built? 
Our two tier deck is in the mid stages of completion. Now that the cedar deck boards are being installed I'm realizing that the lower level is too high ...

I need to get a soil report 
I am building a second story deck off my bedroom and it is 9 feet of the ground. I need to get a soil report and do not know the first thing about doing ...

Can I use Tapcons to Attach Ledger Board to Masonry Bearing Wall? 
I'm building a roof deck (approx. 11' x 13') which is to be supported along the 11' side via a 2 x 12 ledger attached to the adjacent masonry bearing wall ...

Trying to Find Titan Post Anchor Dealer in Australia 
Would like to know if there are any distributors or dealers of the Titan Post Anchor in Australia as i need this particular application in a design i am ...

Second story covered deck with overhang. 
I would like to build a 25'x19' covered deck off the second story of my three story house. The joist span would be 19' with the beam at 16'. Question, with ...

Deck Ledger Problem - Old Joists Sit on Wall Plate 
I would like to replace or repair my old deck. It's about 28' x 12', 8 ft above a concrete porch for the walk out basement.

The 2 piece solid beam ...

Planning for deck footings and layout 
I am planning to add a 16x16 four season porch attached to my existing house.

I know the town inspector has final say but would like to lay footings ...

Building a floating deck on an epdm rubber roof surface 
I have an interesting problem. I am taking a 25x25 roof over a garage that was done in decking then tile and leaked. I tore everything up, replaced the ...

Should a raised deck be built with a grade to it? 
I have a 14 foot deep deck over a walk out basement that runs the length of my house. I am planning to re-floor the deck with sheeting and a duradeck type ...

More Joists or Beams for More Strength for Deck? 
We just purchased a vacation home in a area with little or no codes for deck building. The deck we have is 16' x 16'. The posts are cedar and 8x8". The ...

Vinyl deck leaking 
My builder used a vinyl deck covering on a southern exposed 2nd floor balcony. The problem is the deck leaked badly into the room below. It appears the ...

Need to know load capabilities of my free standing deck. 
My deck is supported by 2 sets of posts (6x6) and beams (2-2x10's). Posts are 7' apart with beam and beams are 9' apart. Can anyone help me calculate ...

Flagstone 
I have flagstone set in sand. We planted green between the stone with about a 3 inch spacing.
I want to remove the green planting and fill in with something ...

Concerned about deck support... 
I have just had a deck built. It is 12ft. wide by 48ft. long. Attached to the house by a 2 by 12 ledger. Outside beams are also 2 by 12. Floor joists are ...

Best Kind of decking materials and fasteners to use? 
I'm replacing 5/4 x 6 Western Red Cedar / Patio Grade / Select Knotty / S4SRE Radius Edge with the same type of material (not slotted).

The original ...

How to anchor a deck to a flat rooftop? 
Looking into building a deck on the rooftop of my apartment. The roof has recently been re-done (gravel). I am wondering how to anchor the deck to the ...

Extending Ledger Board ? 
I'm building a 20 x 40 deck and at the most its going to be about a foot off the ground in most areas. My question is : 14ft of the foundation is where ...

Researching a deck surface replacement 
I have a 10-15 year old cedar deck (we just bought the house so not sure) that needs a new top. The PT framing looks solid! Cannot decide between Cedar ...

Deck Expansion with Hot Tub 
I love the site! I've never built a deck, but am working on plans to help my son-in-law build a deck-expansion onto their new house. The deck would span ...

Free Standing Decks - Building Code Issues? 
I am about to build a deck off the rear of my home but I would prefer not to attach it directly to the house using a ledger board etc...

I would prefer ...

True Maintenance Free Decking 
While they always say nothing is free - www.evolution-deck.com comes pretty close.

We were among the first to install an Evolution Deck galvanized steel ...

California Fire Rating For Decks 
I heard that new decks in California have new fire standards they must meet and have to have certain burn rates?

Do know anything about this or where ...

Beam Spacing 
I'm building a 16x16 deck and I'm searching for how many beams and what spacing do I need to have between each beam.

The beams are (3x)2x6x16 glued ...

How to Extend a Deck and Fix Rotted Support Posts 
I have a 10x12 deck that is 10 feet high and 20 yrs old. Its attached to the house and supported by square posts made of 2x10. The support posts and beam ...

Need Details on Deck Load Capacity 
I have read several articles regarding how to design a deck to support a particular load. For example, a deck to support 50 psf, 10 dead and 40 live.

