Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Rim joist as beam?
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GazzBC
06-03-04, 03:43 PM
Hi folks - I'm new to this forum.
I'm building a multi-level deck; the upper level (at around 27" high) will surround a hot tub at one end and will be angled at the other. It doesn't lend itself to using a beam running under the joists.
I'm thinking that I can use a doubled-up 2 by 8 end joist as the beam, and hang the 2 by 8 floor joists directly off of this (just as they are hung off of the ledger). The supporting posts would be located under the double end joist. I think this would work, as the ledger to beam span would still only be around 10 feet.
Are there any concerns with my proposed method that I'm not seeing?
I hope this explanation is clear...
I'm building a multi-level deck; the upper level (at around 27" high) will surround a hot tub at one end and will be angled at the other. It doesn't lend itself to using a beam running under the joists.
I'm thinking that I can use a doubled-up 2 by 8 end joist as the beam, and hang the 2 by 8 floor joists directly off of this (just as they are hung off of the ledger). The supporting posts would be located under the double end joist. I think this would work, as the ledger to beam span would still only be around 10 feet.
Are there any concerns with my proposed method that I'm not seeing?
I hope this explanation is clear...
lefty
06-05-04, 07:24 AM
I understand what you are planning to do, and it should work. I'm just not understanding why a beam couldn't be put under the joists instead. At 27" high, there should be plenty of room for the 2X8 joists, a 4X6 beam under them, and the posts to support the beam. What am I missing??
GazzBC
06-07-04, 11:03 AM
Thanks Lefty -
The height isn't the issue - as you noted, 27" is lots. The problem is the shape of the upper deck; it's about 11 wide, including a 7 foot hot tub in that space at one end. The other end is angled at around 35 degrees. I could easily run a beam parrallel to the ledger under the joists in the space between the hot tub and the end of the deck, then another beam on an angle back towards the ledger. There are three reasons I don't want to do this; first, the hot tub pump & electrical panel will be facing the outside edge of the deck, and having the beam there would make access difficult.
Second, because of the decking pattern that my lovely and dear wife has "requested" (a 1 by 8 solid border), I need to have double (actually triple) end and rim joists anyhow in order to provide a place to nail both the border and the decking board ends. I thought since I had to do that anyway, I could use them as beams and save some trouble and some money.
The third reason is that I wanted to minimize the number of posts/supports by using the same posts for the upper and lower level decks; I could do this if I used a double end/rim joist as the beam.
Now I'm looking at my joist spans - they'll be about 10.5 feet using 2 by 8's. I'm concerned that this might be a bit bouncy. I wonder if throwing in a couple of posts under the joists would stiffen it up, especially if I using blocking between the joists?
The height isn't the issue - as you noted, 27" is lots. The problem is the shape of the upper deck; it's about 11 wide, including a 7 foot hot tub in that space at one end. The other end is angled at around 35 degrees. I could easily run a beam parrallel to the ledger under the joists in the space between the hot tub and the end of the deck, then another beam on an angle back towards the ledger. There are three reasons I don't want to do this; first, the hot tub pump & electrical panel will be facing the outside edge of the deck, and having the beam there would make access difficult.
Second, because of the decking pattern that my lovely and dear wife has "requested" (a 1 by 8 solid border), I need to have double (actually triple) end and rim joists anyhow in order to provide a place to nail both the border and the decking board ends. I thought since I had to do that anyway, I could use them as beams and save some trouble and some money.
The third reason is that I wanted to minimize the number of posts/supports by using the same posts for the upper and lower level decks; I could do this if I used a double end/rim joist as the beam.
Now I'm looking at my joist spans - they'll be about 10.5 feet using 2 by 8's. I'm concerned that this might be a bit bouncy. I wonder if throwing in a couple of posts under the joists would stiffen it up, especially if I using blocking between the joists?
lefty
06-08-04, 12:34 AM
OH!! you want to build the deck around the upper edge of the tub! (Have the tub sunk into the deck.)
DON'T DO IT!!
I have 3 grandkids and a hot tub. They would view the deck as a diving platform, and hot tubs were never meant to be jumped or dived into!!
DON'T DO IT!!
I have 3 grandkids and a hot tub. They would view the deck as a diving platform, and hot tubs were never meant to be jumped or dived into!!
GazzBC
06-08-04, 10:17 AM
OH!! you want to build the deck around the upper edge of the tub! (Have the tub sunk into the deck.)
DON'T DO IT!!
I have 3 grandkids and a hot tub. They would view the deck as a diving platform, and hot tubs were never meant to be jumped or dived into!!
What, is that all? When I was a kid, I'd have probably tried jumping in from the roof! ;)
Seriously, I hear what you're saying. Although I don't have kids yet, that's a consideration. The lip of the hot tub will be about 8 inches above the decking - I hope that will be enough to discourage any swan dives.
DON'T DO IT!!
I have 3 grandkids and a hot tub. They would view the deck as a diving platform, and hot tubs were never meant to be jumped or dived into!!
What, is that all? When I was a kid, I'd have probably tried jumping in from the roof! ;)
Seriously, I hear what you're saying. Although I don't have kids yet, that's a consideration. The lip of the hot tub will be about 8 inches above the decking - I hope that will be enough to discourage any swan dives.