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Bringing new life to 6x6 deck posts on brand new deck

bbcac — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:08:07 GMT

I have a new deck that I built last year. I put a lot of time and money into it to get it just right. I decided to used 6x6 railing posts for my deck, 4 of which are 8 feet tall in order to support a purgola which I plan on building this year.

All of the wood is new except the 6x6 posts which were on my property when I bought the house. I liked the look of the beefy posts, however since i stiained them, they look hoirible. I find they really don't match the rest of the deck and I'm not sure what I can do.

I thought about clading them with alumnium or possibly vinyl but I'm now sure how to interface with the existing railing. The posts, are lag bolted to the rim joists and I have since covered up these lags with a 1x6 tongue and grove facia which is stained to match the rest of the deck.

Does anyone have suggestions how what I can do? What options do I have? and how would I interface with the existin railing?

Thanks,

Freestanding hexagonal or octagonal deck

geos00 — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:42:58 GMT

I want to build a low-level (12"-18") free standing hexagonal or octagonal deck in my backyard with a fire pit cut out in the middle. I've looked around, but haven't been able to come up with any plans or drawings that work for my idea. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Best way to attach low level deck to existing concrete slab.

fulghd — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:38:55 GMT

I am wanting to build a two level deck this spring. The first level will sit on top of a 10' x 12' slab of existing concrete that is 6 inches thick. I have about 12 inches between our back door base and the concrete slab to work with, so i am planning on making the first deck level 10.5 inches in height in total. I am hung up on the best way to build and attach the first level. 10.5 inches seems to small to try and attach posts with beams and joists. And if I don't use posts, then what is the best way to attach the deck to the slab? I should mention that I am located in the midwest, and that the entire deck will be freestanding. Also, the second level will rely on the lower level for support. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Low level freestanding deck

roobear — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:59:27 GMT

Hey, thank you pros for all the great info on this well-organized site!

I am planning to build a freestanding rectangular deck next to my house.

I have a few questions to be sure I am understanding the joist/beam/footing calcs.

The deck will be 10 ft by 14 ft. All PT Southern pine. It can be no higher than 18 inches above the ground given the patio door that leads out to it ( I am tearing down a smaller deck the door leads out to). BTW, under 18 inches means no permit needed in my town.

The 10 ft side will be parallel to the house. Joist to run perpendicular to house. Beams and decking to run parallel to house.My plan is to use a total of four 8 inch diameter Sonotube footings 36 inch deep as that's frost line for Long Island ( kinda sandy soil) .

Beam span will be 7 ft ( footing to footing distance) . I plan to cantilever the beam 1.5 ft over each footing so total beam length will be 10 ft. Is this okay to do?

Joist span will be 10 ft ( 16in O.C.) . I plan to cantilever the joists 2 ft over each beam to get the 14 ft I want.I am pretty sure this is okay.

I will use 2- 2x8s for each of the 2 beams and I will use 2x8 joists ( 16 O.C.) .

I will NOT use posts in order to limit the deck height. Since I will use 2 x 6 decking ( 1.5 in thick) , this means I will have the footings extend above ground only 1.75 inches. So the total deck height will be 1.75 in (footing extension) + 7.25 in ( beam) + 7.25 in (joist - mounted on top of beam) + 1.5 in ( deck board) = 17.75 in. ( I know I'll have to take special care in getting the footing heights accurate)

So my main concern is the cantilevering of the beam?? Maybe I missed it, but I don't think this site says much about that. There was a paragraph but it didn't go into details.

Also, is the 8 in dia footing okay? The calculator suggests like 10-12 inches dia. But many other sources say 8 in dia is okay.So I'm a bit confused.

Will the beams be too close to ground? I plan to tear out sod under deck to 3 inch deep and cover with antiweed sheet and then gravel so moisture shouldn't be too bad.I don't think it will be a problem since it will be pressure treated anyway ...

One final question: since this will be a small freestanding deck with four footings could I make wider footings that go say only 18 inches deep. In other words why would I have to worry about frost heave if the deck is not connected to the house? Shoudn't any frost forces pushing up on the footings push up about the same amount? Or would there be enough difference on each footing to stress and weaken the deck over time?