But ...

Weekend remodeler - Composite material and Moisture Question 
Basically i want to build a larger deck over a 6" high concrete slab, using PT 2 X 6 as joists. Most important question is the deck material. I'd ...

Flagstone Deck 
Is it possible to have a 20' x 15' flagstone deck that is on a ravine lot? One side would be 12" off the ground with the other 10' to 15'.

Cantilever Deck Addition 
I have an existing 28 x 8 elevated deck. I want to extend it by 4 feet to allow enough room to screen in the deck. The joists are 2 x 8s on 15" centers....

Deck support bracing without posts 
I would like to build a very small 4' deep x 5' wide deck off a back door for access from the back of a garage. Can I brace/support the outer deck back ...

Support Post Spacing for Eventual Hot Tub on Deck 
I would like to build 16x16 deck using 2x10 for the frame and 3/4 in plywood for floor. I hope to enclose it one day and have a hot tub on top.

My question ...

Walk Out Basement Deck Design to Maximize Light 
I am looking for design ideas for deck for a walk-out from the basement. I want to maximize the light coming to the basement and have as little of the ...

Attaching Ledger to 4x6 flooring joists on 32 inches 
Hi I've done framing and some deck construction in my younger days. My parents inherited an old cabin built in the 1960's by my grandfather by hand.

Anyhow ...

Deck Stairs set into frame of deck 
We are building a deck at the cottage and would like to set the stairs back from the front edge of the deck by 4 feet. This will give us more run for ...

Decking over raised concrete patio 
I understand that decking over concrete isn't a good idea due to rot. But, I can't imagine that someone hasn't figured out a way to frame and deck a concrete ...

Raised concrete deck 
I have a wood deck which needs replacing. It is about 12 feet above ground level attached to the house and supported by 6x6 wooden beams.

Can I replace ...

Underdeck Waterproofing or on Top? 
We are planning on redoing our large deck. We have a room underneath our deck that has a dirt floor.

I would like the deck to have a solid floor on ...

Vinyl or Torch On Roofing for Leaking Deck 
Our deck is leaking and needs to be replaced. We have living space underneath it and are wanting to know if we should go with a vinyl or torch on roofing?...

Deck support posts sunk in concrete or sit on footings? 
I am building a deck that is above grade, the highest elevation about 14 feet from the floor to the ground(on a hill). All recommendations I read are to ...

Piles or Cement Blocks? 
What is the code in Canada for building a deck on a house in regards to piles or cement blocks? If the deck is not attached to the house, will cement blocks(...

Post hole auger depth? 
How far do I have do go with my auger for my post holes?

Deck Load and Soil Capacity?  
My husband built a deck around our above ground pool. Problem is we had no permit. We are now trying to obtain one and the township wants to know the PSF....

Building Deck on Top of a Raised Slab That is Warped 
I have a 19 by 34 foot raised patio (about 2 foot tall back filled with a concrete slab on top) at the back of my house.

It had flagstone covering the ...

A first time Pergola builder 
I currently have a 14' x 14' deck less than 2 feet off the ground. I want to build a 12' x 12' pergola on top of the deck and I want to anchor it to the ...

Dock with a Boat Lift 
Can I use pressure treated lumber from my local home improvement center to build a dock with a boat lift or do I need to use specially treated wood that ...

A Cantilevered Supported Deck 
I want to design a deck that will have its only support come from the wall (cantilevered) that its attached to.

Because of our back yard there is no ...

Small Deck for Double Wide Mobile Home 
My mother lives in a double wide mobile home that has inadequate steps in the front.

I have an area that is 128" long, 72" wide and 32" from the ground ...

Roof Beam Size 
I have a ten foot span on a deck roof beam. Any idea what the roof beam size should be (pine/fir)?

Building a Sunroom on a Deck 
Is it possible to build a 4 season sunroom on a deck that is 9ft off the ground. If so what would the load rating be . What size footings would I need....

Deck Ideas For Patio Stone Brick 
We have a 12x25 pressure treated wood deck that is about 10-15 years old. The boards are rotting and we must replace it.
We have a very limited budget,...

Truss Spans Posts For Patio Roof Cover 
I would like to know if there is a chart that shows the span of 2x6's,4x6's.4x8's etc. I want to build a cover over a patio with the least amount of posts ...

Deck joist span length without support 
I am building a deck (actually a dock) as part of a double slip boat house. The pathway down the middle will be 5/4x6 deck boards on 2x6 or 2x8s on end ...

