[BigHendy]

Hey everyone, I am building a deck partially around my round above ground pool. My overall size is 20' across the back, 30' down the longest side and 21'6" on the short side. Joists cantilever over to the pool and will be cut to follow the contour. Obviously 20' deck boards would be the solution but they were only available in premium and at $34 a board I decided to go with 16 footers. My question is how should I run my boards to avoid butt joints? Or should I just go with butt joints and stagger them throughout the deck? Any advice is appreciated!

 

[de-nagorg]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Can't decide how to advise from your description, but have you thought about putting a perpendicular board in the middle as a design, and butting everything else to it.

That way you have all lengths the same, no ugly joints staggered, nor a joint seam in it.


ED

 

[mako1]

There is not getting around butt joints without running full length boards.I would not have bought 16' ers either or would cut some up into different lengths.
I'm going to make an assumption here and say you'll run a 16 and a 4 and then put the four on the opposite end fro the next run?
This is one of my pet peaves with decks and siding . People doing this make a distinct pattern of the joints which stand out 10 times more than a deck with more staggered joints. I also don't like to run any boards only 4' long.

 

[mako1]

If it were mine I picture frame the deck to get the center down to 16' and run all 16's in the field.Check these out for some ideas:

https://www.google.com/search?q=pic...X&ved=0ahUKEwi0gtDsydTLAhUJdyYKHaTwDr0Q7AkISQ

 

[ZTMAN]

Based on the size of that deck, it may be cheaper to install and inground pool. Are you in NJ?

 

[BigHendy]

I built the pool last summer it's already in. I'm only at $2100 in lumber. I'll try to post a picture of the deck drawing

 

[BigHendy]

Here is a rough drawing of the deck

 

[TheDeckBarn.com]

I built the pool last summer it's already in. I'm only at $2100 in lumber. I'll try to post a picture of the deck drawing

if as you say you are only at $2100 for lumber, why not buy the 20'ers for $34.00 ea. and quit fooling around. It just baffles me how people always want to be so cheap, when it's their house. If the extra money for the correct material will be so burdensome maybe you should wait until you can afford it.

 

[adgjqetuo]

What about something like this?

I had the same issue when I built my deck and used this formation to limit the number of 20' pieces. I didn't want to butt joint either. In my case the only 20' piece was the center one.

 

[jlhaslip]

I like that suggestion.
Make certain to add a joist or block as required for the centre strip and the abutting diagonals.

 

[woodworkbykirk]

if you plan on running your deck boards at 45 degrees,, make sure you switch your joist layout to 12" o.c instead of 16"... composite decking can only span 17" between joists before it sags when it heats up as it gets soft. 16" o.c joists will cause the decking to span roughly 22"

 

[jlhaslip]

If I recall, the OP needs 12 inch centres to extend the joists to the pool and allow for the cantilever, so 12 inch centres should be good for them.