[gregt848]

Good evening,
Looking for a little advice and guidance. I’m in the beginning stages of a deck build and trying to get a design together.

The plan right now is 16’ off the house and probably about 22’ long. There will be steps down to either a lower deck or a patio.

I’ve been looking at a lot of the span charts and realize they are the minimum codes.
I’m trying to decide if it’s better to do 2x10 joists to a beam with a cantilever or do 2x8’s with two beams.
There would be more footings with the 2 beams but 2x8 would be easier to work with and cover with the pvc 1x.
Any thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[Nealtw]

If you do beams , you could go free standing.

We build everything that looks like a floor with 2x10s, so I will always go with quality that gives you.

 

[XSleeper]

Download the DCA6 prescriptive deck guide and dont just go with the minimum size for the span. Yes, quality over price anytime. Ledger and 1 beam if you can attach and flash the ledger properly. If not, 2 beams and freestanding.

 

[gregt848]

Thanks for the quick replies. I’ll check the download you mentioned. Definitely Will attach to the house with ledger. It’s off a screen room and the house.
So you think 2x10’s and one beam? I was trying to think ahead and I plan to wrap the outsides with pvc and do some sort of slates to cover underneath. If 2x10’s I’d have to go with 1x12 Pvc to attach the slates.

So if I went with 2x10 joists, does the beam need to be 2x10’s as well or could I do 6x6 posts notched with 2 2x8’s?

 

[XSleeper]

The tables in the DCA6 will help you with all that. You can use 2x8 beams it just means more posts.

2x10 is the only way you can do it with 1 beam. And you are close to the maximum span of a 2x10 which is 14'. Personally I'd probably want to use 2x12s. If that is getting too close to the ground, use 2 beams so you can go with smaller joists.

 

[Nealtw]

3 posts for 22 ft I would use 2 2x10s and place the posts at 6'6" on center, 14 ft from the house.

 

[gregt848]

Thanks! I’m definitely going to look at the DCA6 once the little ones go to bed. I definitely have room for 2x12’s. Probably 4-5 off the ground. So how would you handle the rim joint and fascia? Would you go with 1x12 as well? Can the joints be notched At the end so the vertical slates can attach to 1x12 to cover the underneath? I think that’s what I’m stuck on right now

 

[XSleeper]

I have no idea what your whole plan is so giving details is kind of hard. Dont know what you are envisioning with slate (slats?) Do you mean lattice? It can be fastened to the back side of the rim joist, or you can attach a nailer for it.

 

[gregt848]

Good Morning,
I downloaded and read the AWC doc a few times. Solid amount of info on the document. If i read correctly it looks like I can span 14' from ledger board to beam and then cantilever up to 3'5" for 16" on center.

I am wondering if I can do 2X10's 14' and then cantilever 2' to get to the 16' width or If better to bump up to 2x12's.

Within the 22' length there is a bump out for a chimney too so some joist will be triples with the trimmers.

This would be on a 6x6 posts notched with 2 2x10's

My apologies for the confusion on the slats. I think I figured out how I could do it. I was looking for something on this idea.

https://www.decks.com/how-to/703/deck-skirting-and-fascia


thanks!

 

[Nealtw]

I would not skirt it like that, you want the water to dry out under a deck, that needs air flow. Lattice is a better choice and yes 14 ft to the beam with a 2 ft overhang is pretty standard deck.

Are you planing a step down from the house to the deck?
What is the siding on the house?
Does the house have floor joist or engineered floor?

 

[gregt848]

There is currently a deck there. (50 yrs old) There are two entrances from the house. There is a step down off a slider. as well as a flush walkout off a porch. ( the porch is a step down off the kitchen) The house has wood joists. Siding is red cedar.

Good to know that 2x10's are sufficient. Is there no real benefit to going to 2x12's?

So for the beam 3 footings with 6X6 posts, notched for 2 2x10's 6'6" on center with a little overhang on each end?

off the deck will be stairs either going to a ground level deck or patio. The grade is sloped so still in the planning stages but mostly be deck due to the level of the area

 

[Nealtw]

There is currently a deck there. (50 yrs old) There are two entrances from the house. There is a step down off a slider. as well as a flush walkout off a porch. ( the porch is a step down off the kitchen) The house has wood joists. Siding is red cedar.

Good to know that 2x10's are sufficient. Is there no real benefit to going to 2x12's?