Balcony Posts 
What is the required spacing for posts to support a balcony deck platform?

Where to place the support beam on ledger attached deck 
I'm planning on building a deck, its going to be connected to the side of the house using a lag legder with hangers on it and joists from the hangers.

My ...

Building 2nd story deck and pouring concrete patio below 
I am going to be building a 2nd story deck but will be putting the posts right where I am going to be pouring a cement patio. What is the best way to ...

Post wrap sleeves 
I am building an elevated deck and would like to know the preferred method and brand of post wrap sleeves the pros are using.

Deck is longer than the length of the house, should the ledger be? 
We are rebuilding our deck and increasing the size to 14' x 14'. Now, the deck will stick out at the edge of the house by about 4', which is what we want....

How to size footings 
I am building a small deck at my back door (so I can let my dogs out). It will be 10 feet wide (against the house) and 6' 8'' out. It will be freestanding ...

Do we have to install stairs when building a deck. 
We are building a deck on the second story of our house and want to know if there is any reason we must have stairs. Does building code require stairs?...

Hiding an A/C Unit with the deck? 
We recently built a new house and our builder put our (enormous) A/C unit right in the front of our house. Can we build a deck over top to hide the a/c ...

Building a rooftop deck over a roof with a small pitch  
I want to add a garage to the front of my house and add a second story over it.

From the second story over the garage I would like to extend a deck ...

Handrail  
I'm looking to build my first deck. Our home builder supplied us with 2x4 handrail. I have looked at friends' decks and other families decks and I have ...

Rejuvenating Poorly-Built Deck 
Please bear with me - I'm not a handywoman and am probably going to explain this badly as I don't know the terms to use!

Our deck is approximately 10 ...

Searching for 20' railing top cap 
I'm just completing a 10' x 20' deck with stairs along the shorter side. I am trying to find a solid 20' length of PT 2x6 or 5/4x6 for the railing top ...

Spanning sixteen feet with doug fir 
I need to span sixteen feet over a deck. I am considering 2x6 doug fir on end. Do you think this will work?

Where to Locate Holes for Deck Piers and Footings 
When I measured where to auger my holes for the deck footings, the post will sit right on the end of the deck...

Should I have left an overhang? So ...

Wood Decking of Paving Stones for Deck Surface 
I am looking at building a 16 x16 deck and wondering if lumber or pave stones would be more cost effective. What would you suggest?

Joist Size and Span Distance 
I'm building a 20 foot by 14 foot deck. What size of lumber do i need to span the 14 foot distance?

Deck Building Specifications on Pacific Coast 
I am a member of an RV association that allows year long parking of our 5th wheel. The association is located on the Washington State Pacific coast. The ...

Architect 
I would like to get the CADD file regarding the detail of the railing post anchor to the interior floor joists for my permit. Your kind help would be truly ...

Raised Deck on Bedrock 
We live in Ontario, Canada and plan to build an elevated deck at the back of our house with stairs to access the main floor - which is above our walk-out ...

Help!!! Building Cost for a Deck Question 
I own a duplex and contracted to build two decks.

The main floor deck is 280 sq ft (20x14) and the upper deck is 140 sq ft. Both these decks were tied ...

Where to Find Deck Building Codes in Edison, NJ  
I just want to know where to find the building codes for my city. I called the township they told me over the phone that they follow the NJ state deck ...

Flitch Plates and Deck Beams 
I am using a flitch plate to eliminate some 6 x 6 supporting columns. The outside beam is triple (2x10s). Where do you situate the flitch plate?

How Close to Overhead Power Lines 
In general how much clearance should there be for overhead power lines if I am building a deck on the side of my house where the lines run overhead?

Under Porch Cover Options 
I have a wrap-around porch on the front of my house leaving a 3' opening underneath that I would like to hide. Any suggestions other than lattice?

I ...

Deck Clearances Over A/C Units, Furnace Exhausts 
I'm replacing my old deck (12x12) with a (12x16).

With this extra 4 feet it will be over my A/C unit and also my furnace power venter. The bottom of ...

Help, We're Surrounded! 
We've got a typically small and exposed suburban backyard.

Our back sliding door elevation is higher then the neighbors behind & to the sides of us....

Prefab Concrete Piers 
Do the prefab concrete piers (that 2x8 lumber can insert into) work well for supporting free standing decks (approximately 12 x 19 ft) and only 12 inches ...