And now the final final question- I'd prefer to use 2x8 instead of 2x6 for the actual decking ( I like the wide plank look) but rarely see this as an option. One website ( this one? ) said it could cup. But maybe 2 of the 15 or so websites I've surfed have mentioned 2x8 as an option for the actual decking...Any thoughts?...thanks!

Best wood to use for a deck

Alexia — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:15:03 GMT

I am trying to figure out which wood is best to use for a wooden deck. The area where I live is very hot in summer and rather humid all year round. I would also like to understand why there is such a big difference in price between one supplier and another. Can anyone help?

Concrete or Wooden patio?

zavala8 — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 11:35:17 GMT

I want to build a patio and i want to know would it be cheaper to build a concrete or wooden floor?

Decking materials

juice23 — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:53:36 GMT

I am looking into a new deck. I am considering composite decking and have gotten differing opinions on Azek vs Timber Tech. Is one better than the other or are they about the same?

frost footing diameter vs pier diameter

mefdecker — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:00:09 GMT

I live in area where the frost depth for building is 18 in.
If the required diameter for support of the beam is say 12", then should that
be 12" cylindrical shape down to below 18", or should the base of the pier be
wider to form a wider footing, and how do I figure out how wide and thick
the footing needs to be ? Thanks, Mark

How do I retrofit post base connectors on an existing deck?

yam — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:17:18 GMT

My deck was built with the support posts directly on the concrete footers. There are no post base connectors. Over many years, the posts have begun to rot at the bottom. What is the easiest way to fix this problem? Can post base connectors be added without tearing the whole thing up? It's a large deck, 25 years old, and two stories high so I really need to find a solution that doesn't require tearing everything out.

Half Hip Roof

JBAM4 — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:30:45 GMT

Im finishing up some details on plans before submitting them to the Township. I have planned three connected decks with one of them being constructed as a porch. I had origionally planned on a gable roof however things have changed and I would like a hip roof. The one side of the roof will be attached to an existing structure so I'm calling it a half hip roof to try to clarify things.

My main question is can I construct the two sides at a 4/12 slope then put the third side at a 6,7,or8/12 slope. I know I can frame it anyway I want to. What I guess I'm asking is is this often done and/or will is look stupid? The reason I wan't to do this is because we want to keep the pitch low but maximize the amount of "peak" when inside looking up. (Hard to explain but imagine a celing fan in there, you don't want it to be hitting the third hipped roof side.) We wan't a hip roof look on the outside.

This porch is 14' wide and 13' in length.

Also any suggestions to a good website with hip roof tips or angle calculators would be great. GOOGLE hasn't been my friend with this. I get the concept but the amount of angles is making me crazy. This site is great but it doesn't get into roof detail. After all it is decks.com. I need a porches .com.

Thanks

Deck Railing

ltrenka — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:05:41 GMT

Who makes a composaite side mount railing that I can attach to a raised concrete slab patio

Canadian orders.

DKWAL — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:49:12 GMT

Has anyone from Canada ordered plans from this site. I noticed on the order form there is no drop down for the province selection or postal code.

D.

Power Washed Composite Decking

ackynet — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:53:32 GMT

What can be done if a composite deck was power washed? You can visibly see the "white" marks caused by the power washer.

Will this eventually fade away? Or is this going to be permanent?

Is there some type of chemical to use to treat it?

One Time Wood Protector

bwalt822 — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:44:12 GMT

Hello,

I am a new homeowner with an awesome 600sq ft multilevel deck. In the process of educating myself about the best way to maintain my deck I came across One Time Wood Protector ( http://www.onetimewood.com/ ). Does anyone have any experiences with this product?

Right now I'm willing to give it a shot but my main concern is being able to switch to another type of stain in the future.

Thanks for your help.

Ground Level Deck

bmcd1217 — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:47:20 GMT

Hi. I interesting in getting good advice regarding a ground level deck coming off my back sunroom. I have a friend who is very handy that moved away who is coming into town in a month to help me build the deck one weekend. I have another person to help with the design for permit purposes, but we're in the early stages. My friend has never seen my new house so it's been tough to communicate the plans,ideas, what i'm thinking and any concerns.

