[xxjoeyxxeb]

Hi Everyone,

New to the forum and have a big project planned.

My wife and I purchased a newly built home in October 2019. We'd like to create a screened in room to sit in under the raised deck so we can sit outside of our future-finished basement and be away from the bugs. I have read ways to keep the area dry with metal/plastic panels, but open to other opinions. I am looking to keep this as budget friendly as possible. I am very handy and tackled many large renovation projects.

Q: Biggest question I have is how to build a floor that will last. It is a new house, so there will be settling all around. As you can tell from the pictures, the 3 posts are on tubes and the basement floor is about 8" higher than those tubes.

Q: Should I be looking into building an "attached deck" connected from a ledger on the house to the 3 posts? Should I use the 3 posts/tubes and get some deck piers for closer to the house? Should I go completely free floating with deck piers for the supports? Depending on those 3 choices, should the walls have some sort of flexible gasket to the floor to allow for settling?

Anything can help! Thank you all!

 

[Nealtw]

Is you deck going to be above the concrete piers for the posts?

If you have some kind of water collection, where will it drain to?

 

[xxjoeyxxeb]

Yes, the deck would be above the concrete piers. I'm just not sure if I should go fully fixed to those and the house, or make it all "floating" on some concrete footings.

I'd probably run the water with gutters to that corner post in a rain water barrel collection system.

 

[Nealtw]

Yes, the deck would be above the concrete piers. I'm just not sure if I should go fully fixed to those and the house, or make it all "floating" on some concrete footings.

I'd probably run the water with gutters to that corner post in a rain water barrel collection system.

If you have a floating deck it can settle over time and move up and down with frost.

If you attach it, to the wall and the dirt settles you have built a bridge and frost could lift the piers out of the ground.

 

[xxjoeyxxeb]

So what would you suggest if you were thinking about tackling this project? Obviously, the existing deck is attached to the house up top as well as those 3 concrete piers.

 

[Nealtw]

So what would you suggest if you were thinking about tackling this project? Obviously, the existing deck is attached to the house up top as well as those 3 concrete piers.

I would rent a plate compactor and compact the area.



Posts rot right at ground level where they get wet and air, I would protect it with a peel and stick 1" above the deck height down onto the pier.

Much like this.




https://www.homedepot.ca/product/bakor-blueskin-weather-barrier-6-inch/1000403475
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/bakor-blueskin-ultra-primer-425g/1000403480

 

[xxjoeyxxeb]

Thank you for that info, I will do that. Now, how about how to frame the floor for this room?

 

[Nealtw]

Thank you for that info, I will do that. Now, how about how to frame the floor for this room?

That's the tricky part, if the concrete pad can move the framing has to be built so it doesn't lift the upper deck when it does.

So would you build a part wall with screening above that?
Then you would want the concrete to be about 1/4" smaller all around than the room will be
You just form it with 2x4s and stake to hold them Or better would be 2x6 forms so the concrete is a little deeper around the edge, helps keep the weeds down.

 

[xxjoeyxxeb]

Sorry, you lost me there. I was hoping to not use a concrete pad. Want to use all wood to frame the floor. Could I frame out a floor with (lets say 2x6 for example) and attach them to those 3 vertical posts so it is one structure with the upper deck, but the middle and edge closest to the house would be on concrete footings that have been compacted. Would this allow for the new flooring to rise and fall with the buried concrete posts without worrying about being attached to the house? On second thought, if the upper deck is already supported by the 3 concrete posts and attached to the house, then what's the issue doing that same setup down here? (ie build a ledger and frame out to those 3 posts).

 

[Nealtw]

Sorry, you lost me there. I was hoping to not use a concrete pad. Want to use all wood to frame the floor. Could I frame out a floor with (lets say 2x6 for example) and attach them to those 3 vertical posts so it is one structure with the upper deck, but the middle and edge closest to the house would be on concrete footings that have been compacted. Would this allow for the new flooring to rise and fall with the buried concrete posts without worrying about being attached to the house? On second thought, if the upper deck is already supported by the 3 concrete posts and attached to the house, then what's the issue doing that same setup down here? (ie build a ledger and frame out to those 3 posts).

I think you are way to close to the ground for that, I guess I was lost, sorry.
How much room do you ave under the door?

 

[huesmann]

If you don't want the spendiness of a concrete pad, how about some pavers?

Would not use decking. Once you put in a deck, and a roof, you'll need to duck your head in there (unless you and the wife are hobbits).