Faux Deck Support Posts 
I currently have 4x4 posts under my deck (walk-out basement). I would like to "turn" these into 12x12 posts and cover them with faux rock material.

What ...

Extending Cantilever For Deck Balcony  
My deck is cantilevered just under 24". It is built with 2x8 joists 24" on center.

I plan to replace them with 2x8 joists 12" on center to accommodate ...

Shallow Footings For Deck 
I'm building a deck for a client that is in two parts.

I've tied the main deck to the house and poured 6 footings for it, then tied the second (lower)...

Deck Attached to House or Free Standing 
How long or how high can a deck be before it must be secured to the house?

Attaching Ledger Board to House 
My contractor wants to nail the ledger board to the house and not use lag bolts. He recommends only nailing the header to the house as the deck is only ...

Nails or Screws...?? 
I'm in the process of getting ready to build my deck... I went to Home Depot and they prepared a basic design/plan to match my specs and they also estimated ...

Extending Ledger Board and Deck Footing Piers 
I have a new home with a deck that has a 10 foot ledger board. I want to extend the ledger board to 12 feet and don't want to cut the vinyl siding to ...

Deck Design Software & Material List 
We are looking to build a deck similar to the project #2, hot tub decks. Our deck will be raised to the height of our patio doors which would be around ...

Concrete Piers and post hardware 
I am building concrete piers and plan to use the standard post bracket support base with hardware.

What depth do I set the rod for the post hardware ...

Pressure Treating Lumber Process 
I would like to know about how pressure treated lumber is prepared.

What Surface Underneath a Waterproof Deck? 
We have just had the rear of our house waterproofed and want to build a new deck. The gound cover is now just dirt infill. What type of surface or base ...

Attaching Deck To House or Not? 
Does a backyard deck always have to be attached to the house?

Lifespan of Pressure Treated Lumber Dock 
Do you have a thought on the "lifespan" of a DOCK built of pressure-treated lumber if it is NEVER treated? The structure is located in northern New York ...

Installing Deck Support Posts 
I would like to pour concrete to set my support posts?

The majority of plans I read are using piers?

I live In southern Michigan what would be the ...

Exterior Finishing Ideas For Narrow Lot Home 
I have a beautiful narrow lot home and I love the inside. It reflects my individual taste.

However, the exterior looks like everyone else's in my area....

Levelling a Hillside Deck  
I am building a deck on a hillside. How can I make my deck level?

Windows Over Deck 
I have two windows covered with a screen sitting 4-5 inches above my deck. My question is do I need to replace these windows with glass tempered ones ...

above ground pool deck  Not rated yet
Want to build a deck that extends from my concrete patio to my above ground pool.

The concrete patio is 14' long. On one side the patio is 9' from ...

Portable deck floor  Not rated yet
We have a seasonal campsite that we are allowed to build a deck on. A portable deck floor would be great. We would like to build a deck that has 4' x ...

Addition with second story deck over a room  Not rated yet
I am looking for a way to ensure my ceiling won't leak after I complete the two story addition.

I am building it from the ground up and there will be ...

Pergola construction on second story deck  Not rated yet
Can I add a pergola to a second story deck?

Span and beam question  Not rated yet
I am replacing my deckk, mostly because it was built wrong and I feel it is unsafe.


I have a walkway about 4 feet wide connecting two decks. There ...

Covered deck/porch upgrade?  Not rated yet
We bought a house about 9 months ago with a covered deck that had been closed into a sun porch. Basic plywood on top of the decking board then carpet ...

Barwall  Not rated yet
Building an arbor or pergola above my hot tub on existing deck. Ideas on how to attach to deck?

My plan was to use 6X6 posts and notch bottom & bolt ...

Converting screened in deck into sun room  Not rated yet
We have a 16x25 screened in deck with roof.

I have plans to convert it into sun room with pine interior paneling and wood floor. Do we need additional ...

Height of framing and beams on low ground level deck  Not rated yet
I plan on building a deck 15" (two steps or rises) off the ground.

I plan on having a 2X8 beam closest to the ground, and then 2X8s perpendicular ...

Maximum beam span distance between posts  Not rated yet
I am building a standard deck, 4 ft holes with tubes, deck joists are less than 6ft long, 2-8 pressure treated. I am using 2-10 PT for the beam, i am ...

Waterproofing to keep under deck area dry   Not rated yet
At present I have a deck that covers a portion of basement stairwell. The deck itself is vinyl covered plywood.

