Door to Nowhere needs a deck!

dougp23 · 06-08-2012, 03:29 PM

Help me out here...I've attached a picture. My door to nowhere is about ten feet or so off the ground. there is one footing about 8 feet out from the house, so I am thinking he intended about an 8 x 12 deck (as the land comes up quite a bit into an 'earthen landing' in about 10 to 12 feet).

Would I tear off some of the siding and bolt the deck to the house? Someone told me about putting it on legs, and attaching it to the house with "offsets", so you don't get a full 12 ft board attached to the house.....

I may not attempt this project myself, but would like to be somewhat informed when a contractor comes over.

thank you!

jcarlilesiu · 06-08-2012, 03:39 PM

A ledger board has always been my preferred way of attaching decks to houses. Usually, I like to either expansion anchor them into concrete or lag them into the existing floor structure under the door.

I think trying to build the deck foundation piers adjacent to the existing house foundation would be a pain, and really isn't necessary.

21boat · 06-08-2012, 04:32 PM

As previous poster said a ledger board bolted is the way to go. Whoever does that FLASHING needs to be behind that ledger board before attaching the board then counter flash after the ledger board is attached.

Piedmont · 06-08-2012, 05:20 PM

This is what I recommend. 1st, I'd attach it to the house. You want to cut the siding, put flashing (there's a lot of guides/videos how to attach a deck to a house), and then use bolts to fasten it to the rim joist of that floor. Bolts are better than lags, and the #1 failure of decks is people using nails to attach it to the house. It sounds difficult, but it isn't watch the videos. The alternative to bolts is lags, to pass building codes lags have to be visible on the inside (typically you penerate fully plus another 1/2" so they're visible). You need more lags than bolts when fastening to house since bolts are better.

I'd personally make a multi-level deck, high decks tend to be cold and uninviting, and tend to be the decks not used. Hate to have a high uninviting deck you paid good money for and no one wants to use it. I'd make a small deck above with room for a BBQ, a couple chairs, then stairs to a lower deck that's your main that has plenty of room for all you want. It's inviting to the yard, then you get the best of both worlds.

joecaption · 06-08-2012, 08:13 PM

Any deck would have to be at least 4" as a mim. below the door threshold.
That would make any ledger board run right where that gas line runs. That will need to be addresed.

Use 6 X 6's not 4 X 4's!

hand drive · 06-09-2012, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piedmont

This is what I recommend. 1st, I'd attach it to the house. You want to cut the siding, put flashing (there's a lot of guides/videos how to attach a deck to a house), and then use bolts to fasten it to the rim joist of that floor. Bolts are better than lags, and the #1 failure of decks is people using nails to attach it to the house. It sounds difficult, but it isn't watch the videos. The alternative to bolts is lags, to pass building codes lags have to be visible on the inside (typically you penerate fully plus another 1/2" so they're visible). You need more lags than bolts when fastening to house since bolts are better.

I'd personally make a multi-level deck, high decks tend to be cold and uninviting, and tend to be the decks not used. Hate to have a high uninviting deck you paid good money for and no one wants to use it. I'd make a small deck above with room for a BBQ, a couple chairs, then stairs to a lower deck that's your main that has plenty of room for all you want. It's inviting to the yard, then you get the best of both worlds.

sometimes adding stairs "inside" of the planned structure as opposed to "outside" of the planned structure takes up usable floor space but multi level decks are always really nice. it is a compromise really for either space, or multi deck functionality.

wkearney99 · 06-09-2012, 10:55 AM

Check what your local code requires regarding both the deck and placement of your gas tank.

06-08-2012, 03:39 PM	#2
jcarlilesiu Architect Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Chicago/Kankakee Illinois Posts: 140	Door to Nowhere needs a deck! A ledger board has always been my preferred way of attaching decks to houses. Usually, I like to either expansion anchor them into concrete or lag them into the existing floor structure under the door. I think trying to build the deck foundation piers adjacent to the existing house foundation would be a pain, and really isn't necessary.

06-08-2012, 04:32 PM	#3
21boat Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pa Posts: 50	Door to Nowhere needs a deck! As previous poster said a ledger board bolted is the way to go. Whoever does that FLASHING needs to be behind that ledger board before attaching the board then counter flash after the ledger board is attached.

06-08-2012, 05:20 PM	#4
Piedmont Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 301	Door to Nowhere needs a deck! This is what I recommend. 1st, I'd attach it to the house. You want to cut the siding, put flashing (there's a lot of guides/videos how to attach a deck to a house), and then use bolts to fasten it to the rim joist of that floor. Bolts are better than lags, and the #1 failure of decks is people using nails to attach it to the house. It sounds difficult, but it isn't watch the videos. The alternative to bolts is lags, to pass building codes lags have to be visible on the inside (typically you penerate fully plus another 1/2" so they're visible). You need more lags than bolts when fastening to house since bolts are better. I'd personally make a multi-level deck, high decks tend to be cold and uninviting, and tend to be the decks not used. Hate to have a high uninviting deck you paid good money for and no one wants to use it. I'd make a small deck above with room for a BBQ, a couple chairs, then stairs to a lower deck that's your main that has plenty of room for all you want. It's inviting to the yard, then you get the best of both worlds. Last edited by Piedmont; 06-08-2012 at 05:25 PM.

06-08-2012, 08:13 PM	#5
joecaption Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hartfield VA Posts: 18,799	Door to Nowhere needs a deck! Any deck would have to be at least 4" as a mim. below the door threshold. That would make any ledger board run right where that gas line runs. That will need to be addresed. Use 6 X 6's not 4 X 4's!

06-09-2012, 10:55 AM	#7
wkearney99 Bill Kearney Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Bethesda, MD USA Posts: 927	Door to Nowhere needs a deck! Check what your local code requires regarding both the deck and placement of your gas tank.

Door to Nowhere needs a deck!