I will need my ground level deck to only be about 6 inches off the ground because my back door is pretty much on the surface of the back yard. There might be 4 inches between the bottom of the door and the grass. Is that ok? The back yard also has a very very minor incline as you leave the door and walk through the yard. My thought was to take a few layers off of the yard and level the ground before building the deck. No big deal right? I don't want to have the deck elevated even 1 step because my back sunroom is only one story and it would probably look weird if the deck was in the middle of that story...if that makes sense.

thoughts?

Pergola Header attachment

RaoulR1 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:51:40 GMT

Hola all!
Raoul here.
As construction is slow right now (at least around here), thought I'd run a question by all you experts.
I want to attach a pergola to the roof fascia board, screwing the pergola header through the fascia into the ends of the roof trusses. There isn't enough headroom under the fosset, and I don't want posts next to the house.
The problem I have is that the gutters cover the fascia, and are in the way. This seems to be a common problem, but I haven't found a good solution to it. I don't really want to do any new constuction to my roof. Are there brackets that one could buy?
Any ideas on how to approach this?

Material for Concrete Porch

pamriley — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:11:25 GMT

I am looking for suggestions for my concrete porch. I have a covered front porch that is concrete. The concrete has a few small dips and when it rains it holds the water and my porch always looks dirty and has puddles. The house is brick. Am I able to use a wood composite product on top of the concrete?

multiple beam decks

mefdecker — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:35:43 GMT

Hi,
I am thinking of building a deck that is about 4' above ground level atttached to
the back of the house, with a centered hot tub that will sit on a cement pad on ground level below the deck.
The hot tub is about 7ft x7ft. The deck will be about 14 ft deep, 20 ft across.
I have a few questions:
I plan to use a beam at 13ft and use hanging joists on a ledger board attached to the back of the house, so there is overhang of about 1 foot.
To keep things easy , I was going to try not to use extra short multiple beams in
front and behind the hot tub.
Q1:Can I get away with blocking in front and back of the hot tub? I was thinking
about hanging 7ft 2x8 joist in front and behind the hot tub , off the 14ft 2x8 joists
that run between the ledger and back beam. But this would put a lot of weight
on the joist to joist connection points. Can someone advise?
Q2: If I do add multiple beams for extra support, how do I put in the beams so that
they are all level between the ledger, the middle beam and the end beam?
Is it possible to use adjustable post caps for the middle post to get the
beams tops all at the same height ?Can someone advise?
Thanks.

BEST MATERIAL FOR MARINE ENVIRONMENT

CARNSIE1 — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:58:12 GMT

I AM LOOKING INTO REPLACING DOCK, DECK AND RAILING IN A SALTWATER ENVIRONMENT. WANT TO KNOW THE BEST COMPOSITE AVAILABLE AND THE COSTS VS WOOD? ANY HELP OR SUGGESTION OR EXPERIENCE WOULD BE APPREDIATED.

extending out a deck

mefdecker — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:23:08 GMT

Hi all,
I am contemplating extending out a small deck from 4 ft deep to 8 ft deep.
Currently supported between ledger and beam
with 4 ft spaced posts 3ft out from back of home.
Q: Can I save most of existing deck by adding a new beam at 8 ft and support new
deck area by hanging support joists between existing beam and new beam?

This would mean the existing beam would have hanging joist support on
both sides.

Thanks ...

porch on deck

JBAM4 — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:55:58 GMT

I had worked up a deck plan for last year and now that its getting around to starting the project this spring there have been a few changes. I'm looking for help in figuring out what the best way to attach a porch to the framing.

Without getting too detailed I'm using typical joist framing with a ledger board at the house and a beam at the other end. I know how a deck is guilt and I know how a porch is built. I'm just confused on how to attach the porch to the deck.

This whole thing will be from scratch, there is no existing structure. I'm welcoming any ideas.