I want to extend the deck and add ...

Anyone Used DreamDex?  Not rated yet
Has anyone built a deck using Dreamdex? We are thinking of using it. However, I put a partially sealed sample outside in the rain and it warped.

Perhaps ...

Installing a double ledger board for deck  Not rated yet
Do i need to install a double ledger board for deck that is attached to a raised ranch where the deck is 8 ft high. This is for a house in Plainville,...

Alternate method to burying posts in concrete footings???  Not rated yet
I am planning to build/rebuild a deck that is attached to the house and hangs over a daylight basement. The deck is about 9 ½’ above the ground at its ...

Untreated Pine for Outdoor Deck in Tropics  Not rated yet
First i want to say thank you for your great web site!! I have been using it to design my decks!!

I am building a number of outdoor decks for my community ...

Deck over sloped rooftop  Not rated yet
I am looking to build a small deck over my front porch (6' x 25' - see pictures), accessed by a spiral staircase on the left side of my house, in order ...

In-deck (hidden) bench seating  Not rated yet
Hi guys, I have a hidden deck bench seating solution idea that I could use some pro help to realize.

I will be building a deck above my walk-out basement ...

Building Waterproof Balcony Deck in Florida  Not rated yet
I am rebuilding a second floor balcony that exists above a backyard patio. This time I want it water tight as I have gotten very tired of the frequent ...

Old deck joists sit on wall plate pics  Not rated yet
Here are some pictures of how my deck joists are built.

The Importance of Proper Deck Ledger Attachment  Not rated yet
A recent investigation in the Chicago area emphasizes the importance of proper deck ledger attachment. In 2009 a deck collapsed injuring a woman. She ...

Ledger for 2nd story deck with no rim joist  Not rated yet
I am replacing an existing 2nd story deck where the current rotting joists enter 6-8" into the house with blocking between them. The 2nd story floor joists ...

Beam sizes for a roof over a roof top deck  Not rated yet
I want to build a roof over my deck and preserve the view. I am wondering if I can use larger beams to make a 20 by 20 foot span.

I thought if I ...

Are 2 x 4 strong enough if on the ground?  Not rated yet
If 2 x 4 stringers or framework used are laying on the ground for most of the 12 feet will the 4 in be thick and strong enough?

To be level- some of ...

Can My Deck Support More Weight?  Not rated yet
I have a 14x38 douglas fir treated wood deck 2x10 joists 12 inches on center with standard 5/4" by 5-1/2 treated deck boards. The joists are supported ...

Above Ground Pool - How Close to Existing Deck?  Not rated yet
We are having a 24' above ground pool put in next week... We thought we would have it done by putting it 2' from our existing porch deck and then build ...

Joist and Beam Loads  Not rated yet
I added a beam and joist table that's easy to use.

www.BarnettDeck.com
see: design help

• Design Software
• Deck Plans
• Power Tools
• Railings
• Books
• Magazines
• Lighting
• Outdoor Furniture
• Deck Patio Heaters
• Awnings
• Fire Pits
• Today's Blowout Deals!

• LEARNING CENTER
• Building
  • Building a deck
  • Building Costs
  • Building code info
  • Designing decks
  • Design principles
  • Load Capacity
  • Other deck ideas
  • Product Interviews
• Decks
  • Deck Construction
  • Deck Building Ideas
  • Above Ground Pool Decks
  • Wood Decks
  • Vinyl Decks
  • Hot Tub Decks
  • Rooftop Decks
  • Cedar
  • Redwood
  • Ipe
  • Outdoor Fireplaces
• Benches
  • Deck Benches
  • Bench plans
  • Building benches
  • Built in deck benches
  • Built in patio benches
  • Deck planters
• Railings
  • Railing Info
  • Deck railing designs
  • Deck railing ideas
  • Wood deck railings
  • Wood railing designs for decks
  • Aluminum railing
  • Vinyl railing
  • Post Anchors
• Stairs For Decks
  • Stairs Tips
  • Building stairs
  • Stair stringers

• Building Materials
• Deck Materials
• Composite decking
• Vinyl decking
• Ipe
• Cedar

• Preserving Decks
• Cleaning
• Washing
• Finishing
• Maintenance Tips

• Span Tables
• Joists
• Decking boards
• Beams
• Post Size

• Resources
• Suggested Sites
• More Deck Ideas
• Deck Building Forum

---

---

---

---