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All my deck questions in here.

7K views 50 replies 10 participants last post by  CoconutPete 
#1 · (Edited)
Well... I'm gonna continue to have more and more questions as i get into this project so instead of creating a new thread every week I am going to gather them all in here :thumbup:

I'm building a 16x14 deck at the back of my house. First decision:

Which type of post anchor do you guys like working with? The kind you attach w/ a bolt you stuck in there before the concrete it dried or the one where you stick the whole schebang in there while the concrete is wet?

Pro's and con's of each?

the only thing i can think of is with the first one you avoid having to drill a hole in the bottom of the 6x6 to accommodate the piece of threaded rod and the nut at the bottom.
 

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#2 ·
I would use a different version of the bottom one. The one I use has a platform the wood sits on, which keeps it off the ground about an inch.
Ron
 
#4 ·
I would use a different version of the bottom one. The one I use has a platform the wood sits on, which keeps it off the ground about an inch.
Ron

Its a standoff post base. Available everywhere. And the hole is elongated, so you have a little wiggle room. I use a 1/2" x 10" anchor bolt set in the crete. If you pull a string over all your footers you can keep them in a straight line.

And Bills right, dont forget the permit. It'll probably cost you around $100 or so, but you'll sleep better.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Yes, I do have drawings of footing layout etc, and I will actually be visiting town hall for the permit this week before I break ground. I might be foreign, but I'm not about to skip on permits. It's actually EASY here compared to Denmark :yes:

So... the general consensus seems to be favoring anchoring the 10" bolt in the crete and then bolting the anchor onto it. I can't seem to locate the one you all are talking about though, the one that sits 1" above the concrete.

EDIT: Nevermind - is it the Simpson Strong tie one?
 
#7 ·
#8 ·
Found it: I think that one looks pretty good. I guess a benefit of that kind of footing would be that if you ever needed to replace the bracket you could unscrew it if you needed to.

Next topic: Footings:

The deck Calls for 2 22" footings in the middle and the 4 outer ones will be 16". I planned on using the surefootings 22" for the middle ones but the guy at city hall told me today to just use a shovel to flare out the ones for the 16" ones and he would be fine with it ...... Now I have no problem doing that, but what do you anchor the tube to in that case? How do you make it "hover" 8" above the bottom of the hole?
 
#9 ·
#14 ·
OK: Next one.......

Do you guys prefer notching the 6x6 or using H brackets (I think that is what they are called) to attach the beam to the post?

Pro's and cons of each?
Notching and through bolts with nuts and large washers.
I find brackets sitting on top attached with nails an inferior installation.
Ron
 
#15 ·
#16 ·
I've been looking around and even though the deck will only be 30" off the ground I agree that the notching actually looks a lot better. I'm definitely sold on notching, it might add some time but oh well.

From what I've been able to gather it's not really a huge deal which side you notch on. I intend on doing it facing one way on the left beam and facing the other way on the other beam - nothing wrong with that right?

Holes are dug and concrete is going to be poured by the end of the day. Going w/ the anchor bolts that were discussed in my first question. I'm sure I'll have more questions soon....
 
#17 ·
pete....make sure the anchor bolts are in a nearly perfect straight line.

I put a stake at each end with a string attached. Adjust the string/stakes untill they are where you want them over the concrete. You have some wiggle room with the bases, but once the bolts are in and the concrete has set you're committed.
 
#18 ·
Well... I dug down about a foot and the ground got rock hard real quick. I added up the cost of renting the auger, buying the tubes, footings, concrete, renting me mixer... trucking everything back and forth etc. I estimate it all to have totalled right around $650 bucks. To have everything done by a local deck builder was $950 - really not bad, and all my vertebrae's are intact. I checked the anchor bolts and they all look dead on. Now I can actually focus on the fun part.

This is one that's been bugging me: The guy at the local lumber yard says it's now against code to mount the 4x4's for the railings on the outside of the 2x10's but I can't seem to find much information on the topic. I'm trying to search through the building code but I think my search skills are starting to suck....
 
#19 ·
#21 ·
Gary:

The first link contains text that very clearly stats that the support post can be mounted on the inside or outside, but I see no mention of it in the CT code. Am I looking for the wrong thing? I tried "guard post" and "railing". Either way... it looks like I can put it on either side, I was just puzzled by the fact that I couldn't find it in the CT code.

Knucklez, not much done as far as woodwork really. Just had the wood delivered today.



double post
 
#27 ·
OK, with my next question I'm probably going make it painfully obvious that I'm used to working on cars instead of houses haha.

For the through bolts attaching the beam to the notched 6x6 post: Is there a torque spec or will "go until snug" suffice?
As soon as the washer starts to press into the wood you’re done.
 
#26 ·
Thanks 12penny.

The hot topic in my reading for today seems to be when to stain the deck! I had thought it might be a good idea to stain the boards before building even, but the more reading I do it seems to not be the case. Everything but the posts, beams and frame is made from Cedar. I've read "wait 1 rainstorm", I've read "wait 2 weeks" and I've read "stain it when it appears dry".
 
#28 ·
#29 ·
#30 ·
Well... no question today... this is probably the slowest moving deck in the history of DIY chatroom. First I was on vacation for a while and now I'm in CA for work for the week. This weekend though!!! Progress should show.

I got some pretty sweet window wrap, super sticky. Frame is all up, just need to put landscape fabric underneath it w/ some gravel and then i'm ready to put down the decking.
 
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