Thanks

Do I need to wash new Ipe decking prior to finishing?

whitebread — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:05:38 GMT

I'm installing new Ipe deck boards on my covered porch. Penofin recommends washing the boards first to open the wood pores, Messmers says if they're clean it's not necessary. I got a sample can of Messmers and the board absorbed the product nicely. Any thoughts? Also any opinions of Messmers vs. Penofin vs. Cabot Aussie Timber Oil?

entrance/ sitting deck

aswhite — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:01:04 GMT

Hello all, looking for a little imagineering. I am building a garage with a 12 pitch roof so we can have livable space above if necessary in the future. On the gable end there will be a patio door as the entrance. Original plans showed columns or posts for support for the deck. We would like to eliminate these posts/ columns. In some of the other topics people talk about cantilever and how expensive it can get. I would like to get 6 ft of distance off the side of the garage. The deck would be used mainly as an entrance possibly have a few chairs to sit in and thats it. Would using supports returning to the side of the garage (at a 45 angle) solve my problem?
Thanks in advance to all.

Winter deck maintainance

Ross — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:00:58 GMT

Is there an advantage to shoveling the snow off my pressure treated and stained deck. I leave it on and my buddy shovels his and says it will increase the lifespan. Who's right?

SPA Ground level deck

big_bogus — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:37:37 GMT

Looking for a little insight. We are having a spa delivered at the end of the month and I need to prepare a place for it. This is a short term solution (1-2 years) After the 1-2 years we hope to design and finalize the backyard and integrate the spa into either a large deck or patio.

The spa in question will weigh about 6000 +/- full with users. Spa does not need to be elevated more than necessary. I was thinking of using the dek blocks 4x6s joists (or 2 * 2x6 joists) and 2x6 decking. Is this a good idea? I do not want to destroy my new and expensive toy.

Composite post sleeves to go over a 6" x 6" post

mswanson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:51:53 GMT

Can anyone tell me who makes a composite post sleeve to go over a 6" x 6" post? I know that Trex offers one in classic white. I am looking for gray. I do not want PVC or plastic sleeves such as fence post covers. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Support Questions

BryGuy — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:49:20 GMT

Hello all,

I'm new to this forum and new to decks.... I'm not new to DYI projects and woodworking, but I'm still very much a beginner.

At the rear of our house we have an elevated deck and I'm considering adding a 2nd tier to the deck just above ground level. I've done some research and thanks to this site I know how to install the ledger board, flashing, the joists, etc.... but I'm unsure of two things still.

1. In the first picture, what is the name of the board that I have a question mark beside?

2. Based on the information I provided in the 2 pics below, what is the correct way to attach/support the board from question #1?

[url=http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/bryan_wells/Garden%20and%20Deck/deck.gif][/url]
[url=http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/bryan_wells/Garden%20and%20Deck/deck2.gif][/url]

If additional information is needed to answer this question let me know and I'll do my best to provide it.

Thanks in advance for any/all help.

Wide Treads or Multiple Levels

Aaron_Vowell — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:18:41 GMT

My deck top is 2'-6" above grade. I dislike railings. I've read that the tread depth is 10" for stairs. But, I'm wondering if I make each "step" much wider, is it possible that the new structure would not be considered stairs, and would therefore not require railings? For instance if the pitch was 6" rise to 36" run, would I need the rails? What' the transition point? 6/24? Or, is it the number of "levels" or steps that distinguishes it as stairs?

My second question is about flared or cascaded stairs. Why do you not need a rail at the intersection of the angled corners?

Thanks in advance for your insight.

Steel framing for hot tub deck?

fourthstreet — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:40:52 GMT

We're thinking of putting a hot tub deck adjacent to our third-floor bedroom. This would place the deck (and three tons of water) thirty feet in the air over our driveway. Yowza.

Since we can't put center support under the tub, I'm assuming we're going to have to build this thing with steel i-beams sunk into deep concrete footings. Is this a stupid idea?

Generally speaking, what sort of contractor would be competent to do this work? Can I trust a residential remodeler, or should I go with a commercial-building contractor? (We're in midtown Atlanta, so there are lots to choose from.) Most deck specialists seem to be wood-only, and I don't want someone learning how to do it for the first time on my nickel!

