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Deck Beam rotating/cracking? See Pictures

10K views 21 replies 10 participants last post by  allthumbsdiy 
#1 ·
Hello:

New here; getting a little panicky about something and the hubby has had enough of me so I'm hoping I can get some answers from the forum.

We just had a second story deck built on our house this summer (we're in the San Francisco Bay Area) -- 10' x 15'. The beams/joists are Doug Fir and the decking is redwood.

Aaaannnddd... I've been noticing that the main support joist is rotating and cracking.

Looking back at photos taken during the project, I can see now that there was at least a slight crack/rotation in the beam when it went up. Not sure whether it's gotten worse or was fully already this way. The deck feels very sound, has new concrete beneath it, and our contractor bolted the hell out of it (pics attached).

However -- I'm a worrywort. It looks a little scary to me. Am I crazy? Is this thing gonna flip over and come crashing down, or is this just the wood getting comfortable, and we have to live with it looking a little wonky?

Thanks, folks (actually, my husband thanks you the most, as he's the one who has to live with me and he thinks it's not going anywhere).
 

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#6 ·
Your contractor screwed up a few other things... There is no outside rim, the railing posts are notched (they should not be), and the joists need to be connected to the beam in a solid way. The beam is of a little concern, the crack is fairly large, not enough to really worry but something I would keep an eye on. HOWEVER seeing the glaring issues with a couple other things makes me question everything including can the beam span the distance that it does.
 
#4 ·
I'm no pro but it looks like the beam connector to the post has 3/8" or so holes in it not being used; perhaps they are for bolts?
What secures the floor joists to the top of the beam?
I assume you are in an earthquake zone and you had this permitted and inspected?
Doesn't look right to me somehow but I don't do this stuff for a living.
 
#5 ·
in the top photo it appears that the floor joists are cantilevered past the drop beam. if this is correct there should be a rim joist at the ends of the floor joist. this member is perpendicular to the floor joist. the purpose of this is to prevent rotation/leaning of the floor joists.

how are the joists connected back at the house? are there metal hangers?

this link will provide you the American Wood Council's "Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide." This is based upon the requirements of the 2009 International Residential Code, which is the basis for California's Residential Code. http://www.awc.org/publications/DCA/DCA6/DCA6-09.pdf

This is NOT the only way to design or build decks. This should provide you more information and hopefully ease your fears, or provide you with justification for them.

Post back with any questions.
 
#8 ·
From his signature, robertcdf knows a lot more than I do about building decks but from a weekend worrier that has built a few decks in his time, I had the same concerns. You may want to give the whole thing a good once over.
From the pictures I can see that it needs a rim joist for sure. I would have doubled up that beam too. I would also be concerned about how those joists are attached to the ledger plate on the house as well, look for joist hangers.
It is all stuff that can be fixed and if you do so you will have piece of mind.
 
#9 · (Edited)
At least the contractor installed blocking between joists (right above the beam).

Maybe it was done for aesthetics (not that I am condoning it)?

BTW, I think that crack is beyond checking. Can you check the deck post (6x6) to make sure it is plumb (vertical)? I hope its not your footing shifting away from the house, creating undue stress on that beam.

Did you get a permit? If yes, was it approved?

I don't know what kind of contract you signed but I would ask him to come back and fix the glaring issues others have mentioned
 
#10 ·
Well, no longer feeling better.

The joists are definitely connected to the ledger with hangers, so does that make this slightly less worrisome?

But it sounds like a rim joist is the big missing ingredient here. And I am not sure how the joists are attached to the cracked beam as I'd have to get up on a ladder to see.

This baby WAS done with a permit and passed inspection (we're in earthquake country) -- how does that happen?
 
#17 ·
Well, no longer feeling better.

The joists are definitely connected to the ledger with hangers, so does that make this slightly less worrisome?
Joist hangers are great, but I'd be more concerned if I didn't see bolts connecting the ledger to the house. For a deck, I would want to see a minimum of two bolts (one at the top and then one at the bottom of the ledger) between each joist. The bolts must be connected to the house framing, not just to the siding material.

On a side note: if your joists had been more solidly connected to the beam, it is unlikely that the beam would have become so eccentric.
 
#12 ·
That never would have passed an inspection in my area.
That beam sitting on the post would have had to have been let in on the sides of the beam and doubled up. or if it was sitting on top of the post it would have to be double up.
There would have to be a rim joist on the end of those floor joist to stop the joist from twisting.
 
#16 ·
With a doubled up beam they should have used a connector like this to connect the beam to the post.

http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/BC.asp

The way yours is there's noting to stop that deck from twisting.
I also hate the 2 X 4 bracing, I use 4 X 4's or 6 X 6's with long lag screws.
That deck was built like a stack of cards.
 
#19 ·
Guys, the beam may be sufficient, it is NOT a single member of 2x material its a 4X solid beam, no need to "double it up" However I don't know how far the beam spans, the joist spans, and the loading requirements, so I can't comment on if it is actually sufficient.

Are the hangers PROPERLY fastened (proper nails in proper holes as speced by the manufacture)? When I see someone leave the rim off a deck I wouldn't trust a damn thing they did.
 
#20 ·
All hangers look to be properly fastened -- no open holes. Double bolts between joists in the ledger board (this is making me feel SLIGHTLY less dizzy, thank goodness). And I did watch those go into the house -- not the siding -- myself, as this same contractor also opened the whole back wall and put in shear walls before building the deck for seismic retro (we're on a grade and the back half of the house is on slab, which is messy in earthquake country).
 

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#21 ·
So, I'm reviving this now and working with the hubby on a plan of attack (who no longer thinks I'm crazy, so thanks for validating me).

How much effort is it gonna take to add a rim joist plus sufficient fasteners between the floor joists and the rotating beam? And, will that correct this problem, given that we seem to be properly fastened at the ledger board?

Thanks, guys.
 
#22 ·
I think the first thing you need to do is contact your local building department and address your concerns with them.

Every municipalities may follow different versions of building codes, and some have different interpretations of the same code.

May be that rim band free design is acceptable where you live as long as you have solid blocking between joists above the beam (you have them in your pix).

They may have a pamphlet or booklet about building decks in your town so grab a copy while you are there.

As far as that crack is concerned, do you have the original pix vs today's pix you can compare? I think checking is normal, especially for a solid lumber that size, but your picture looks like it is cracked at or over 50% of the width of the wood.

I think you can paint it to slow down the drying/checking process so ask your building inspector on that too.

Good luck.
 
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