So for the beam 3 footings with 6X6 posts, notched for 2 2x10's 6'6" on center with a little overhang on each end?

off the deck will be stairs either going to a ground level deck or patio. The grade is sloped so still in the planning stages but mostly be deck due to the level of the area

Hmm doors and sliders are bad for leaking and holding water which helps rot out the floor below them. You want to b prepared to find problems around the door that will have to be dealt with.
Does the back porch have a solid foundation?

Nothing wrong with going t 2x12 for the beam
It sounds like you know how to go around the bump out.

 

[gregt848]

yes, I actually learned a lot from the DOC that Xsleeper recommended. I have a good grasp on framing around the chimney. The porch, which is flush and is a walkout, has no foundation. it appears to have been a deck that was enclosed long ago. When I go underneath the current deck and porch I do not see any rot (that is visible) I think its the joists are spaced and not sandwiched so the water drains. Any better way to handle this?
The plan was to keep it the same. The slider im not overly concerned about. I'll properly flash the ledger board and its a step down.


So 2 2x12 for the beam and then 2x10 joists. Once i have it in my mind. I plan to draw it out and post!

 

[gregt848]

How would you handle a flush walkout to deck? i'm going to walk out and take a look right now underneath

 

[Nealtw]

How would you handle a flush walkout to deck? i'm going to walk out and take a look right now underneath

I would want to pull the door and do the pan flashing at the same time or bump the ledger out 1 1/2" 6 inches wider than the door so the door could be dealt with later without dismantling the deck.

 

[gregt848]

The plot thickens. Are you ready to cringe?

I just went and re-evaluated.

The Deck and the porch were built at the same time. I have say 8 4X4 posts running parallel to the house, 12' off the house. the rim joists are nailed and lag bolted to the posts. Deck boards were ran across the entire stretch. At some point it appears a little later, half or so was enclosed as a porch. plywood was installed over the decking.
Here is the cringe part.

The exterior wall farthest from the house (parallel) was built wrong. On the outside of the rim joist they put joist hangers and 6" joists then another double rim joist. The wall was built on that bump out section. And just that wall is sagging. Everything else is holding up after all the years.

Orginally I wanted to only do the deck but now I'm wondering if I should address this section. I would imagine the plywood and decking would need to be removed. a new beam placed and then new joists that run continuously the entire span with the cantilever. obviously under the walls would be hard.

Additionally, what I would prefer to do is maybe add an additional footing at the corner of the porch to support that side before taking down the deck The corner of the porch doesnt have a post because the rim extends into the deck post.
Looking for suggestions
Thanks!!!

 

[Nealtw]

The plot thickens. Are you ready to cringe?

I just went and re-evaluated.

The Deck and the porch were built at the same time. I have say 8 4X4 posts running parallel to the house, 12' off the house. the rim joists are nailed and lag bolted to the posts. Deck boards were ran across the entire stretch. At some point it appears a little later, half or so was enclosed as a porch. plywood was installed over the decking.
Here is the cringe part.

The exterior wall farthest from the house (parallel) was built wrong. On the outside of the rim joist they put joist hangers and 6" joists then another double rim joist. The wall was built on that bump out section. And just that wall is sagging. Everything else is holding up after all the years.

Orginally I wanted to only do the deck but now I'm wondering if I should address this section. I would imagine the plywood and decking would need to be removed. a new beam placed and then new joists that run continuously the entire span with the cantilever. obviously under the walls would be hard.

Additionally, what I would prefer to do is maybe add an additional footing at the corner of the porch to support that side before taking down the deck The corner of the porch doesnt have a post because the rim extends into the deck post.
Looking for suggestions
Thanks!!!

Humm, Would like to see pictures but it sounds like when you dismantle the old deck you also have to plan how you are going to deal with the porch and make it solid and maybe build the new deck so it is independent from the porch.
What roof is ion the porch?

 

[gregt848]

That was the original plan. Since the new deck will be wider, the new beam would be out 2' father. I was going to treat them as two separate sections. I want to build the deck and adress the porch later on, but know that I see they are tied together. Is it possible to place a new beam and floor joists and also keep the walls and roofing intact. The porch roof is asphalt shingles. I'll try and get some pictures

 

[gregt848]

Deck uild design questions

Here is a picture of the deck flush to the door

 

[gregt848]

Here is the bump out and also the wall