Freestanding deck footings

mcghee — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 08:37:57 GMT

I'm building a deck away from my home on a slope. Since there will not be a ledger board attached to the house. What is the best way to stabilize the deck when installing the footings? Should the posts be buried at least on the high side?

Wood Type

Cindi Jo Wallace — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:43:20 GMT

I am building a 90' square dock in shallow (4 ft.) fresh water. Is it necessary to use marine grade pressure treated wood, or should ACQ pressure treated be adequate? Thanks!

Rotted Joist - Repair?

jramsey100 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:28:43 GMT

The end of my joists (the non-house end) have begun to rot. Is it advisable to remove the rotted end and add a sister joist from before the drop beam? I have some concerns about moisture with the sister joint but really do not want to replace the entire joist(s). Thanks for your help!

trek deck screw holes

jpasquini — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:18:46 GMT

I have unnecessary screw holes from wrong spacing on the deck, I'm haveing it redone and useing the same boards. What is out there to fill in the holes in my trek deck?

Southern yellow pine maintenance

John Riehl — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:16:34 GMT

I have a deck of pressure treated Southern yellow pine, which has been down now for 4 years.
Do I need to treat the deck with any form of oil to stop it drying out or similar?

How do I stop my pergola from swaying

bobhinkle — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:36:57 GMT

I built the pergola using 6x6 posts with 6x6 braces attaching the braces to the posts and roof supports. The braces are fixed with 8" lag screws. The posts are attached to concrete footers with half inch redheads. The pergola still seems to sway at the base of the posts. How can I reinforce the base of the posts to correct the problem?

Pergola posts

bobhinkle — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:30:18 GMT

I built my pergola using 6x6 posts anchored to concrete footings using redheads. The top of the posts are braced using 6x6 at a 45 degree angle to the posts and the roof braces. The braces are attached using 1/2 inch by 8 lag screws. The pergola still has some sway which seems to come from where the posts meet the concrete. How can I reinforce the posts to prevent the swaying? Would pouring a concrete base around the bottom of the post help?

Does anyone have the drawings for 6 feet tall by 20’ long privacy wall to be used in place of deck railing?

z_zk_z — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:01:59 GMT

I need drawings for 4-6 feet tall by 20’ long privacy wall to be used in place of deck railing. I am building a 13’, 4” by 20’ long deck using the Fairfax County Typical Deck Details located at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/publications/decks/. I want to use 4”x4” posts, 4 feet apart, bolted to the rim board with (2) 1/2" lag screws with washers. The top cap is 2x6 and the top and bottom rail is 2x4 with lattice for infill. I could also use composite fencing materials, which comes with 4”x4” jackets that go over the 4”x4” railing posts. I will pay for the drawing if price is reasonable.

Thanks,

anchoring bottom posts for stair railing

hiebster — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:50:29 GMT

When I build steps I've been bolting the posts to the stringers at the second step so that I have more stringer to bolt to and can place the bolts further apart. This makes for a very solid post although I don't really like the way it looks. I think it looks better to have the posts right at the bottom step but then there is only 5 inches of stringer to bolt to. Since I never set these posts in the ground it isn't very solid this way.

Just wondering how other guys do it and if there was any advice..

thanks

deck stairs specs.

AndyM — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:26:47 GMT

Hi guys...please help

Total height is 53 inches, run is NO MORE than 60 and NO LESS than 55 inches.

please advise to specs for making stairs. How many steps and how high is each step. they are to be 10 inches with an inch of nose. i think code is no higher a step than 7 3/4. but im not sure.

cheers for help

Andy

Retrofitting my neighbor's deck for her new hot tub

stina — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:51:49 GMT

Can someone help me? My neighbor just bought a new deck and asked me to help look at her existing deck to see if it will hold the 5000+lb hot tub. The only information the hot tub company would give out is that the existing deck needs to be designed for 125 psf. The existing deck has 2x10 ledgers on 2 sides with a 7.5" square post on the far corner. The joists are 2x10's at 16" o.c. There is a 5x15 GLB running perpendicular to the joists. I honestly have no clue. I'm thinking at a minimum that the 2x10's need to be doubled up, but I'm not sure about the posts. The one existing post is bolted into the concrete patio below.

Any thoughts?