Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Replacing a deck

Hi all,

Hope everyone is ready for a long weekend (at least in the states).

I am replacing a deck in my backyard I was just going to replace the deck boards and then....

The deck is 18'x21'x8'. 18' along the house 8' feet out from the house and 21' in the yard. The deck was built on 4 cement footings that rise up about 12" post holders are set in the footing. The deck was built with a 20' beam laid across the footings. This was 20' of 2-2x6x8s and a 18' 2x8x8 header. Ok, I am going to use 2x10 to replace the 2x6's and 2x10 to replace the 2x8. The cement footings are not even the first span is 5 feet and the second span is 7 feet, the third is 5 feet again. Since the 2x6's held up for 10 years or more I suppose the 2x10 will support the deck.

My question is how do I make a beam out of the 2x10(2-2x10's bolted together). Do I cut a joint on a 45 degree angle on the 10" or do I brace the beam at the joint with another piece of 2x10?

Also the header was bolted to the wall (cinder block) with 4" 3/8 lag bolts I know this held up but should I use larger lag bolts?

This is probably confusing, I know it is to me. Feel free to ask questions.

Thanks,

John

John,

First, the beam. Your concrete footing spacing is fine for what you are going to do. Use four 2X10's to make it -- 2 at 14' or 16' and 2 at 8' in length. Offset the joints. Take one of the long ones and screw, bolt, or nail a short one to it so they are flush on one end. Where the short one stops, butt the other long one to it and screw, bolt, or nail them together. Use the other short one to complete your double beam. When you stand it up on edge, you will have one side with a long 2X10 on the right and a short one on the left -- the other side will have the long 2X10 on the left, and the short one on the right. Once it's mounted in place, cut it to length.

The 2X10 ledger -- through bolt it to the wall of the house if possible, rather than using lags. Personally, I prefer to make my decks freestanding -- 2 beams on a deck with an 8' projection like yours -- and no connection to the house at all. Proper cross-bracing makes it just as stable and sturdy, and there are no holes in the wall of the house for water to get into.

Thanks, I did build the beam out of 2-2x10 and bolted it together with extra 2x10 braces at the joint. So I am sure this sucker will hold up. It is only 2 feet off the ground so I am not to worried. The old deck was only 2x6.

The ledger had to go into the foundation so I could only use lag bolts. 1 every 12 ". Hopefully that will be enough and as I said before the old deck only used about 10 bolts for the old 2x8 ledger.

Thanks again,

John

Ok, so I forgot the stairs. The deck has a cantilever overhang of 12 inches and I am going to face the joists with 2x6x2. I want the stairs to be the full length of the deck 21'. I am going to use 5/4x6x12 as the steps and the deck is 30 inches of the ground where the steps will be. Do I attach the stringers to the facing of the deck with 31/2" screws from behind the stringers and how many stringers do I need? I was thinking a stringer every 3 feet.

Thanks again,

John

OK John, I was wondering about stairs.

You have 2 options. Go to HD, Lowes, or a lumberyard and buy precut stringers, or, buy a few 2X12's and lay out your own stringers for the steps. The pre-cuts will have a 7-1/2" rise and a 12" tread. That will work out perfectly with a deck that is 30" above grade.

NOT every 36"!! You are using 5/4 for the treads -- put the step stringers at 16" O.C. You want steps, not SPRING BOARDS!! Attach them to the deck facia with Simpson LU26's. You'll have to notch the bottom of the stringers a little for the hangers to rest in. A concrete strip at the bottom of the steps for the bottom of the stringers to get attached to, and you've got it.

At 30" above grade, you'll have to have hand rails too.Same codes apply here as apply to the deck railing, plus a few other things. The pickets have to be spaced close enough so that a 4" ball cannot be passed between them. In the triangle formed by the tread, the riser, and the bottom rail, THAT has to be built so that a 6" ball cannot be passed through the opening. The top rail of the hand rail has to be parallel with the steps, and has to be between 34" and 37" above the nose of each step. (I almost always use 36".) And inspectors will check this one closely -- Make SURE that you within 1/8" of PARALLEL!! Use a level and a tape measure -- the tape gives you the 36", and the level to make sure that the tape is plumb! The handrail has to be "gripable" -- you need to route a "V" or square groove an inch in from the outside edge. Use a 2X6, laid flat, for the top cap.

You'll spend some time making the steps right, but that's NOTHING compared to the cost of a lawsuit if they AREN'T right!!!

Already have the hangers, will need to buy stringers and ok every 16 OC.

Thanks again, maybe by next week end I will be able to enjoy. I am in Canada, so no long weekend so I probably won't finish today.

Thanks,

John